Building Fort Mandan — Joseph Whitehouse: November 1, 1804
Construction of Fort Mandan progressed during 14 days of pleasant weather as men built and finished their huts. A 15-day hunting trip down the river brought back 34 deer, 10 elk, and 5 buffalo, totaling over 2,000 pounds of meat. On November 30, Mandan messengers reported a Sioux and Arikara attack that killed one hunter, wounded two, and stole eight horses. Captain Clark led 20 volunteers across the Missouri to assist, but Mandan and Gros Ventre chiefs declined to fight due to cold and deep snow. Hunting continued successfully into December.
Began the works of the fort the weather continued pleasant
for 14 days during which time all the men at Camp Ocepied
thair time dilligenently in Building their huts and got them
Made comfertable in that time to live in.
Saterday 3^.
a party of hunters was Sent down the river with a peirogue
to Bring the meat whome [home] the[y] Remained 15 days,
and on the 18!!* Ins* the[y] had good Success the[y] kill!^ 34
deers, 10 Elks and 5 Buffelows, in all the[y] had Upwards of
20 hundred Wt Nothing Else happ”? Extraordinary Untill
the 30*^ Ins* a messenger from the mandans came to the fort to
Inform Our Officers that a hunting party of theirs was Robed
by the Sues & Rees Indians, on the 27* last, of Eight horses
and their meat that the[y] had kill?, & Kill? One of their men
and wounded two Others.
1 At this point begins handwriting No. a, and continues over five pages of the MS.,
comprising the entries from November i to December 2 inclusive. — Ed.
the[y] Apply? for Some Assistance from the fort which Cap^*”
Lewis & Clark Readly granted them. Twenty Men turnd
Out Volentary Under the Command of Cap!? Clark out of the
fort to goe to fight the Sues the Guard Seat us Across the
Missourie at Eleven Oclock at the fort the Cap*° form? his
men On the S. W. Side of the river Missourie and told them
off in Sections, from the right, and Sent out a Noncommis-
sioned Officer and a file of men on Each flank to Reconitere
the woods at the distance of neerly One hundred Yl’ from the
head of Company. After a march of 6 miles we Ariv? at the
first Village of mandans, with our two Interprators One of
the mandans & one of the Grosvauinties, thinking to be Reign?
fors? [reinforced] by a party of Each Nation With a Detach-
ment from the Watesoons Nation like-ways, as they and [the]
Groce Vaunties are Nigh Neighbours to the Mandans Nation
but after we Ariv? At the Village the Cheifs of Both Nations
Concluded not to goe to fight as the weather was Cold and the
Snow Upwards of i8 Inches Deep on the Ground, before
Spring Nixt.
The Cap*? & the party halted two hours at the Village
he told the Cheifs and Warieres of the Mandans that he and
his men was on the Ground Ready to Assist them And the[y]
Should See that Him and his Men Could fight. After Some
little Conversation with the Savages, we took our leave of them
and Started for the fort we Cross? the river between the first
& Second Village On the Ise And came whome to the fort
Ariv? at dark the Evening was col? Each Drank Some Good
Spirits After which Reviv? Us Very Much And Retir? to Our
Rooms Each.
December iff
Nothing hapened Extraordinary Continued Picquiting in
the huts.
a.
the Big white a Cheif of the mandans Came to Our fort in
the Morning to Inform Us that the Buffelow was Close to us
a Comeing in Capt? Lewis and 15 Men turn? Out to Shoot
[;o]
p
1804] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
them the[y] kill? 10, and the Indians Kill? 50 the two Cap-
tains Lewis & Clark took it in turn day about with a party
Each day to goe a hunting And had Great Success until the
15 inst that the Buffelow got neerly twenty miles off Cap!”
Clark and his party Returned on the Morning of the 16!^ Ins*
but Could find no game But two deer, the[y] Slept in the
woods all night Some Snow fell that made the Air warmir On
the Night of the 15?^ Inst.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Began the work on the fort. The weather continued pleasant for 14 days, during which time all the men at camp occupied their time diligently in building their huts, and got them made comfortable enough to live in during that time.
Saturday 3rd. A party of hunters was sent down the river with a pirogue to bring the meat home. They remained 15 days, and on the 18th instant they had good success: they killed 34 deer, 10 elk, and 5 buffalo. In all, they had upwards of 2,000 weight. Nothing else happened extraordinary until the 30th instant, when a messenger from the Mandans came to the fort to inform our officers that a hunting party of theirs had been robbed by the Sioux and Ree Indians on the 27th last, of eight horses and the meat that they had killed, and that they had killed one of their men and wounded two others.
They applied for some assistance from the fort, which Capt. Lewis and Clark readily granted them. Twenty men turned out voluntarily under the command of Capt. Clark, out of the fort, to go to fight the Sioux. The guard set us across the Missouri at eleven o'clock at the fort. The Captain formed his men on the southwest side of the Missouri River and told them off in sections from the right, and sent out a non-commissioned officer and a file of men on each flank to reconnoiter the woods at the distance of nearly one hundred yards from the head of the company. After a march of 6 miles, we arrived at the first village of the Mandans, with our two interpreters, one of the Mandans and one of the Gros Ventres, thinking to be reinforced by a party of each nation, with a detachment from the Watesoon Nation likewise, as they and the Gros Ventres are near neighbors to the Mandan Nation. But after we arrived at the village, the chiefs of both nations concluded not to go to fight, as the weather was cold and the snow upwards of 18 inches deep on the ground, until next spring.
The Captain and the party halted two hours at the village. He told the chiefs and warriors of the Mandans that he and his men were on the ground ready to assist them, and that they should see that he and his men could fight. After some little conversation with the natives, we took our leave of them and started for the fort. We crossed the river between the first and second village on the ice and came home to the fort, arriving at dark. The evening was cold. Each drank some good spirits, which revived us very much, and we retired, each to our rooms.
December 1st. Nothing happened extraordinary. Continued picketing in the huts.
2nd. The Big White, a chief of the Mandans, came to our fort in the morning to inform us that the buffalo were close to us, coming in. Capt. Lewis and 15 men turned out to shoot them. They killed 10, and the Indians killed 50. The two Captains, Lewis and Clark, took it in turn day about, with a party each day, to go hunting, and had great success until the 15th instant, when the buffalo got nearly twenty miles off. Capt. Clark and his party returned on the morning of the 16th instant, but could find no game except two deer. They slept in the woods all night. Some snow fell that made the air warmer on the night of the 15th instant.
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