Alexander Willard Archives - Lewis & Clark Research Database

Grizzly Bear Killed; Swept into Sawyers by Moonlight

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:19 +0000

lins did not join us last night. I and willard went on eairly
with a Small canoe to hunt we procd on Some distance and hunted
in Some of the bottoms and killed a deer and procd on towards
evening we killed a large white or grizzly bear nearly of a Silver
Grey, we then procd on in the evening by moon light as the party
was a head about 11 oClock at night we found ourselves in a
thick place of Sawyers as the corrent drawed us in and we had
no chance to git out of them So we run about half way through
and the Stern run under a limb of a tree and caught willard who
was in the Stern and drew him out as the current was verry
rapid, he held by the limb I being in the bow of the canoe took
my oar and hailed the bow first one way and the other So as to
clear the Sawyers and run through Safe and paddled the canoe to
Shore and ran up the Shore opposite willard & he called to me if
everry thing was Safe I told him yes but he could not hear me
as the water roared past the Sawyers, he told me he had made a
little raft of 2 Small Sticks he caught floating and tyed them to-
gether, and tyed his cloathes on them and would Swim down
through this difficult place and I run down and took out the
canoe and took him in as he Swam through Safe we procd a Short
distance farther and came to the Camp of the party.3 they had
killed a rattle Snake and an Elk to day but the two hunters Colter
& Colling has not joined us yet.

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Grizzly Bear and Four Bighorn Taken in Steady Rain

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:19 +0000

and proceeded on verry well our hunters killed 2 buffaloe I and
willard killed a white bear. Some of the hunters killed 4 Ibex
and 2 beavers, rained all day. Camped on an Island.

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Lewis Rejoins Party After Blackfeet Confrontation

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:18 +0000

Howard killed two deer, we proceeded on as usal about 9 A. M.
we discovred on a high bank a head Cap* Lewis & the three men
who went with him on horse back comming towards us on N. Side
we came too Shore and fired the Swivell to Salute him & party
we Saluted them also with Small arms and were rejoiced to See
them &C. Cap* Lewis took us all by the hand, and informed us
that they had good Sucksess in going to their journeys end and
crossd a number of branches & forks of Marriohs River and fol-
low11 up a North fork to Latitude [blank in Ms.]1 got his ob-
servations for the Lat but the cloudy weather prevented him from
gitting the Longitude &C. but found it was not much difference
from the Mouth of Morriah they then Set off on their return the
day before yesterday and met with eight of the Grousevauntares
Indians with bows & arrows and 2 guns, they at first appeared
afraid but after a little wrode up and Shook hands with Cap*
Lewis & party and appeared friendly & they desired Cap* Lewis
to go with them to their Nation which they said was under the
blanket Mountn Some distance about 2 days march, but Cap*
Lewis told them that he could not wait but desired them to come
down to the Mouth of Morriah promiseing them the horse if they
would comply but they were afraid of being killed v”by us. they
had upwards of 20 horses but they were ordinary ones or the
most of them, they Camped2 with Cap* Lewis & men as they
expected they were friends, though Cap* Lewis had a watch up
all night, and at day break yesterday morning the eight Savages
Seased all our mens guns and Cap* Lewises also, they Instantly
Sprung up out of their Sleep and Ruben Fields chased an Indian
who Cap* Lewis had made a chief gave him a meddle last evening
1 Wheeler (II, 303) locales this point, where Lewis remained encamped three
davs in the hope of obtaining an observation to determine his position, “on
the Cutbank Fork of Marias River, very close to the in1″ meridian.” It
was in Teton County, eight or ten miles northwest of Blackfoot, a station on
the (‘.real Northern Railway. Because the state of the weather prevented
the desired observations Lewis named the place, Camp Disappointment.
2 The she of this camp, and of the battle of the following morning, was on
Two Medicine River about four miles below the month of Badger Creek.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 383
& he was running of[f] with R. Fields and his brothers J° Fields
Guns. Reuben overhalled him [and] caught hold of the 2 guns
had his knife drawn & as he Snatched away the guns perced his
knife in to the Indians heart he drew but one breath the wind of
his breath followed the knife & he fell dead they all Seased their
arms from the Indians and took one of the Indn guns and all their
bows and arrows and their Shields which they were [wear] on
their backs at war. they then went at running after our horses
Cap* Lewis wounded one more badly but the Indn partly raised
and fired back at him but missed him. they cleared out with
Some of our horses and Some of theirs, though Cap* Lewis took
as many as he wanted of theirs and left the rest & made all haste
towards us and had wrode 100 and 20 miles Since yesterday
morning, and [was] much fatigued and turned out the horses in
the plain & threw the Saddles in the River & came on board the
canoes, then we proced on with as much Speed as possable. Soon
overtook the 2 hunters who had killed Several Elk a buffaloe
& one beaver, we now keep to gether and are concerned about
Serg* Gass & willard who went down by land, about 1 P. M.
we arived at the forks of Morriah opened the carshes found all
except 4 Steel traps which were put in a carsh by themselves &
we could not find the place. Some beaver skin and Robes &c.
Spoiled, the other articles all Safe and dry &C. Serg* Gass and
willard joined us with the horses, we left the horses here crossed
to the N. Side found the red perogue Safe but too Rotten to take
down. So we took some of the nailes out of hir and Set out.
Serg* Gass & Willard had killed Several buffaloe and 7 antelopes
as they came down from the falls by land, we Soon had a hard
Shower of rain & large hail. Some larger than a musket Ball
Thunder and high winds a head but we procd on untill evening and
Camped on South Side1 and kept a Strict guard. Collins killed a
buffaloe. we got the best of the meat of it. late in the evening
we had a Shower of rain which lasted about a hour.

