Hugh McNeal first appears in the expedition record on May 26, 1804, when Captain Lewis issued detachment orders organizing the permanent party into messes. McNeal was assigned to Sergeant Charles Floyd’s squad, listed as the second private after Floyd himself:

1 Sergt. Charles Floyd. (1)
Privates:
2 Hugh McNeal
3 Patric Gass
4 Reubin Fields…

From this organizational moment forward, McNeal served as a private throughout the journey, never promoted but repeatedly entrusted with specific assignments by both captains.

At the Great Falls and the Search for the Shoshone

McNeal had not seen the Great Falls of the Missouri during the initial reconnaissance, so on July 4, 1805, Lewis recorded that he and Sergeant Gass and several others were permitted to view them:

Yesterday we permitted Sergt. Gass McNeal and several others who had not yet seen the falls to visit them.

A month later, McNeal accompanied Lewis on the small advance party seeking the Shoshone Indians. On August 9, 1805, Lewis set out with Drouillard, Shields, and McNeal to find the headwaters and contact the Shoshones. On August 11, Lewis recorded among the famous moments of the expedition, with McNeal at his side:

I kept McNeal with me; after having marched in this order for about five miles I discovered an Indian on horse back about two miles distant coming down the plain toward us.

That first contact was unsuccessful — the lone Shoshone fled — but the party persisted. On August 13, Clark named a stream for the private:

passed the mouth of a bold running Stream 7 yards wide on the Lard Side… Call this stream McNeal Creek.

Clark referenced McNeal’s Creek again on July 10, 1806, when describing the geography of the Beaverhead Valley.

On August 15, 1805, with Lewis’s small advance party nearly starving, McNeal was responsible for the diminishing flour supply:

I found on enquiry of McNeal that we had only about two pounds of flour remaining. this I directed him to divide into two equal parts and to cook the one half this morning in a kind of pudding with the hurries.

McNeal continued in the advance party as it crossed into Shoshone country and on August 16 helped maintain Lewis’s diplomatic posture before the meeting with Cameahwait’s band.

Down the Columbia and the Pacific Winter

By November 1805 the party had reached the Pacific tidewaters. On November 8, Clark recorded the misery of the swelling estuary:

The Swells were So high and the Canoes roled in Such a manner as to cause Several to be verry Sick. Reuben fields, Wiser McNeal & the Squar wer of the number.

At Fort Clatsop, McNeal was repeatedly part of work parties. On December 15, 1805, he was among five men — with Ordway, Colter, Collins, and Whitehouse — who became separated from the elk-packing detachment and “Staid out all night without fire and in the rain.” Clark recorded the next day’s misery (December 16, 1805) as the men finally rejoined:

the 5 men who Stayed out all night joined me this morning Cold & wet, Ordway Colter Collens, Jo Whitehouse J McNeal.

McNeal also accompanied Clark on the January 1806 trip to view the beached whale at the Tillamook coast, with Clark noting on January 8 and 9 the difficult coastal travel and Indian villages encountered.

Illness at Fort Clatsop

The journals record McNeal’s contraction of venereal disease, almost certainly during contact with the Chinook and Clatsop bands. On January 31, 1806, both captains noted:

discovered that McNeal had the pox, gave him medicine.

The condition persisted. On February 20, Lewis wrote that

McNeal from his inattention to his disorder has become worse,

and on February 22 Clark listed him among the sick:

our sick consisting of Gibson, Bratten, Willard McNeal and Baptiest LaPage is Something better.

By February 27, the captains reported that

Goodrich and McNeal who have the pox are recovering fast,

and on March 8, 1806, Lewis directed both men

to desist from the uce of mercury,

the standard (and toxic) treatment of the era. Captain Clark’s parallel entry phrased it that he “detected them to desist from takeing the murcury.” The recovery, as later events show, was incomplete: on July 2, 1806, Lewis noted that

Goodrich and McNeal are both very unwell with the pox which they contracted last winter.

The Return Journey: Trader and Errand-Runner

On the return up the Columbia, McNeal performed routine duties. On April 24, 1806, his horse was the only one missing at morning roll:

they were all found in a little time except McNeal’s. we hired an indian to surch for this horse.

Clark added that he gave the Indian “a Tomahawk” for the search.

While camped among the Nez Perce awaiting the snowmelt, McNeal was given liberty on May 22, 1806, to visit the nearby villages with Windsor. His most notable assignment came on June 2, 1806, when Lewis sent him with York on a trading expedition. With the expedition’s merchandise nearly exhausted, the captains improvised:

Our traders McNeal and york are furnished with the buttons which Capt. C. and myself cut off our coats, some eye water and Basilicon which we made for that purpose and some Phials and small tin boxes which I had brought out with Phosphorus. in the evening they returned with about 3 bushels of roots and some bread having made a successful voyage, not much less pleasing to us than the return of a good cargo to an East India Merchant.

