John Ordway: August 11, 1806
The party traveled well and killed a buffalo in the river. Around noon, Captain Lewis stopped on the south side to hunt elk with Pierre Cruzatte. While shooting at elk in a thicket, Cruzatte accidentally shot Lewis through both buttocks. Lewis initially feared Indians and ordered the men to arms, but the party found only Cruzatte, who claimed ignorance of the accident. Lewis's wound was dressed and a bed prepared in the white pirogue. They later found a note from Captain Clark reporting that Sergeant Pryor's party had joined him after Indians stole their horses. Camped at sunset amid high winds.
and procd on verry well we killed a buffaloe in the river, about
12 oClock Cap* Lewis halted at a bottom on S. Side to kill Some
Elk Peter Cruzatte a frenchman went out with Cap* Lewis
they Soon found a gangue of Elk in a thicket. Cap* Lewis killed
one and cruzatte killed two, and as he still kept fireing one of his
balls hit Cap* Lewis in his back side and the ball passed through
one Side of his buttock and the ball went out of the other Side
of the other buttock and lodged at his overalls which wounded
him bad. he instantly called to peter but Peter not answering he
Supposd it to be Indians and run to the canoes and ordered the
men to their armes. they were in readiness in a moment and Cap*
Lewis attempd to go back for battle but being faint the men pur-
swaded him not to go himself but the party run out found Cru-
zatte and he had Seen no Indians then peter knew that it must
have been him tho an exidant.2 we dressed the wound [and] pre-
pared a place for him to lay in the white perogue J° Fields killed
one Elk. we then took the best of the meat on board and proced
on about 4 P.M. we passd a Camp of Cap* Clark where we found
a note or line informing us that Serg* Pryor & party had joined
them here as the Indians had Stole all the horses & they came
the mouth of White Earth River. The White Earth is modern Little Muddy
River, in Williams County, N. Dak.
1 In McKenzie County, N. Dak., just above the mouth of Little Muddy
River.
2 Lewis was convinced that Cruzatte was immediately aware of having shot
him, and that he only pretended to have been ignorant of it. Both Gass and
Ordway appear to credit Cruzatte with entire ignorance of what he had done.
There are other interesting minor differences between the three narratives of
the accident.
388 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 12
down in leather canoes, they had left here to day day. we procd on
untill about Sunset and Camped on a Sand beach on Ld Side
high winds.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We proceeded on very well. We killed a buffalo in the river. About 12 o'clock Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) halted at a bottom on the south side to kill some elk. Peter Cruzatte, a Frenchman, went out with Capt. Lewis. They soon found a herd of elk in a thicket. Capt. Lewis killed one and Cruzatte killed two, and as he still kept firing, one of his balls hit Capt. Lewis in his backside. The ball passed through one side of his buttock and went out the other side of the other buttock, and lodged in his overalls, which wounded him badly.
He instantly called to Peter, but Peter not answering, he supposed it to be Indians and ran to the canoes and ordered the men to their arms. They were in readiness in a moment, and Capt. Lewis attempted to go back for battle, but being faint, the men persuaded him not to go himself. But the party ran out, found Cruzatte, and he had seen no Indians. Then Peter knew that it must have been him, though an accident. We dressed the wound and prepared a place for him to lay in the white pirogue.
J. Fields killed one elk. We then took the best of the meat on board and proceeded on about 4 P.M. We passed a camp of Capt. Clark where we found a note or line informing us that Sergt. Pryor and party had joined them here, as the Indians had stolen all the horses, and they came down in leather canoes. They had left here today. We proceeded on until about sunset and camped on a sand beach on the larboard side. High winds.
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