3415 Entries
Journal Entries
Original journal entries from all six expedition journalists: Lewis, Clark, Floyd, Ordway, Gass, and Whitehouse. Sourced from the Thwaites Edition (1904-1905).
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Apr
16
1804
Camp Dubois: April 16, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 16, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
17
1804
Camp Dubois: April 17, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 17, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
18
1804
Camp Dubois: April 18, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 18, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
19
1804
Camp Dubois: April 19, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 19, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
20
1804
Camp Dubois: April 20, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 20, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
21
1804
Camp Dubois: April 21, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 21, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
22
1804
Camp Dubois: April 22, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 22, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
23
1804
Camp Dubois: April 23, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 23, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
24
1804
Camp Dubois: April 24, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 24, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
25
1804
Camp Dubois: April 25, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 25, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
26
1804
Camp Dubois: April 26, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 26, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
27
1804
Camp Dubois: April 27, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 27, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
28
1804
Camp Dubois: April 28, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 28, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
29
1804
Camp Dubois: April 29, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 29, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Apr
30
1804
Camp Dubois: April 30, 1804
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for April 30, 1804 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
May
1
1804
Captains Select the Permanent Party for Pacific Journey
At Camp Dubois, final preparations for departure intensified as Lewis and Clark reviewed the roster of the permanent party. The captains made final decisions about which men from…
May
2
1804
Clark Oversees Careful Loading of Three Expedition Vessels
On this day, the expedition focused on loading their three vessels—the keelboat and two pirogues—with supplies needed for the journey ahead. Clark personally oversaw the work, ensuring the…
May
3
1804
Lewis Settles Final St. Louis Affairs Before Departure
Lewis remained in St. Louis handling final business matters in preparation for the expedition's departure. Meanwhile, Clark stayed at camp continuing to organize the men and supplies for…
May
4
1804
Final Inspection of Provisions and Trade Goods
Clark spent the day completing final inspections of the expedition's equipment and supplies. The party prepared to set out with enough provisions to last for months, along with…
May
5
1804
Lewis Dispatches Final Reports to Jefferson
From St. Louis, Lewis sent his final dispatches to President Jefferson before the expedition's departure up the Missouri River. The communications reported on the Corps of Discovery's state…
May
6
1804
Clark Assigns Men to Boats and Squads
The Corps of Discovery focused on final preparations before departure. Clark assigned each man to a specific boat and set of duties, organizing the company into functional squads.…
May
7
1804
Men Clean Arms and Write Letters at Dubois
At Camp Dubois, anticipation built as the expedition's departure drew near. The men spent the day preparing for the long journey ahead, cleaning and inspecting their firearms and…
May
8
1804
Lewis Returns to Camp for Final Planning
Lewis came back to Camp Dubois from St. Louis as the expedition's departure drew near. With only a few days remaining before setting out, he and Clark used…
May
9
1804
Boats Loaded; Final Review Before Departure
The boats were fully loaded and ready for departure. Lewis and Clark conducted a final review of the men, their equipment, and their provisions, finding everything as prepared…
May
10
1804
Last Letters Written Before Leaving Camp Dubois
During the final days at Camp Dubois, the expedition members focused on personal preparations before setting out on their long journey. Some men used the time to write…
May
11
1804
Camp Dubois Broken Down for Departure
With departure on the Missouri River fast approaching, Camp Dubois was nearly broken down and packed up. After months of training, gathering supplies, and preparing for the journey…
May
12
1804
Final Day at Camp Dubois Winter Quarters
This was the second-to-last day at Camp Dubois, the winter staging ground near the mouth of the Missouri River. Final preparations were underway as the Corps of Discovery…
May
13
1804
Corps Departs Camp Dubois Into the Missouri
On this day, the Corps of Discovery departed Camp Dubois, marking the official start of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Clark led the main party up the Missouri…
May
14
1804
Corps Departs Camp River Dubois on the Missouri
On May 14, 1804, William Clark launched the Corps of Discovery from Camp River Dubois on the Wood River in Illinois, beginning the expedition up the Missouri River.…
May
14
1804
Ordway Records Afternoon Departure Up the Missouri
Sergeant John Ordway, the expedition's senior sergeant, recorded the departure on the afternoon of May 14, 1804. According to his entry, Captain Clark set out at 4 p.m.…
May
14
1804
Clark Launches Expedition up the Missouri
On a showery afternoon, Captain Clark launched the western expedition at 3 p.m., departing with a party of three sergeants and 38 working hands crewing the keelboat and…
May
14
1804
Clark Departs in Rain; Lewis to Follow at St. Charles
Despite hard rain showers, the expedition departed as planned on this day set by Captain Clark. Residents from the nearby Gotian Settlement gathered to watch the launch. Captain…
May
15
1804
Rain Soaks Provisions atop the Pirogues
Heavy rain fell through the night and into the morning, extinguishing the fires and soaking some provisions stored atop the pirogues. Two men were sent inland to hunt,…
May
15
1804
Wild Geese Spotted Near Fifer's Landing
Heavy rain fell through much of the night and into the morning, delaying departure until 7 a.m. The party then traveled past two islands and camped on the…
May
15
1804
Rain Clears to Favorable Wind Along Rich Bottomlands
The day began rainy but cleared with a favorable wind in the afternoon. The party sailed for a while and camped on the north side of the river,…
May
15
1804
Hard Rain Gives Way to Pleasant Afternoon Travel
The day began with hard rain as the party set out early on a swift, muddy current, passing islands and a few inhabitants along the way. The weather…
May
15
1804
Party Reaches St. Charles; Single Gun Salute
The party sailed part of the day and camped on the north side of the river, where some cleared land showed very rich soil. Setting out early the…
May
16
1804
Arrival at St. Charles Draws French and Indian Crowd
On a fair Wednesday morning, the expedition departed at 5 a.m. and passed a striking bluff the French called Carbonere, noted for its apparent coal and ore deposits.…
May
17
1804
Court Martial for Collins and Two Others at St. Charles
On a fair day at St. Charles, Clark convened a court martial for three men charged with being absent without leave the previous night, with John Collins also…
May
17
1804
Camp Holds Awaiting Captain Lewis's Arrival
A pleasant morning greeted the party, who remained in camp awaiting the arrival of Captain Lewis. The evening turned rainy.
