George Shannon Archives - Lewis & Clark Research Database

The Corps in the War of 1812

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:14:16 +0000

The Corps of Discovery disbanded in 1806, but its members walked straight into the run-up to the War of 1812. Lorna Hainesworth gathers brief biographies of more than thirty expedition veterans and associates and traces what each did during the conflict. The sketches are organized into three groups: Corps military members (William Clark, John Colter, Patrick Gass, John Ordway, Nathaniel Pryor, George Shannon, William Bratton, Joseph Whitehouse, and others), Corps non-military figures (the Charbonneau family, Sacagawea, Jean Baptiste, and York), and associates ranging from Thomas Jefferson and Albert Gallatin to Pierre Chouteau, Manuel Lisa, Zebulon Pike, and William Henry Harrison.

Framing the sketches is a concise narrative of the war’s origins — from the embargo years through the treaties of 1815 — along with an appendix on the presidents involved. It is a useful group portrait of where the expedition’s people landed in the decade after the journey home.

This summary is provided for reference on the Lewis and Clark Research archive; the full compilation by Lorna Hainesworth is available at the source link.

The post The Corps in the War of 1812 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Crossing Twin Forks of the Nez Perce River

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:15 +0000

and Set out to cross the right [Nez Perce] fork of the river which
we found nearly Swimming. proceed on up the river Some dis-
tance crossd the other fork, the hunters killed a deer and a
Mountain Sheep or big horn animel. about noon we halted in a
bottom to dine. Shannon left his tommahawk back where he
killed the deer & went back for it. we delayed about 3 hours
and proceed on over the hills towards evening we came to the
Smooth plains where we saw the 1st flat heads or Tus e paw last
year as we passd down, we Camped on the branch & plain1 the
hunters killed two deer. Shannon joined us with his tomma-
hawk &C.

The post Crossing Twin Forks of the Nez Perce River appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Young Chief and Two Indians Agree to Guide Party

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:13 +0000

of the hunters turned out again a hunting and killed two deer in
the afternoon Drewyer Shannon & Whitehouse returned with the
young chief and 2 other Indians who has engaged to go over the
mountains as guides for us &C. in the afternoon two of the hunt-
ers came in had killed two deer, the Strawburys are pleanty
about this place.

The post Young Chief and Two Indians Agree to Guide Party appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

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.

The post Eight Hunters Return Laden from Weippe Prairie appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Grizzly Wounded but Lost; Labiche Returns with Deer

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:08 +0000

this morning, but Snows on the hills. Colter and Shannon re-
turn*1 had killd nothing but had wounded a white bear. Soon
after Labuche returnd with the flesh of a large black taild Deer
which he had killd but the Deer are Scarse & verry wild, rained the
greater part of the day.

The post Grizzly Wounded but Lost; Labiche Returns with Deer appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Horses Swum Across River; Camp Set Awaiting Snowmelt

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:07 +0000

men went across the river a hunting, we took our baggage and
Swam our horses across the river to the N. Side and mooved a
Short distance down the river and Encamped1 in a Smooth bottom
partly covred with young pitch pine in order to stay untill we can
cross the mountains, a number of the natives came across the
river to our Camp. Some of the principal men gave our officers
two fine horses, our hunters returned had killed Collins two bear
of the white kind, Labuche three white bear, and several prarie hens
Shannon Several prarie hens and Squerrells. we gave the natives
Some of our bear meat as they gave us so much & are So kind to us.
they cooked it in the Same manner as they Swet their commass
roots, we eat several of our stud horses as they have been trouble-
some to us.

The post Horses Swum Across River; Camp Set Awaiting Snowmelt appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Shannon and Labiche Return with Three Elk

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:50 +0000

hunters Shannon & Labuche came to the fort had killed three
Elk.

The post Shannon and Labiche Return with Three Elk appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Shannon Reports Ten Elk Killed Near the Coast

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:50 +0000

morning, one man set out to hunt for the Salt makers about
noon George Shannon came to the Fort and informed us that
he had killed five Elk and informed us that R. Feilds had killed
three Elk and Labuche 2 Elk. but some of them too far to pack
in.