On June 7, 1806, McNeal again crossed the river with Sergeant Gass, Charbonneau, Whitehouse, and Goodrich to barter for cordage and bags from the Nez Perce, returning that afternoon having “precured a String each only.”

The Great Falls Detachment

When the captains divided the party at Travelers’ Rest in July 1806, McNeal was assigned to one of the more responsible details. On July 1, 1806, Lewis recorded:

from this place I determined to go with a small party by the most direct rout to the falls of the Missouri, there to leave Thompson McNeal and goodrich to prepare carriages and geer for the purpose of transporting the canoes and baggage over the portage.

On July 15, 1806, Lewis dispatched him on a critical reconnaissance:

Sent McNeal down this morning to the lower part of the portage to see whether the large perogue and cash were safe.

McNeal was among the men reunited with Clark’s party on August 12, 1806, near the mouth of the Yellowstone, completing the long circuit.

Note on the Record

Hugh McNeal’s name appears in roughly three dozen entries, but almost always as a participant in events rather than as a subject in his own right. He has no journal of his own; he is glimpsed only through Lewis and Clark. The captains record his presence at the first Shoshone encounter, his honorific creek, his bouts of illness, and his trading errands, but they tell us nothing of his background, family, or character beyond the journal record. His life outside the expedition is not addressed in these sources.

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On the 26th of July Capt Lewis Set out on his return to the enterance of
Marias river to meet with the party with, the Canoes from the falls. his
course was through the plains

S. E. 5 Milespassing a Small Creek from the mts

S. 70° E. 9 Miles to a principal branch of Marias River 65 yards wide not
very deep at 7 mile. this last branch is Shallow and rapid about the Size
of the former from the S W. both of those Streams Contain a great
preportion of timberhere we find the 3 Specis of Cotton before
mentioned

N 80° E. 4 miles down Marias river and met with 8 Indians of the Blackfoot
nation with about 30 horses, those Indians professed friendship and Set
out with him and encamped together the night of the 26th of July, thy
informed him that there was two large bands of their nation in that
quarter one of which would be at the enterance of Marias river in a fiew
days. they also informed that a french Trader was with one of those bands,
that they traded with the white people on the Suskashwen River at 6 easy
days march or about 150 miles distant from whome they precured Guns Powder
Lead blankets &c. in exchange for wolf and beaver Skins. Capt Lewis
gave them a Flag Meadel & Handkerchief Capt. L. informed those Indians
where he was from & where he had been and his objects & friendly
views &c. of which they appeared to be well Satisfied.

“on the morning of the 27th at day light the indians got up and crouded
around the fire, Jo. Field who was on post had carelessly laid his gun
down behind him near where his brother was Sleeping. one of the Indians
Slipd. behind him and took his gun and that of his brother unperceived by
him, at the Same instant two others advanced and Seized the guns of
Drewyer and Capt Lewis who were yet asleep. Jo. Fields Seeing this turned
about to take his gun and Saw the fellow running off with his and his
brothers, he called to his brother who instantly jumped up and prosued the
indian with him whome they overtook at the distance of 50 or 60 paces
Siezed their guns and rested them from him and R. Field as he Seized his
gun Stabed the indian to the heart with his knif who fell dead; (this Cap
L. did not know untill Some time after.) drewyer who awoke at the first
alarm jumped up and Seized & rested his gun from the indian &c.
Capt L. awoke and asked what was the matter Seeing Drewyer in a Scuffle
for his gun he turned to get his gun and found her gorn, he drew a pistol
from his holsters and prosued the Indian whom he Saw in possession of his
gun making off he presented the pistol and the indian lay down the gun.
the two Fields Came up and drew up to Shoot the Indian which Capt L.
forbid the indians then attempted to drive off all the horses. Capt L.
derected the men to fire on them if they attempted to drive off the
horses, and prosued two fellows who Continued to drive of his horses he
Shot the indian who had taken his gun and then in possession of his horse
through the belly, he fell and raised on his elbow and fired at Capt L.
the other made his escape into a nitch out of Sight with his bow and
arrows and as Capt L. guns was empty and he without his Shot pouch he
returnd. to the Camp where the 2 fields and Drewyer joind him having
prosued the indians across the river the were now in possession of the
most of their own as well as the indian horses and a gun Several bows
& arrows and all the indians baggage the gun & Some feathers and
flag they took and burnt all the other articles. and Saddled up a many of
the best horses as they wished with Some Spear horses, and Set out for to
intersept the party at Marias river and proceded on a little to the S. of
East 112 Miles to the Missouri at the Grog Spring. here they met with
Canoes and party decending joined them leaving their horses on the river
bank, and proceeded on to the enterance of Marias river opened the
deposits, found Several articles damaged. 3 Beaver traps could not be
found, the red perogue unfit for Service, from thenc they proceeded
without delay to the River Rochejhone See cources of Capt Lewis rout in
next book.”

