John Ordway Archives - Lewis & Clark Research Database

Meriwether Lewis’s Survey at Cumberland Gap

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

The expedition is usually said to have ended when the Corps of Discovery reached St. Louis on September 23, 1806 — but Lorna Hainesworth documents a little-known coda. Traveling east to brief President Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis went ahead of William Clark through the Cumberland Gap, the great pass where Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee meet. There, on November 23, 1806, local gentlemen asked him to determine whether Dr. Thomas Walker’s old line — by then the Kentucky–Tennessee boundary — actually lay where it was supposed to.

The paper reconstructs the return party (Sheheke, or Big White, and his family; the Pierre Chouteau–led Osage delegation; Clark’s man York; privates Labiche and Frazier; and sergeants Gass and Ordway), the post roads they followed, and the long history of the Gap from Walker’s 1750 sighting through Daniel Boone’s Wilderness Road. It is a window onto Lewis the trained surveyor still at work, weeks after the journey west was over.

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

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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.

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Captain McClallen's Boat Bound for Spanish Territory

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:26 +0000

fish last night which is judfg]ed to weigh a hundred weight, a
fair morning, we Set out eairly and proceeded on verry well
soon passd riffle Isld and a short distance below at the petzaw
Island we passd through a verry bad part of the river which was
filled so thick with logs Standing on end & Sawyers that we only
found room to pass through, about 2 oClock P. M. we met a
large Boat Commanded by one Cap* McLanen2 loaded down with
Marchandize about 15 hands & an Intrepter & Clark [clerk].
they are bound for the Spanish country by way of River platte
to the panies [Pawnee] Indians & purchase horses and cross the
Mountains leaving their goods on this Side and git the Spaniards
to come and bring their silver & gold and trade it for goods as
they are full of money and no goods among them of any account,
and if Mr McLanen has Success this voiage no doubt but that trade
1 This was Joseph Robidoux Jr., first permanent settler of St. Joseph, Mo.,
where he founded a post as early as 1800 and died in 1868. Thwaites, V, 386.
Clark was suspicious about his trading license, which lacked the territorial
seal, and the privileges which it granted seemed to him extraordinary to be
accorded so young a man.
2 John McClallen, formerly a captain of artillery in the U. S. army. He
was “Somewhat astonished” at sight of the explorers, and informed them they
had long since been given up by the people of the United States, and “almost
forgotton,” although President Jefferson still had hopes of them.
THE CONCLUSION OF A NOBLE RECORD
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 401
will be advantageous to the United States hereafter, we aired
our baggage &C. Several of our hunters Sent a head with 2 Small
canoes to hunt, in the evening Mr McLanen gave our party as
much whiskey as they would drink and we Camped.1 Mr
McLanen gave us a bag of Buiscuit &C.

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Meeting Robert McClellan's Heavily Laden Party

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:25 +0000

and procd on about 9 A. M. we met 2 two canoes and 11 french-
man 1 of which was loaded with Mr Shotoes [Chouteau’s] goods
from S* Louis the others going up trapping one of the men was
along which accompanied us to the Mandans in 1804. he in-
formed us that Mr McLanen2 is but a Short distance a head below
the hunters killed a bear we then procd on Soon met one of
JVTLanens Hunters who gave us a fat buck he came on board,
and we procd a Short distance and met Mr McLanen with a large
keel Boat which [was] roed with 12 oars he was rejoiced to see
us only two Englishmen besides Mr McLanen the rest french-
man. Mr Gravveleen [Gravelines] & Mr Drewyong3 was with
him. this keel Boat was well loaded down with Marchandizes
and is going up to the Marhars and yanktons to winter their, we
mooved across the the river and Camped on N. S. 2 Small canoes
Sent on a head to hunt. AT McLanen gave our officers wine and
the party as much whiskey as we all could drink. Mr McLanen
informed us that the people in general in the united States were
concerned about us as they had heard that we were all killed then
again they heard that the Spanyards had us in the mines &C.
Mr Gravveleen & Mr Drewyong had orders to make all enquiries
for us. Mr Gravveleen took a chief of the Rickarees on to the
Seat of government & he died their and Mr Gravveleen has got
the presents for his nation. Mr Drewyong took Several Indians
1 About four miles above the (‘.rand Nemaha River, and a short distance
above the southern boundary of Nebraska.
– Robert McClellan, whom both Lewis and Clark had known as a scout in
General Wayne’s campaign against the Northwestern tribes a dozen years
earlier. He was now engaged in the western fur trade with headquarters at
St. Louis, in the years 1811-13 he followed in the track of Lewis and Clark
across the continent to Astoria. lie died at St. Louis in 1815.
3 Pierre Dorion. Lewis and Clark’s erstwhile interpreter.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 399
of the yanktons and Mahars down to Sl Louis and as Cap1 Stod-
dard was absent who had orders to send all Indians on they were
not Sent on and are now on their return. Mr McLanen informed
us that the Spanyards or Spain towards Mexico had broke out
against the u. states United States and have killed a party of
americans who went to See their country, and that all or a great
number of troops had gone down to Neworleans and up red
river where a great number of Spaniards have gathred in a body
for war. Some of our party exchanged robes &C. for Shirts, we
had Small Showers of rain this evening, and we were treated in
the best manner by this party.