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Colter Kills Beaver; Headwinds Halt Progress

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:16 +0000

breakfast and proceeded on down the river, the wind rose hard
ahead Colter killed 2 young beaver about noon we halted the
wind rose so high that we were unable to proceed, so two hunters
went out a hunting in the evening as the wind fell we mooved
down the R. to a bottom and Camped, willard killed one deer.
Saw Indn Sign Collins did not join us this evening, saw buffaloe
Sign &C.
1 A little below the camp of July 31, 1805.
2 The route Clark followed from Three Forks to the Yellowstone was approxi-
mately that of the Northern Pacific Railway from Gallatin past Bozeman to
Livingston, Mont. Ordway’s journal from this time until he joins Gass and
the other men left by Lewis at the camp above Great Falls affords our only
record of this portion of the expedition.
378 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 15

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Slippery Mountain Roads; Horses Fall in Thunderstorm

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:12 +0000

this flat for our horses. Soon Set in to raining hard, we got up
all our horses took breakfast & packed up and Set out about 8
oClock and proceeded on. found the road verry slipperry & bad
took the mountains and the road So bad several of our horses fell
about noon we had Thunder and hard Showers of rain, we
crossed several runs on which is considerable of white ceedder tim-
ber balsom fer & diffrent kinds of pine, we have now 66 good
horses to take us and our baggage across the mountains, came to
the small prarie where R. Fields and willard had been hunting
found 2 deer hanging up which they had killd we took the meat
and proceed on down the bad hill on Collinses Creek where we
found R. Fields and willard they had killed another Deer and
were Camped on the bank of the Creek where we dined and pro-
ceeded on. found the road verry bad falling timber &C. at dark
we Camped at a Small glade1 where was pleanty of feed for our
horses.