at 2 P.M. Shannon & Gibson arived in the Skin Canoe with the Skins and
the greater part of the flesh of 3 Elk which they had killed a fiew miles
above. the two men Dixon & Handcock the two men we had met above came
down intending to proceed on down with us to the Manclans. at 3 P M we
proceded on all together having left the 2 leather Canoes on the bank. a
little below the enterance of (Jos) Shabonos Creek we Came too on a large
Sand point from the S. E. Side and Encamped. the wind blew very hard from
the S W. and Some rain. I washed Capt L. wound which has become Sore and
Somewhat painfull to him.

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—

Tuesday July 15th 1806. Dispatched McNeal early this morning to the lower
part of portage in order to learn whether the Cash and white perogue
remained untouched or in what state they were. the men employed in drying
the meat, dressing deerskins and preparing for the reception of the
canoes. at 1 P.M. Drewyer returned without the horses and reported that
after a diligent surch of 2 days he had discovered where the horses had
passed Dearborn’s river at which place there were 15 lodges that had been
abandoned about the time our horses were taken; he pursued the tracks of a
number of horses from these lodges to the road which we had traveled over
the mountains which they struck about 3 ms. South of our encampment of the
7th inst. and had pursued this road Westwardly; I have no doubt but they
are a party of the Tushapahs who have been on a buffaloe hunt. Drewyer
informed that there camp was in a small bottom on the river of about 5
acres inclosed by the steep and rocky and lofty clifts of the river and
that so closely had they kept themselves and horses within this little
spot that there was not a track to be seen of them within a quarter of a
mile of that place. every spire of grass was eaten up by their horses near
their camp which had the appearance of their having remained here some
time. his horse being much fatiegued with the ride he had given him and
finding that the indians had at least 2 days the start of him thought it
best to return. his safe return has releived me from great anxiety. I had
already settled it in my mind that a whitebear had killed him and should
have set out tomorrow in surch of him, and if I could not find him to
continue my rout to Maria’s river. I knew that if he met with a bear in
the plains even he would attack him. and that if any accedent should
happen to seperate him from his horse in that situation the chances in
favour of his being killed would be as 9 to 10. I felt so perfectly
satisfyed that he had returned in safety that I thought but little of the
horses although they were seven of the best I had. this loss great as it
is, is not intirely irreparable, or at least dose not defeat my design of
exploring Maria’s river. I have yet 10 horses remaining, two of the best
and two of the worst of which I leave to assist the party in taking the
canoes and baggage over the portage and take the remaining 6 with me;
these are but indifferent horses most of them but I hope they may answer
our purposes. I shall leave three of my intended party, (viz ) Gass,
Frazier and Werner, and take the two Feildses and Drewyer. by having two
spare horses we can releive those we ride. having made this arrangement I
gave orders for an early departure in the morning, indeed I should have
set out instantly but McNeal road one of the horses which I intend to take
and has not yet returned. a little before dark McNeal returned with his
musquet broken off at the breech, and informed me that on his arrival at
willow run he had approached a white bear within ten feet without discover
him the bear being in the thick brush, the horse took the allarm and
turning short threw him immediately under the bear; this animal raised
himself on his hinder feet for battle, and gave him time to recover from
his fall which he did in an instant and with his clubbed musquet he struck
the bear over the head and cut him with the guard of the guns and broke
off the breech, the bear stunned with the stroke fell to the ground and
began to scratch his head with his feet; this gave McNeal time to climb a
willow tree which was near at hand and thus fortunately made his escape.
the bear waited at the foot of the tree untill late in the evening before
he left him, when McNeal ventured down and caught his horse which had by
this time strayed off to the distance of 2 ms. and returned to camp. these
bear are a most tremenduous animal; it seems that the hand of providence
has been most wonderfully in our favor with rispect to them, or some of us
would long since have fallen a sacrifice to their farosity. there seems to
be a sertain fatality attatched to the neighbourhood of these falls, for
there is always a chapter of accedents prepared for us during our
residence at them. the musquetoes continue to infest us in such manner
that we can scarcely exist; for my own part I am confined by them to my
bier at least 3/4ths of my time. my dog even howls with the torture he
experiences from them, they are almost insupportable, they are so numerous
that we frequently get them in our thrats as we breath.

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