Lewis leaves Harpers Ferry
Fort Nashborough, Nashville, Tennessee
© 2022 by Robert Heacock. Used by permission.
Meriwether Lewis originally planned to have the expedition’s boat built at Nashville with Fort Nashborough serving as the staging area before departing down the Cumberland River. As shown above, the reconstructed fort is dwarfed by modern buildings, yet the spot still has a functioning dock. The fort was not a United States military post, perhaps the reason that the expedition’s barge was built at Fort Fayette in Pittsburgh.
I have also written to Dr. Dickson, at Nashville, and requested him to contract in my behalf with some confidential boat-builder at that place, to prepare a boat for me as soon as possible, and to purchase a large light wooden canoe: for this purpose
I arrived at this place yesterday, called on Mr. Ellicot, and have this day commenced, under his direction, my observations &c, to perfect myself in the use and application of the instruments. Mr. Ellicot is extreemly friendly and attentive, and I am confident is disposed to render me every aid in his power: he thinks it will be necessary I should remain here ten or twelve days.—
I still think it practicable to reach the mouth of the Missourie by the 1st. of August.—
I am Sir, with much esteem and regard Your Most Obt. Servt.
Meriwether Lewis.
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Notes
| ↑1 | This and all excerpts on this page are from Meriwether Lewis to Thomas Jefferson, Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-40-02-0175 accessed 12 May 2022. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 40, 4 March–10 July 1803, ed. Barbara B. Oberg. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013, pp. 245–250.] |
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