John Ordway: August 18, 1804

brought with them Reed the deserter, likewise the Big chief of the
Zottaus called the Big horse,4 and a nother chief called pete-
valiar5 of Missouri & a Frenchman & 7 of the wariers came for the
purpose of treating with the Mahas & C. Reed tried & punished
towards evening;6 the Chiefs verry Sorrey &. C. as Liberty (had
been at the village) has not returned with Drewyer
1 Clark writes that the creek was “Darned” by beavers, which Biddle
alters to “damned” — a procedure not commonly attributed to quadrupeds.
2 They were taken with “trails or brush nets.” Gass.
3 Moses B. Reed. For his desertion see ante, journal entries of August 4
and 6. For his punishment see post, entry of August 18. Clark records (Aug-
ust 17) that the pursuing party caught La Liberty also, “but he decived them
and got away.”
* The Big Horse was a well-known chief of the Oto tribe. At the time of
Long’s expedition (1819-20) he is spoken of as the principal chief.
6 Called Little Thief by Clark.
6 Whitehouse’s record of Reed’s punishment is equally laconic. It is de-
scribed by Clark as follows: “[we] proceeded to the trial of Reed, he confessed
that he ‘Deserted & stold a public Rifle Shot-pouch Powder & Ball’ and re-
quested we would be as favourable with him as we Could consistantly with our
112 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 19
Aug* Sunday 19th pleasant S wind, the Indians got up their
horses to water them, all the Indians appear to be friendly,
at about the hour of 9 o. Clock Cap* Lewis & Cap1 Clark read a
Speech to the Indians & counseled with them. Gave one a medel &
the rest they gave commissions & made them all chiefs &. C. they
appeared to be willing to make peace with the Mahars & all other
nations the Captains Gave them Some Small articles of Goods
&. C. & gave them provisions while they remained with us.
the most of this day taken up in giving the Indians Good counsel
&. C. Sg1 Floyd taken verry Sudenly 111 this morning with a
collick. Cap* M. Lewis invited the above petevaliar [and] the Big
Chief to go to see the presidant &. C. &. C.
Aug.1 Monday 20th pleasant, we Set of[f] under a gentle
Breeze from S. E, the Indians chiefs Set out to return to their
village. Sg* Floyd worse than he was yesterday we Sailed on
verry well till noon when we came too on S. S. Serg1 Charles
Floyd Expired directly after we halted a little past the middle of
the day.1 he was laid out in the Best Manner possable. we pro-
ceeded on to the first hills N. S. there we dug the Grave2 on a
handsome Sightly Round knob close to the Bank, we buried him
with the honours of war. the usal Serrymony performed (by
Cap* Lewis as custommary in a Settlement, we put a red ceeder
post hughn [hewed] & branded his name date &. C. we named
those Bluffs Sergeant Charles Floyds Bluffs Distant from the
Oathes — which we were and only Sentenced him to run the Gantlet four times
through the Party & that each man with 9 Swichies Should punish him and for
him not to be considered in future as one of the Party. The three principal
Chiefs petitioned for Pardin for this man after we explained the injurey such
men could doe them by false representations, & explan’g the Customs of our
Countrey they were all Satisfied with the propriety of the Sentence & was
Witness to the punishment.”
In after years Bratton was in the habit of relating to his children that instead
of switches the men used their ramrods on the culprit, and that the blows
were well laid on, in the fear that anyone showing leniency would incur similar
punishment. Gass, Introduction, p. xxv.
1 Clark gives a fuller account of Floyd’s illness and death. He “Died with
a great deal of Composure * * * This Man at all times gave us proofs
of his firmness and Determined resolution to doe Service to his Countrey and
honor to himself.”
2 Within the limits of Sioux City, Iowa. The grave was long a noted land-
mark to voyagers upon the Missouri. Having been partly washed away by
the river, in 1857 Floyd’s remains were reinterred in a safer place about an
eighth of a mile farther back. In 1901 a monumental shaft to the dead ser-
geant was dedicated with fitting ceremony.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 113
Mouth of the Missouri 949 § miles by water,1 we then proceeded
on a short distance to a creek which we Call Floyds Creek2 (came
15. or 18. miles to day where we Camped N. S.
1 On the M. R. C. map the distance is given as 805 miles.
2 Still called Floyd River. It drains several counties of northwestern Iowa,
and joins the Missouri within the limits of Sioux City.
CHAPTER IV
From Floyd’s Creek to Teton River, August 21-
September 24, 1804