Building Fort Mandan — John Ordway: November 3, 1804
Construction of Fort Mandan continued, with the foundation laid for a second line of huts measuring 4 by 14 feet using large, heavy timber. A hunting party departed by pirogue to travel 20 or 30 miles downriver to find game and supply meat for the expedition. The party's interpreter brought his family down from the nearby village to live at the fort, and a Frenchman from the village signed on to join the expedition. Several Native women came from the village bringing meat to the captains.
hunters Set out to go 20 or 30 miles down the River in a pearogue
to good hunting Ground in order to kill meat for the party, we
1 Fort Mandan, the construction of which was now begun, was located in
McLean County, seven or eight miles below the mouth of Knife River. Nearly
opposite its site, on the west side of the river, Fort Clark was built in 1831 to
serve as a trading center of the American Fur Company. Since 1822 the com-
pany had maintained a fortified trading post in the immediate vicinity. Until
the passing away of the fur-trade period on the upper Missouri, Fort Clark
continued an important center of trade.
2 “The following is the manner in which our huts and fort were built. The
huts were in two rows, containing four rooms each, and joined at one end form-
ing an angle. When raised about 7 feet high a floor of puncheons or split plank
were laid, and covered with grass and clay; which made a warm loft. The
upper part projected a foot over and the roofs were made shed fashion, rising
from the inner side, and making the outer wall about 18 feet high. The part
not enclosed by the huts we intend to picket. In the angle formed by the
two rows of huts we built two rooms, for holding our provisions and stores.”
Gass, November 3.
162
I >
SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 163
continued building, layed the foundation of the other line of
huts 4 by 14 feet also, the timber large and heavy. Mr [name
blank in Ms.]1 our Interpreter moved down from village with his
famialy to Stay with us a frenchman came from the village also
who has engaged to join us for the expedition &. C.2 Some of
the Squaws came from the vil. bro* Cap* meat &. C.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The hunters set out to go 20 or 30 miles down the river in a pirogue to good hunting ground in order to kill meat for the party. We continued building, and laid the foundation of the other line of huts, 4 by 14 feet also, the timber large and heavy. Mr. [name blank in Ms.], our interpreter, moved down from the village with his family to stay with us. A Frenchman came from the village also, who has engaged to join us for the expedition, etc. Some of the squaws came from the village and brought Capt. (Captain) meat, etc.
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.
