3415 Entries
Journal Entries
Original journal entries from all six expedition journalists: Lewis, Clark, Floyd, Ordway, Gass, and Whitehouse. Sourced from the Thwaites Edition (1904-1905).
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Feb
20
1805
Indians Attack Sled Party and Steal Horses
A hunting party that had traveled about 25 miles downriver with sleds to retrieve meat was attacked by an unidentified group of Indians, who stole their horses, returned…
Feb
21
1805
Big White Describes the Prophetic Medicine Stone
A pleasant day at Fort Mandan, with clothes set out to dry in the sun. Visitors Big White and Big Man described a sacred Medicine Stone three days'…
Feb
21
1805
Sleds Race Home Through Wet Thawing Ice
The party finished retrieving two elk left in the woods and continued hunting before setting out early on a fast-paced return journey. Thawing snow and ice on the…
Feb
21
1805
Snow Clears to Pleasant Evening Weather
A brief entry noting weather conditions, mentioning snow or precipitation that had fallen since November. By evening, the weather cleared up and turned pleasant.
Feb
22
1805
Clark Refines Maps for Jefferson's Shipment
At Fort Mandan, the expedition's winter work continued. The captains focused on preparing reports, maps, and natural history specimens to be sent back to President Jefferson aboard the…
Feb
22
1805
Men Rest After Hard Labor; Snow Cleared from Vessels
After a brief snowfall that quickly cleared, the men who had returned to the fort the previous night spent the day resting from their hard labors. Meanwhile, the…
Feb
22
1805
Ice Cleared; Frozen Pirogue Finally Freed
The crew worked at clearing away ice and managed to free one of the pirogues that had been frozen in. The brief entry records this single accomplishment during…
Feb
23
1805
Crew Labors to Free Pirogues from River Ice
On a warm, pleasant Saturday, the entire crew worked to free the pirogues from ice that had risen nearly to their tops. The work was difficult due to…
Feb
23
1805
Pirogue Chopped Free and Hauled Onto Ice
The crew spent the day chopping ice from around two pirogues frozen into the river. By evening, after difficult work with water rising to within an inch of…
Feb
23
1805
Boats Cut Free from Winter Ice
The crew worked to free the boat and the other pirogue from the ice that had locked them in place over the winter. By 4 o'clock in the…
Feb
24
1805
Prying the Keelboat Free from River Ice
On a fine Sunday, the expedition began work early to free their boat from the ice, finding it more difficult than freeing the pirogues. Using large pry levers,…
Feb
24
1805
Barge Freed from Encasing River Ice
The crew spent the day working to free the barge from thick ice that had encased it, even underneath the hull. As they cut away the ice, water…
Feb
24
1805
Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — Patrick Gass: February 24, 1805
Editorial note: no detailed primary-source journal entry survives for February 24, 1805 that is distinct from the surrounding days. The...
Feb
25
1805
Pirogues Hauled Up; Elk-Skin Rope Breaks
On a pleasant Monday, the crew set up a windlass and successfully hauled the two pirogues onto the upper bank. Their attempt to pull up the larger boat…
Feb
25
1805
Mountain Sheep Killed on the Upper Missouri
On February 25, 1805 (with the journal continuing through subsequent days into June), the party traveled about 18 miles up the Missouri after a pleasant morning, passing two…
Feb
25
1805
Pirogues Hauled Up; Elk-Skin Rope Fails on Barge
The crew prepared rollers and assembled a windlass to haul their boats up onto the high bank. In the afternoon they successfully pulled up both pirogues, managing one…
Feb
26
1805
Keelboat and Pirogues Finally Ashore at Sunset
On a fine Tuesday, the expedition began work very early to haul the keelboat and pirogues up onto the bank after laboriously cutting them free from the ice.…
Feb
26
1805
Hunters Sent to Medicine River; Camp Ready to Depart
Three hunters departed for Medicine River, a large tributary entering from the north above the falls, to hunt elk. The party completed work on the burying place, leaving…
Feb
26
1805
Barge Finally Winched Up the High Bank
The crew worked to recover the barge, gathering additional timber to raise it. They doubled the rope, set up a windlass, and slowly inched the vessel forward. After…
Feb
27
1805
Tool Preparations and a Remarkably Large Indian
On a fine Wednesday at Fort Mandan, the men spent the day preparing tools for building pirogues in anticipation of the spring journey upriver. A few Indians visited,…