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Eight Hunters Return Laden from Weippe Prairie

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:11 +0000

eairly from Camp a hunting about noon R. Fields and willard
set out to go on about 10 miles a head and hunt at a small prarie
untill we come up. our hunters all came in this afternoon and
eight of them had killed each a deer Gibson Shields Shannon
1 On the Weippe Prairie, some miles north of Lolo Fork, or Collins Creek,
near the source of Jim Ford Creek and not far from the town of Weippe. For
a recent description of the locality and the camping ground of the explorers see
Wheeler, II, 278-80.
366 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 14
Collins J° Fields Drewyer Labuche and [blank space in Ms.] all
the meat except Labuches was brought in & that the ravens &
buzzards eat while he was hunting a little more after killing it-
one of the other hunters Colter killed a large crain.

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Twisted Hair Sends for Horses; Ammunition Retrieved

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:06 +0000

to the twisted hairs village where we Camped, the chief Sent for our
horses & pack Saddles one of our men went for the ammunition
we left at canoe Camp1 a band of Indians came from another
village to See us. towards evening Willard returnd with the ammu-
nition and the pack Saddles the Indians brought up the most of
our horses. Some of them in good order, we caught & hobbled
them. Some of them had been rode after Deer &C. these plains
are Smooth Soil rich & filled with commass wild onions and white
roots calld halse & other roots good for food which the natives live
on at this Season of the year, the evening cold rainy & windy.

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Elk Killed; Willard Reported Very Sick

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:55 +0000

out a hunting, in the afternoon one of our hunters returned had
killed one Elk. willard verry sick the rest of us are some better.

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Eleven Buffalo Killed; Clark Surveys the Great Falls