The post Shannon Reports Ten Elk Killed Near the Coast appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Drouillard Arrives: Party Has Taken the Wrong Fork

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:26 +0000

usal, and proceeded on hailing the canoes over the rapids, the
bottoms low and covred with small timber, about 8 oClock
we halted for breakfast. Several men went out a Short distance
to hunt. Some of them Saw a large Indian path, or road along
the plain. George Drewyer came to us and Informed us that we
were on the wrong fork that we could not go far up this [one]
for the Sholes & rapids & that their was 3 forks in this valley and
the middle one was the best for us to go up. one of the hunters
did not return, So we left George Drewyer expecting the hunter in
Soon, we turned about and proceeded on down the rapids to the
forks, with the crafts, in passing the bad place of bushes & drift
1 The junction of the Big Hole and Jefferson rivers, in Madison County.
2 Up the Big Hole. Lewis had reached the junction of the two streams
two days before. His exploration convinced him that the middle, or Jefferson
fork was the proper one to ascend. Accordingly he wrote a note to Clark
apprizing him of this fact, and affixed it to a pole at the forks. But the pole
was green, and the beavers cut it down before Clark’s arrival. In ignorance
of Lewis’ note Clark proceeded, with great difficulty, to ascend the Big Hole
for a mile, where he encamped on an island that had lately been overflown.
260 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 7
which we went up last evening, one canoe turned over another
partly filled and was near turning over also, one knapsack, full
of cloaths leather &. C. lost, allso a Shot pouch powder horn &
some mockisons.1 the rest all got down Safe to the forks and
put out all the goods and articles to dry. Several men out to
hunt, one man Jo8 Whitehouse got his leg lamed when the canoe
turned over. Several things damaged by gitting wet. found
Some difficulty in gitting the canoes down over the Sholes and
rapids, one kig of powder Spoild we found Cap* Lewis and
party at the forks they informed us that they had been about 30
miles up the middle fork and they allowed that to be much the
best for us to go up. we Camped on the L. Side of the forks in
the evening all the hunters returned had killed 3 deer & a faun
Elk the man who left us this morning has not returned and we
expect he is lost again, his name is george Shannon, we blew
the horn and fired Several guns in hopes he would hear it.2
the Indian goods &C did not all git dry this evening.3

The post Drouillard Arrives: Party Has Taken the Wrong Fork appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

Canoe Salvaged; Shannon Still Missing from Camp

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:26 +0000

one of the Small canoes and hailed it out in the bushes in a grove
of cotton timber on L. Side of the forks and left their, we put
1 In this accident to the canoes Whitehouse narrowly escaped death. Thrown
out of one of the canoes as it swung in the rapid current, the boat passed over
him, pressing him to the bottom. Had the water been two inches shallower.
in Lewis’ opinion, he must inevitably have been crushed to death. White-
house himself gives a modest account of his danger and escape.
2 Shannon’s habit of getting lost has already been noted, .but his present
predicament was due to no fault on his part. Wheeler is disposed (II, 8) to
condemn Lewis and Clark for not making a more determined effort to find him.
“Almost a mere boy,” they “sent him out to hunt, then absolutely reversed
their program and route, of which he was entirely ignorant, and went on up
another river, leaving him finally ‘to get out of his scrape’ the best way he
could.” By this time, however, Shannon was learning to take care of himself
in the wilderness. After a vain search up the Big Hole for his companions,
on the supposition that they had gone on in advance, he returned to the forks
and from there followed up the Jefferson until he rejoined the expedition on
August 9.
3 While encamped here the captains gave names to the branches of the river
which come together at this point. They decided that the “middle fork,”
which Lewis advised ascending, was the continuation of the main stream which
they had already named the Jefferson. The right-hand fork (the modern
Big Hole) they named Wisdom River, and the left-hand fork, Philanthropy
River, “in commemoration of two of those cardinal virtues which have so
eminently marked that deservedly selibrated character [Jefferson] through
life.” Lewis, AugusI .”>. The name Wisdom is still sometimes used to desig-
nate the Big Hole, but Philanthropy has given place to modern Stinking Water.
1805] SERGEANT ORD WAY’S JOURNAL 261
the goods &. C. not dry out in the Sun Cap1 Lewis took an
observation & Shoot the air gun. the man G. Shannon not re-
turned yet. the morning cool, but the day warm, the large
flys troublesome & C. about one oClock we packed up all the
baggage and Set out and proceeded on up the middle fork we
find the current not so rapid nor the rapids So bad as the N. fork,
we had Thunder Showers this afternoon, attended with high
winds, passed Smooth prarie on each side the River verry
crooked &. C. Came 7 miles and Camped at a bottom on L. S.
this bottom is covered with bushes & a little timber bryry & C.
our hunter G. Drewyer joined us had killed one deer which we
stood in great need off.

The post Canoe Salvaged; Shannon Still Missing from Camp appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.