Feb
27
1805
Strong Winds as Meat Is Brought into Camp
Strong winds blew throughout the day. The party finished bringing in the remainder of the meat from earlier hunting efforts, and one of the men succeeded in killing…
Feb
27
1805
Keelboat Skidded and Pirogues Sheltered for Spring
The crew prepared their boats for the changing season at Fort Mandan. They placed skids under the keelboat (Barge) to keep it safe and undamaged, and shifted the…
Feb
28
1805
North West Company Letters and a Snake-Bite Remedy
On a fine morning at Fort Mandan, two North West Company men arrived with letters and sacacommis, plus a root from Mr. Haney said to cure bites from…
Feb
28
1805
Sioux War Declaration Disrupts Canoe Building
A party went out and felled trees to begin building four canoes. While they were away, an express messenger arrived from the Arikara village with alarming news: the…
Feb
28
1805
Sioux Warriors Debate Attacking the Expedition
Mr. Roie and another Frenchman arrived from the Arikara villages, accompanied by two Arikara Indians. They reported encountering the Sioux party of 106 warriors who had stolen two…
Mar
1
1805
Mapping, Charcoal, and Forging Battle Axes
On a fine Friday at Fort Mandan, Clark spent the day copying a map while the men of the expedition were busy with a variety of preparations. They…
Mar
1
1805
Six Canoes Hauled to River Through Breaking Ice
Over several days the men finished building six canoes and hauled them about a mile and a half to the river. Two men stayed behind to complete and…
Mar
1
1805
Pirogue Work Party Departs with Axes and Provisions
The work crew had their axes repaired and drew two days' worth of provisions before heading up to their work camp, where they will remain until they finish…
Mar
2
1805
La Rocque Visits as River Ice Begins Breaking
A pleasant day at Fort Mandan, with the river beginning to break up in places. The men were busy with various tasks. Mr. La Rocque, a clerk of…
Mar
2
1805
Blacksmithing for Corn, Beans, and Dried Meat
Native visitors continued coming to the expedition's camp seeking to have their weapons and tools repaired or made by the party's blacksmiths. In exchange for this work, they…
Mar
3
1805
Black Cat and Hidatsa Chief Visit the Fort
On a fine Sunday with westerly winds, the expedition observed a large flock of ducks flying upriver. Three visitors arrived: Black Cat, the chief of the Mandans, the…
Mar
3
1805
Charcoal Making and Tow Lines; Chiefs Visit
At Fort Mandan, members of the expedition stayed busy with various tasks, including making charcoal and crafting towing lines for the pirogues. Some of the men working on…
Mar
4
1805
Black Cat and Big White Bring Meat; Horse Requested
At Fort Mandan on a cloudy morning with northwest winds that cleared by afternoon, Clark received visits from Mandan chiefs Black Cat and Big White, who brought a…
Mar
4
1805
Natives Bring Dried Meat and Corn to Winter Quarters
On this pleasant day at the expedition's winter quarters, a number of Native Americans visited the camp, bringing dried meat and corn to the Corps of Discovery. The…
Mar
5
1805
Frenchman Departs Overland for Arikara Villages
On a pleasant Tuesday with the thermometer at 40 degrees above zero, Clark recorded a quiet day at the winter camp. Several Indians came to visit. A Frenchman…
Mar
5
1805
Charcoal Work and a Brief Morning Snow Squall
The party spent the day making charcoal and attending to other routine tasks at their winter quarters. A brief snow squall passed through around four in the morning,…
Mar
6
1805
Prairie Fires Lit to Draw Buffalo Herds
A cloudy, smoky day at Fort Mandan, with smoke drifting in from prairie fires set by the Minetarees to encourage early grass growth and attract buffalo. Horses previously…
Mar
6
1805
Gros Ventres Overnight; Flood Water Over River Ice
On this day, several Gros Ventres visitors who had arrived from the northeast remained with the party overnight. In the morning, a number of Mandans came to the…
Mar
7
1805
Sick Child Treated; Charbonneau Returns from Gros Ventres
On a cloudy, windy Thursday, the Coal brought a sick child to the captains, and Clark administered Rush's pills. Charbonneau returned in the evening from the Gros Ventres…
Mar
7
1805
Clark Copies Maps While Pirogue Men Return to Work
A fine day at the fort with the camp busy at various tasks. Some of the pirogue men who had come in the previous night for provisions headed…
Mar
8
1805