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:24 +0000

the wind continues high from the west off the mountains. 4 men
Sent across the river to hunt, a light Sprinkling of rain about
noon, we are now waiting the arival of Cap* Clark, late in the
afternoon 2 of the hunters came in and informed us that they had
got 11 buffalow killed & the most of them fat. the other 2 Stayed
1 Modern Sun River. It rises in the Rocky Mountains near the continental
divide and flows in an easterly direction to its junction with the Missouri just
above the city of Great Falls. Sun River was discovered by Lewis on June
14, in the course of his advance excursion up the Missouri. Previous informa-
tion concerning it had been received from the Indians at Fort Mandan, how-
ever, and Medicine River was the name by which they knew it.
234 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 20
to butcher, all hands in Camp turned out for the meat, &
brought about the half of what was fat 3 men Stayed all night to
dress the remainder, verry large gangs all around the place within
Shot of the butchers &. C. a light Sprinkling of rain, late in the
evening Cap* Clark and party returned to Camp they informed
us that they traversed & measured the River and falls, as they
went up. measured all the Small or little falls which were common
& of different hites. the highest catteract or falls is 87 feet per-
pinticular. the next highest 47 feet 8 Inch the next or 3rd about
30 or upwards, a nomber of Small ones & a continued rapid the
whole way for 17 miles to where we can take water again, those
large falls all have a mist which rises about 200 yards from the
Shoot, about a mile above the falls of 47 feet 8 Inches, the largest
fountan or Spring falls in that we ever Saw before and it is the
oppinion of Cap1 Clark that it is the largest Spring in america
known, this water boils up from under the rocks near the River
& falls immediately in to the river 8 feet & keeps its colour for
| a mile, which is verry clear and of a blueish cast &. C.1 two
of Cap* Clarks party was attacted by a large White bear on an
Island near where they had camped one night, one of them A.
Willard like to have been caught, the other [was] chased in the
water after Willard made his ascape towards camp. Cap4 Clark
and 3 others went to their assistance, the bear ratreated. night
came on the bushes thick. So they did not kill him, they Saw
but little timber, the country up the medicine River above the
falls is level with low banks, they Saw a chain of Mountains to
the West Some of which perticular those to the N. W. and S. W.
are covered with Snow, and appear to be verry high, they turned
back in order to look out the levelest way for the portage. Cap4
Clark lost a part of his notes which could not be found. Cap*
Clark Saw a rattle Snake out in the plains a long distance from
timber or water, they Saw verry large innumerable quantyties of
buffalow while they were gone, they killed 7 buffalow & Saved as
much of the meat as possable. killed a beaver also, they Saw
buffalow attempt to Swim the River above the falls. Some of
which was sucked over and seen no more, great numbers of those
animels are lost in these falls which is the cause of our Seeing So
many below for a long distance washed up on Shore. Some make
the Shore above the falls half dronded.
1 For further information about this fountain see post, Ordway’s entry for
June 27 and 238, note 1.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 235
June 21st Friday 1805. a fine cool morning, the wind from the
S. W. off the mountains and hard. Cap* Lewis with the men
excep* a fiew took a part of the baggage & a canoe up a hill on to
the plain above a mile in advance. Several men employed in
Shaveing & graneing Elk hides for the Iron boat as it is called,
the remainder of the meat which was dressed last night was
brought in this morning & the men returned Some of them had
killed 2 or 3 deer & a buffalow calf and a Small Elk. we Saw
thousands of buffalow on the high lands the calfs verry numerous
among them they come in gangs to the river to drink &. C.
June 22nd Saturday 1805. a clear pleasant morning, the wind as
usal the party all raised eairly the 2 Captains with all but 3
of the party1 set out with more baggage to take the canoe and
loading we took on the plains yesterday up to the upper end of
the portage to where we can take water again with the canoes.
Cap* Lewis and 3 more of the party who went took their baggage
all in order to Stay at the upper Camp to prepare whatever may
be necessary for the Iron boat, &. C. large gangs of buffalow
all around the lower camp to day. one gang swam the river near
the camp Cap* Clarks Servant York killed one of them, a light
Sprinkling of rain, the country in general is verry high land, no
timber back a little Scatering along the Shore on the points &.
C. high bluffs & clifts along the Shores. Some pine in the drift
wood along the Shores, we are a little South of the Mandans
but have had cold weather as yet. it must of course be a healthy
country, we all enjoy good health as yet. our Interpreter wounded
a cabberee or antilope this evening.
June 23rd Sunday 1805. a cloudy morning, the wind from
East, a light Sprinkling of rain, in the afternoon one of the
hunters came to the lower camp from the medicine River, he
informed us that George Shannon left them the Same day they
Stearted from this, & they could not account where he went. The
other 2 hunters had killed 16 buffalow and 5 deer but no Elk.
1 From Lewis we learn that Ordway, Goodrich, Charbonneau, York, and
Sacajawea were left behind in the camp. The last two Ordway’s statement
ignores. His journal for today deals with events in the camp, of which he had
charge. Until the reunion of the party after the portage shall have been accom-
plished full knowledge of its doings can be gained only by a comparison of the
several journals that have come down to us. In general it may be said that
Lewis devoted himself mainly to work on the iron boat, while Clark attended
chiefly to the transportation of the outfit across the portage.
236 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 24
they had dryed considerable of the buffalow meat at their Camp.1
in the evening Cap1 Clark & party returned to the lower Camp,
they informed us that they had Some difficulty, the truck
wheels, or some part of them broke several times &.C. the tongue
broke near the upper Camp & they were obledged to leave it and
formed the Camp about 3 miles above the Medicine River. Cap*
Clark Straightened the road considerable from that he went on
yesterday, they took 2 canoes up the hill from the creek this
evening, the men mended their mockisons with double Soles to
Save their feet from the prickley pear (which abound in the
plains) and the hard ground [which] in many places is so hard as to
hurt our feet verry much, the emence numbers of buffalow after
the last rain has trod the flat places in Such a manner as to
leave them uneaven, and dryed as hard as frozen Ground, the
men all much fatigued this evening &.2 the distance Staked out
for the portage is 18| miles from the lower Camp or lower rapid.
June 24th Monday 1805. a cloudy morning, all hands rose
eairly. had hailed the remaining canoe out of the water to dry.
we divided the baggage in to 3 percels, one of which the party
took on their backs and one waggon with truck wheels, to the
canoes 3 miles in advance [and] loaded and proceeded on with 2
canoes being in 2 parties, put the baggage in to the canoes &
went on verry well to the creek called willow creek.3 one of the
waggon tongues broke which detained us a Short time, then pro-
ceeded on towards evening when we got within about three miles
of the upper Camp, a volent Shower arose from the N. W. hard
thunder caught us in a verry hard rain So that in a fiew minutes
1 Shannon, Drewyer, and Reuben Fields had been sent on June 19 to Medi-
cine River to hunt. From then until June 23, the captains did not hear “a
sentence” from them. On the latter date Lewis, having gained the camp at
the upper end of the portage, set out in search of the hunters. Five miles up
Medicine River he found Shannon alone; the latter had parted from his com-
panions at the Great Falls at noon of June 19, and had not seen them since,
having busied himself in hunting on Medicine River “as he had been directed.”
The anxiety of Fields and Drewyer, whose report to Clark, Ordway notes, was
probably due in large part to Shannon’s habit of gelling lost.
•From Lewis We get this picture of their hardships: “at every halt these poor
fellows tumble down and are so much fatiegued that many of them are asleep in
an instant; in short their fatiegues are incredible; some are limping from the
soreness of their feet, others faint and unable to stand for a few minutes, with
heat and faticgue, yet no one complains, all go with cheerfullncss.”
i Modern Box Elder Creek, which the party met with about midway of
the portage. It enters the Missouri about four miles above the mouth of Belt
Creek.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 237
the ground was covered with water. So that we got a hearly a
hearty drink of water in the holes & puddles &.C. the rain con-
tinued about half an hour, at dusk we arived at the upper Camp
all wet and much fatigued. Cap1 Lewis revived us with a dram,
we found Shannon their who had been up the medicine River
hunting, he had killed 3 buffalow 8 Deer several antelopes but
no Elk. the wind was considerable assistance to us in the course
of the day, as we were drawing the canoes the wind being Suffi-
cently hard at times to move the canoe on the Trucks, this is
Saleing on dry land in everry Sence of the word.1