May
17
1804
Ordway Notes Nothing of Importance Occurred
John Ordway recorded no significant events for this day during the early stages of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. His brief note simply indicates that nothing of importance…
May
17
1804
Fair Day with Rain Falling at Night
Sergeant Charles Floyd's brief entry notes that the day was fair, with clear weather during daylight hours, but rain fell during the night. No other events, locations, or…
May
18
1804
Reloading the Boats and Distributing Tin Cups
On a fine, windy Friday at St. Charles, Clark took equal altitudes with the sextant and oversaw the reloading of the boat and pirogue so the bows would…
May
18
1804
Final Supply Purchases Near St. Charles
On a fair morning in mid-May 1804, members of the expedition continued their final preparations near St. Charles, purchasing additional accessories and supplies needed for the upcoming voyage…
May
18
1804
Expedition Encamped at St. Charles
The expedition remained encamped at St. Charles, Missouri, with no travel or notable activities recorded for the day.
May
19
1804
Seven Ladies Visit the Boat at St. Charles
A violent windstorm from the west-southwest the previous night brought several hours of rain, clearing by 8 a.m. under a cloudy sky. Many visitors, including seven ladies, came…
May
19
1804
Captain Lewis Arrives with Officers from St. Louis
The day began with rainy, wet weather at the expedition's camp. Captain Lewis arrived in the afternoon, accompanied by several officers from St. Louis. With his arrival, the…
May
19
1804
Captain Stoddard and Sergeant Worrell Arrive
Captain Stoddard and Sergeant Worrell arrived at the expedition's location, accompanying another individual. The brief entry notes only this visit, with no further details about the purpose of…
May
19
1804
Captain Lewis Rejoins Expedition in Rain
A rainy day marked by a single notable event: Captain Meriwether Lewis rejoined the expedition party. Sergeant Charles Floyd's brief entry records no other activities, travel, or interactions,…
May
20
1804
Men Attend Catholic Mass at St. Charles
On a cloudy, rainy Sunday with strong winds from the previous night, Clark continued writing rolls at St. Charles. A lost letter belonging to George was recovered by…
May
20
1804
Lewis Departs St. Louis with Prominent Residents
On a fair Sunday morning, Lewis departed St. Louis at noon accompanied by Captain Stoddard, Lieutenants Milford and Worrell, the Chouteaus, Gratiot, and other prominent residents, traveling overland…
May
20
1804
Expedition Members Observe French Catholic Mass
On this Sunday, several members of the expedition party attended a Catholic Mass, which the French residents of the area held as their religious service. The men observed…
May
20
1804
Ordway Attends Mass at Winter Quarters
On this day, John Ordway attended Mass and observed the religious service being performed. The journal entry is extremely brief, providing no additional details about the location, other…
May
20
1804
Nothing Worth Relating on This Day
Sergeant Charles Floyd recorded an exceptionally brief entry for this day, noting only that nothing worth relating had occurred. No events, people, locations, weather conditions, or decisions were…
May
21
1804
Expedition Departs St. Charles to Three Cheers
After spending the morning organizing the party and gathering necessary supplies in St. Charles, the expedition dined with Mr. Ducette and departed at 3:30 PM, sent off with…
May
21
1804
Expedition Departs St. Charles Up the Missouri
The expedition departed St. Charles at 4 p.m. under showery weather conditions. After a short afternoon of travel along the Missouri River, the party made camp on the…
May
21
1804
Departure from St. Charles with Cheers and Canon Fire
Rainy weather marked the day as the party loaded additional provisions, including bread, on board. Around 4 p.m. they departed from St. Charles, firing the bow piece and…
May
21
1804
Spirits High; Drouillard and Willard Stay Behind
On a showery day, the expedition members were all in high spirits as they continued their journey. Two men, George Drouillard and Willard, stayed behind to attend to…
May
22
1804
Delayed by Frenchmen Settling Business in Town
On a cloudy Tuesday following a night of violent rain, the expedition delayed about an hour for four Frenchmen who returned to town to settle forgotten business, then…
May
22
1804
Fifteen Miles Past Bonhomme Creek; Indians Visit Camp
After heavy rain, the expedition set out and traveled 15 miles up the Missouri River, passing Bonhomme Creek on the south bank and camping that night at cliffs…
