Lewis’s Letter to Jefferson Announcing the Expedition’s Return

Writing from St. Louis, Lewis summarized the expedition’s key findings: “In obedience to your orders we have penetrated the Continent of North America to the Pacific Ocean.” He described the route, the Native nations encountered, and the prospects for American commerce in the West. Lewis reported that the all-water route to the Pacific that Jefferson hoped for did not exist — the Rocky Mountains proved to be a formidable barrier requiring an overland portage. The letter was widely reprinted and made Lewis and Clark national celebrities overnight.