Lewis and Clark


Lewis	“The Corps of Discovery”	Clark

It is amazing to think that on May 14, 1804, 45 men set out on an expedition to the Pacific Ocean, wondering how far it was, how long it was going to take, and what they would see. Little did they know that their journey would become one of the most well known in the history of the United States.

Before the Expedition

It is true that when people thought of the West before the 1800’s, they pictured erupting volcanoes and mountains that were 20 miles high. A river, called the Oregon, which led all the way through the country, was also a belief. The Lost Tribe of Israel was thought to be roaming around on the Plains.

So, when Thomas Jefferson, President and the time, appointed Lewis to lead an expedition to explore the unknown West, Lewis was ecstatic. He had always wanted to have an adventure. When he first heard about this, he knew right then who his partner would be, William Clark.

It is interesting to note that when Thomas Jefferson originally introduced his idea of western exploration, he said it would only cost $2,500 to make it seem more appealing to Congress. Even though the actual cost would end up being $38,722. And on February 28, 1803 he got permission for the expedition.

Since nobody had much of an idea about the land across the Appalachians, Lewis knew very little about what he should take. With the money Congress had set aside for the expedition, Lewis bought over two tons of equipment. Some of it was used very often, and some of it they didn’t use at all. Nobody knew how long they would be gone so they bought mass amounts of the things they thought they would need. Here are some items on the actual list of supplies:

-193 lbs. of portable soup (a thick paste which water had to be mixed with) -4,600 sewing needles -144 small scissors -10½ lbs. of fishing hooks and line -288 knives -130 rolls of tobacco -420 lbs. of sheet lead for bullets -176 lbs. of gunpowder -over 6,000 doses of different medicines -12 lbs. of soap
	List of Equipment

As you can see, many preparations had to be made. Lewis and Clark had to learn astronomy, botany, navigation, medicine, and biology before they could even leave.

You may be surprised to learn that there were many reasons for this expedition along with trying to find the Northwest Passage, which was a river that crossed the country in order to allow more direct trade with the Orient. They were also supposed to find the source of the Missouri River, cross the western mountains, and reach the Pacific Ocean. Along the way they were to record and study animal life, climate, minerals, and Indians and their culture. A message was to be given to all of the Indians that they met that traders were coming to buy their furs, too.

It’s hard to believe, but around the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition the United States was a lot smaller that it is today. France still owned about 1/3 of the present-day U.S. This area was about 600 million acres and extended from the Mississippi River all the way west to the Rocky Mountains and from above the northern border of the United States to the bottom of Louisiana. It nearly doubled the size of our country.

Interestingly enough, France sold the huge area of land to us on April 30, 1803, for $15 million, about three cents per acre. This investment proved to be a tremendous aide to the expedition that wasn’t until a year later. It meant that we didn’t have to get permission from France to travel through their land.

The Trip to the Pacific

On May 14, 1804, Lewis and Clark, and their party of about 45 men, started up the Missouri River from Camp Wood where Clark wrote, “I set out at 4 oClock P.M… and proceeded on under a jentle brease up the Missouri.”

From there, they came upon La Charette 11 days later, which was the last settlement of whites on that river. Charles Floyd, sergeant, died on August 20, from appendicitis, near Sioux City, Iowa. He was the only casualty for the rest of the expedition.

On September 7, the party entered the Great Plains. By then, they had collected 178 plants and 122 animals. Somewhere near Pierre, South Dakota, the expedition came to a stall. When Lewis and Clark were traveling up the Missouri, they met up with the Teton Sioux. This tribe was stubborn and wouldn’t let the group pass unless they gave the Indians one of their boats. A fight nearly broke out, but luckily, Black Buffalo was there to settle it.

They reached the villages of the Mandans and Hidatsas on October 24, which would become their winter camp. This is where they built Fort Mandan. They reached the villages of the Mandans and Hidatsas on October 24, which would become their winter camp. This is where they built Fort Mandan. In five months and 1,510 miles, two men had deserted and one man was charged with mutiny.

You will find that many things happened that winter. While the Indians and explorers were hunting together one day, a boy got frostbite and Lewis had to amputate it. Lewis and Clark met Sacagewea and her husband while they were there, also. In February Sacagewea had her son, Jean Baptiste, or Pomp.

	Many people are unfamiliar with Sacagewea. She was a Shoshone Indian and was 17 when she served as an interpreter on the expedition. Four years earlier she had been kidnapped by the Hidatsas, and then sold to a French man. His name was Toussaint Charbonneau and married Sacagewea soon after he bought her.
Sacagewea

Lewis wrote on April 7,1805, when they left Fort Mandan:

“We were about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width, on which the foot of civilized man had never trodden. I could but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life.”

Twelve men were sent back to Jefferson with the samples they had collected while 33 men, the “Permanent Party”, traveled on. In Montana the group had a close encounter with a bear, the first one they had ever seen. Afterwards Lewis wrote, “I would reather fight two Indians that one bear.”

You will soon discover that on June 13, the party started on one of the hardest parts of their trek. On this day, they saw the Great Falls of the Missouri River and estimated it would take them half of a day to portage around it. They attached wheels to the canoes and began the portage. Bruising hailstones fell on them for most of the 18½ miles. It took them almost a month to cross the cascades of the Missouri. Sacagewea almost died. To celebrate the end of their portage, they drank the last of their whiskey on July 4.