Greasy Head Reports on Rocky Mountain Indian Nations
On a fair but cold and windy Friday with east winds, Clark received visits from two Native men, Greasy Head and an Arikara, who shared information about Indian…
Mar
8
1805
Corn and Buffalo Fat Traded for Blacksmithing
Native visitors continued arriving at the expedition's winter quarters, bringing corn and dried buffalo fat to trade in exchange for blacksmithing services from the Corps. The day's activity…
Mar
9
1805
Clark Inspects Pirogue Construction Upriver
On a cold, cloudy, windy Saturday, Clark walked about five miles upriver to check on the party building pirogues. Along the way he met the head chief of…
Mar
9
1805
Lewis Demonstrates Instruments for Hidatsa Chiefs
Captain Clark traveled upriver to check on the party working with the pirogues. Meanwhile, several chiefs of the Big Bellies (Hidatsa) visited the fort to meet with the…
Mar
10
1805
Shoeman Village Chief Recounts His People's History
On a cold, windy Sunday, the captains were visited by Black Moccasins, chief of the second Hidatsa village, and the chief of the Mahaha (Shoeman) village. Both stayed…
Mar
10
1805
Medal Presented to Hidatsa Chief in Cold Wind
A group of Hidatsa (referred to as the Big Bellies) who had arrived earlier remained with the expedition through the night. Captain Lewis presented a medal and a…
Mar
11
1805
Two More Pirogues Ordered; Interpreter Confronted
At Fort Mandan on a cloudy, cold, windy day with some afternoon snow, the captains decided to have two additional pirogues built to help transport provisions and supplies.…
Mar
11
1805
Water Sioux Chief Overnight; Two More Pirogues Ordered
A chief of the Water Sioux spent the night at the fort. One member of the pirogue party who had arrived the previous night returned this morning carrying…
Mar
12
1805
Charbonneau Refuses Expedition Terms and Quits
A fine day followed a light overnight snow. The expedition's interpreter, Toussaint Charbonneau, refused to continue under the terms discussed the previous day. He would not agree to…
Mar
12
1805
Two Men Sent to Hidatsa Village for Tobacco
On a cold morning with the river rising quickly, two members of the expedition party traveled up to the Gros Ventres (Hidatsa) village to obtain tobacco from the…
Mar
13
1805
Blacksmiths Overwhelmed by Demand for War Axes
A pleasant day at the winter camp, with the river rising slightly and a southwest wind. Mr. McKenzie, a clerk of the North West Company, paid a visit.…
Mar
13
1805
North West Company Trader Larocque Visits the Fort
A mild day with wind from the south. Mr. Larocque, a trader from the North West Company, visited the expedition's officers at the fort.
Mar
14
1805
Shelling Corn While River Rise Delays Pirogue Work
On a fine Thursday with a westerly wind, Clark put all hands to work shelling corn and other tasks at the winter camp. Mr. McKenzie, a North West…
Mar
14
1805
Frenchman Departs; Gravelines Joins in His Place
A Frenchman who had been expected to accompany the expedition changed his mind, set up a lodge outside the garrison, and moved out. Mr. Gravelines (Gravelleen) joined the…
Mar
15
1805
Trade Goods and Clothing Aired in the Sun
On a fair Friday at Fort Mandan, Clark took advantage of the good weather to air out the expedition's trade goods, parched meal, clothing, and other supplies in…
Mar
15
1805
Trade Goods Aired Out; Men Shell Corn
At Fort Mandan, the expedition aired out their stock of trade goods intended for exchange with Native peoples. Meanwhile, some of the men were assigned to shelling corn.…
Mar
16
1805
Whitehouse Incident and Indigenous Bead-Making Revealed
On a cloudy Saturday with a southeast wind, the day at Fort Mandan was relatively quiet. A Native visitor became upset with expedition member Whitehouse, who had struck…
Mar
16
1805
Gurrow Demonstrates Secret Glass Bead-Making Technique
At Fort Mandan, a Frenchman named Mr. Gurrow, who had lived many years among the Arikara and Mandan tribes, demonstrated the Indigenous process of making glass beads. The…
Mar
16
1805
Corn Shelling and Account of One-Eyed Chief Le Borgne
The party spent the day shelling corn at Fort Mandan, with strong easterly winds suggesting incoming rain. Editorial notes accompanying the entry describe Le Borgne, or One Eyed,…
Mar
17
1805
Charbonneau Seeks Reinstatement After Earlier Refusal
On a windy Sunday, the captains attempted to air out their goods. Toussaint Charbonneau, who had earlier refused the expedition's terms and moved his belongings across the river,…
