Fort Mandan, North Dakota — John Ordway: December 21, 1804
The expedition continued constructing Fort Mandan, setting pickets while a number of Native visitors, especially women, lingered around the garrison. Mr. Henny arrived after a six-day journey from the North West Company's establishment on the Assiniboine River, carrying a letter from Charles Chaboillez offering assistance. According to Gass, the North West Company's visits aimed to learn the Americans' purpose in the region and gather news about the change of government. Trader Francois Larocque later described the fort as triangular, heavily picketed, and strong enough to be nearly cannon-ball proof.
bringing & Setting pickets a nomber of the Savages came
Staying about our Garrison espacally Several of the women.
1 “Mr Henny from the Establishment on River Ossinniboin, with a letter
from Mr. Charles Chaboillez one of the Co arrived in 6 days. Mr. C in his
letter expressed a great anxiety to Serve us in any thing in his power.” Clark.
“The object of the visits we received from the N. W. Company, was to ascer-
tain our motives for visiting that country, and to gain information with respect
to the change of government.” Gass. The leader of the visiting North West
Company traders thus records his impressions of Fort Mandan: “Arrived at
Fort Mandan, being the name the Americans give to their Fort which
is constructed in a triangular form, ranges of houses making two sides,
and a range of amazing long pickets the front. The whole is made so strong
as to be almost cannon ball proof. The two ranges of houses do not join one
another, but are joined by a piece of fortification made in the form of a demi
circle that can defend two sides of the Fort, on the top of which they keep
sentry all night; the lower parts of that building serves as a store. A sentinel
is likewise kept all day walking in the Fort.” “Journal of Francois Larocque,
1804-1805,” in L. R. Masson, Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord Ouest
* * * (Quebec, 1889), I, 307-8.
174 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Dec. 22
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
While bringing and setting pickets, a number of the natives came and stayed around our garrison, especially several of the women.
"Mr. Henny from the establishment on the Assiniboine River, with a letter from Mr. Charles Chaboillez, one of the company, arrived in 6 days. Mr. C., in his letter, expressed a great anxiety to serve us in any thing in his power." — Clark.
"The object of the visits we received from the N. W. Company was to ascertain our motives for visiting that country, and to gain information with respect to the change of government." — Gass.
The leader of the visiting North West Company traders thus records his impressions of Fort Mandan: "Arrived at Fort Mandan, being the name the Americans give to their fort, which is constructed in a triangular form, ranges of houses making two sides, and a range of amazingly long pickets the front. The whole is made so strong as to be almost cannonball proof. The two ranges of houses do not join one another, but are joined by a piece of fortification made in the form of a semicircle that can defend two sides of the fort, on the top of which they keep sentry all night; the lower parts of that building serve as a store. A sentinel is likewise kept all day walking in the fort." — "Journal of Francois Larocque, 1804-1805," in L. R. Masson, Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord Ouest * * * (Quebec, 1889), I, 307-8.
174 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Dec. 22
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