Indeed, in late July, the party reached the Three Forks of the Missouri. They named them the Gallatin, the Madison, and the Jefferson. Debating on which was the true Missouri, they finally proceeded up the Jefferson.

Finally, they were in Shoshone Country, homeland of Sacagewea, where they befriended the Indians. Here they made a camp called “Camp Fortunate” named for their fortunate meeting with the Indians. The chief of the tribe turned out to be Sacagewea’s brother which also turned out to be fortunate, for without the Shoshone, the party wouldn’t have made it through the mountains.
	Lewis sees the mountains for the first time

Old Toby was picked to guide the expedition through the Bitterroot Mountains using the Lolo Trail. But before they started into the mountains, they stopped at Traveler’s Rest to prepare for the crossing.

The mountain crossing another very difficult part of their trip. Old Toby lost the trail and the party almost starved to death, eating their horses to survive. They traveled through snowstorms the whole time and reached the Nez Percé village at last. They treated the starving explorers to a big feast which turned out of be sickening for them because of their eating habits.

After recovering, they traveled through the rest of the mountains and saw the first waters flowing to the Pacific. At the Clearwater River, they built new canoes and started own it, which was their first time downstream.

Now that they were past the mountains, the explorers were in the home stretch. From the Clearwater, they went down the Snake River and then the Columbia. Along the way, they saw Mt. Hood, the Raging Falls, and the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.

Would you believe that on November 15, 1805, the expedition finally reached the Pacific? They were 4,132 miles from Camp Wood where they decided to build winter shelter near Astoria, Oregon. They named it Fort Clatsops after the neighboring Indian tribe.

Here they spent a harsh winter where it rained all but 12 days, hunting elk for food. They had to use Crabtree bark in the place of tobacco. Throughout the winter, they rested and prepared for the long journey back.

The Trip Back

Without a doubt, the explorers were ready to go home. So, on March 23, 1806, they gave their fort to the Clatsops and started up the Columbia River towards civilization. After bartering with Indians for horses, they rode to the Nez Percé village. Here they waited for the snow to melt before crossing the Bitterroots again. They started crossing the mountains, but had to turn back because of snowdrifts.

Amazingly, they party only had to wait a week and this time, they got all of the way through.

It is true that on July 3, the expedition separated. Louis went one way and Clark went the other, in order to better explore the Louisiana Territory.

Lewis took nine men and traveled down the Missouri to the Great Falls. His group then split again, where 5 men went on down the Missouri. Lewis took 3 men and traveled on the Maria River north, almost to Canada.

On July 26, Lewis met up with some Blackfoot warriors who camped with them overnight. When he awoke, they were stealing his group’s guns and horses. They fought until the Indians ran off,which was awhile, leaving two Blackfoot Warriors dead. Luckily, no one died from the party.

Meanwhile, Clark took the remaining men and traveled southeast on horses. They crossed the Rockies through Gibbon’s Pass and came to the Jefferson River. Clark proceeded on horseback to the Three Forks of the Missouri while a few other men stayed back to repair the canoes.

At the Three Forks, Clark went east to explore the Yellowstone River and had some men go on down the Missouri. Three men drove the horses overland but Clark went down the Yellowstone in newly made canoes.

The parties reunited in August near the joining of the Missouri and the Yellowstone rivers. Clark learned that Lewis had been shot in the rear because he was mistaken for and elk in his buckskin clothes. Lewis recovered fine, though, and they started down the Missouri together.

Sacagewea and her family were dropped off at the Mandan village on August 17 after their long journey.

Finally they reached St. Louis on September 23, 1806, and became national heroes. They had completed their expedition with only one casualty, Charles Floyd, and had done everything they were supposed to.

Afterwards

Presuming them dead, Jefferson was very surprised to see the explorers coming home after 2 years and 4 months, have traveled over 2,000 miles.

As a payment for their services, Lewis and Clark both received 1,600 acres of land. The other expeditionists were each given 320 acres as a reward. Sacagewea was not given anything for her services, but was greatly appreciated.

Lewis became Governor of Upper Louisiana Territory and remained famous for many years. On October 11, 1809, at Grinder’s Stand Inn, Lewis was found dead and had been shot. It is still a subject of controversy on if the death was a murder or a suicide.

Clark became Brigadier General of the Militia and Indian Agent for Upper Louisiana Territory. He then became Governor of Missouri Territory until 1820. In 1822 he served as the Superintendent of Indian Affairs and was chosen for this position by President Monroe and by each succeeding president until he died. Clark died of natural causes and is buried in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sacagewea always tried to keep her tribe at peace with the whites. She died on the Wind River Reservation in 1884 at around 80. Clark adopted Pomp, her son, and Lisette, her daughter.

Now that you know about Lewis and Clark, you will agree that they played a very important role in our country’s history. They are heroes in many people’s eyes by accomplishing everything they set out to do.

Trail Lewis and Clark took

Marc Roth

Rossville Junior High

2002 Plains Project

Bibliography