Buffalo Bull Charges Camp — Seaman Sounds the Alarm
Before dawn on May 29, 1805, a large buffalo bull stampeded through the expedition's camp along the Missouri River, charging over a pirogue and passing within inches of sleeping men's heads. Lewis credited his Newfoundland dog, Seaman, with barking an alarm that woke the men in time and then chasing the bull away before it could circle back. Lewis noted this was not Seaman's first time serving as a sentinel, but it was the most dramatic instance of the dog protecting the camp from serious injury or death.
In the predawn darkness along the Missouri River, a large buffalo bull stampeded directly through the expedition’s camp, nearly trampling the sleeping men. The bull came within inches of the heads of several men before charging over the pirogue and crashing through the camp. Lewis credited Seaman with sounding the alarm that prevented what could have been a catastrophic incident.
Lewis recorded that Seaman “was very attentive and barked at the buffalo” as it approached, rousing the men from sleep just in time. The dog then chased the bull away from the camp, preventing it from circling back through the sleeping men a second time. Without Seaman’s warning, men could have been killed or seriously injured by the massive animal.
This was perhaps Seaman’s most important contribution to the expedition’s survival. The incident demonstrated why a large, alert guard dog was an invaluable asset on the frontier, where dangerous wildlife encounters were a constant threat. Lewis noted this was not the first time Seaman had served as a sentinel, but it was the most dramatic example of the dog earning his keep.
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In the predawn darkness along the Missouri River, a large buffalo bull stampeded directly through the expedition's camp, nearly trampling the sleeping men. The bull came within inches of the heads of several men before charging over the pirogue and crashing through the camp. Lewis credited Seaman with sounding the alarm that prevented what could have been a catastrophic incident.
Lewis recorded that Seaman "was very attentive and barked at the buffalo" as it approached, rousing the men from sleep just in time. The dog then chased the bull away from the camp, preventing it from circling back through the sleeping men a second time. Without Seaman's warning, men could have been killed or seriously injured by the massive animal.
This was perhaps Seaman's most important contribution to the expedition's survival. The incident demonstrated why a large, alert guard dog was an invaluable asset on the frontier, where dangerous wildlife encounters were a constant threat. Lewis noted this was not the first time Seaman had served as a sentinel, but it was the most dramatic example of the dog earning his keep.
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