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La Liberty Dispatched to Summon the Otoes

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:44:41 +0000

we Set out Eairly. J° Barter4 a Frenchman who could Speak the
Zoteau language went with the Indian in order to Git as many of
them together as possable & bring them to the River above this
place So that we may see & treat with them &. C. we proceded
on along a large bottom prarie on N. S. passed a Small Creek on
N. S. called Boyer Creek5 about noon we came to high land on the
S. S. where we Stoped to Dine. & jerk our meat which Drewyer
brought to us. Willard sent back to last nights camp for his
Tommahawk which he left we Delayed about 2 hours, caught
Several of the largest cat fish we have ever caught in this River.
1 Clark calls it Indian Knob Creek, and Floyd, Beaver Creek. It is modern
Pigeon Creek, which joins the Missouri near Crescent City, Iowa, a few miles
above Council Bluffs.
2 The Oto tribe of Indians.
3 In Pottawattamie County, Iowa, a mile below the mouth of Boyer River.
* Elsewhere than in Ordway’s journal he is called “La Liberty.” The giving
of his real name by Onlway should make possible, at last, the identification
of this member of the expedition. Thus far. however, 1 have not succeeded
in identifying him. Possibly be is the Joab Barton who died near Jefferson
City about 1820, for whom see Houck, Missouri, I, 211.
-Still known as Hover Hiver. It is a considerable stream of west-central
Iowa.
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 103
(one Swallowed a hook bit of[f] the line, caught the Same G.
hook) the Missouri is much more crooked since we passed the
Great River Platte than before but not so Rapid in general;
more praries the Timber Scarser &. C. The Timber mostly
cottonwood except on the hills which is oak Black Walnut hickery
Elm Basswood &. C. Willard lost his rifle in a large Creek called
Boyer N. S. came back for help to find it. the white pearogue
went back with him & got out his Rifle, which was sunk deep in
the mud, we proceded on along a round bend & prarie on N. S.
We Camped on the North Side in a thin Grove of cotton wood.

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