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Seventy-Five Miles Fled from Relentless Mosquitoes

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:24 +0000

light by the Musquetoes. we Set out and procd on verry well with-
out without making any delay, we having made 75 miles this
day and Camped on a Sand beach to git as much out of the
Musquetoes as possable.4
1 The trader was James Aird, long prominent in the fur trade of the North-
west. His headquarters were at Prairie du Chien, where he died in 1819.
2 In view of their two-year isolation in the wilderness it is not difficult to
imagine the eagerness with which the explorers listened to the news Aird had
to communicate. Among other things they learned of the duel between Aaron
Burr and Alexander Hamilton, which had been fought in July, 1801, over two
years before.
3 In the vicinity of the camp of Aug. 13-20, 1804.
* Because of the freer currents of wind the mosquitoes were commonly less
troublesome in such a location than when the camp was pitched on the main-
land. Today’s camp was a little In-low that of Aug. 9, 1804.
1806]
SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 397

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Two Hundred Teton Sioux Massed on North Shore

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:23 +0000

usal ab* 9 A. M. we halted and killed one buffaloe and 2 deer,
the buffaloe verry pleanty. procd on Some distance further
halted and killed two Elk and gathered a quantity of fine plumbs,
then procd on. three of our hunters Stayed back with a Small
canoe to try and kill Some black taild deer, about oClock P. M.
we discovred a number of Indians on the hills on the North Side,
and Soon gathered about two hundred on the Shore besides Some
boys and young men they were in a body and had a great num-
ber of horses we landed on the opposite side of the river, the
Savages hooping and fired & we answered them by fireing our
blunderbusses and small arms 2 rounds, we concluded to wait
here for the hunters to come up. a number of Indians Set to
V Swimingthe river to us but Cap1 Clark took three men in a Small
canoe [and] met them on a Sand bar which happened to be near
our side one of our men Spoke to them in panie [Pawnee] tongue
and told them that we could not Speak their Language but Soon
found that they were the Same band of Tetons that held our boat
as we passed up the river Cap* Clark told them and Signed to
them that they were bad Indians and treated the White people
bad and they might keep from us for we would have nothing
to Say to them nor Suffer them to come to our canoes, they
then Signed to the rest of the nation to keep back and Cap4 Clark
returnd the most of the Indians returned to the nation 2 or
three Stayed on the bar a while and Signed that they were friends
to us and wished to have us come over to their Side but we Signed
to them to keep off and to go back that we would not hear them
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 395
&C. they then all returned to the band and called over to us.
Mre Jessom could understand Some words they said and [s]he
heared them Say that if we came on their Side of the river they
would kill us & that we were good for to kill &C. at length the
Savages or the main body of them went their way our hunters
came up had killed three black taild deer, we then set out and
procd on several Indians remaining on Shore called to us and
Signed and beckned to us to come to Shore but we passed them
Safe and procd on untill dark and Camped on a large sand bar two
Sentinels placed to guard the Camp.

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Revisiting Pleasant Camp Below Chamberlain

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:23 +0000

and procd on about 11 oClock A. M. we arived at pleasant Camp
where we Camped about 20 of Sep* 1804. 4 we Camped here to
the camp of Oct. 1, 1804. Today’s camp was in Armstrong County, S. Dak.,
some fifteen miles above the mouth of Cheyenne River.
1 Clark says today’s camp was “below” the camp of Sept. 29, 1804. The
latter was in Stanley County, S. Dak., 3| miles above Chantier Creek. To-
day’s camp was on the opposite side of the river, in Hughes County, a little
below the mouth of Chantier Creek.
2 The camp was ten miles below the fort, according to Clark, and opposite
the encampment of Sept. 21, 1804. The site of the latter was in Lyman County,
\ miles above the mouth of Medicine Creek.
3 Having passed around Grand Bend during the day’s journey; camp was on
“the lower Isld of the Big bend below the Gouge.” Clark.
4 Today’s camp was on the site of the encampment of Sept. 16 and 17, 1804,
about 3A miles below the city of Chamberlain. We now learn from all three
of the journals still being kept (those of Clark, Gass, and Ordway; the painful-
ness of his wound had caused Lewis to terminate his journal at the time he
rejoined Clark’s party, on August 12) that the place had been designated Pleas-
ant Camp by the party. Clark gives the reason — the great abundance of game,
“aded to which there was a great abundance of the most delicious plumbs and
grapes.”
394 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 29
hunt. Several hunters went out. we gathered an emence Site
of plumbs which are now ripe and good. Several of the men went
at dressing deer and goat skins to make themselves cloaths &C.
&C. in the evening our hunters returnd had killed 2 buffaloe
three deer one porcupine and Several bearking Squerrells the
Musquetoes troublesome &C.

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Southwest Winds Halt Progress at Midday

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:22 +0000

out eairly and procd on verry well about noon the wind rose high
from S. W. which detained us about three hours then procd on
though the work against us. Camped on N. Side.2
and the ensuing winter at Fort Mandan. For information concerning his com-
panions see Thwaites, I, 283, and V, 319-50.
1 Called Grouse Island by Clark. Here the party had encamped Oct. 7.
1804.
2 “on the gouge of the lookout bend,” according to Clark, four miles above
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 393

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Meeting Trappers Dickson and Hancock from Illinois

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:21 +0000

and procd on about 8 A. M. we met two trappers Americans by
the names of Jos Dixon & forrest Handcock1 they were from the
Ellynoise country, and have gathered a great deal of peltry Since
they have been out about 2 years and have carshed the most of it
in the ground they tells us that they are determined to Stay up
this river and go to the head where the beaver is pleanty and trap
and hunt untill they make a fortune before they return, they had
20 odd good traps and tools for building canoes &C. they in-
formed us that Cap* Clark passed here about 12 oClock yesterday
and Said that they would go on Slowly untill we come up. Cap1
Lewis gave them Some powder and several articles while we
were here Colter and Collins come up and joined us. they in-
formed us that they had waited expected we were behind they
had killed 6 buffaloe 13 deer 5 Elk & 31 beaver. Mr Dixon con-
cludes to go back to the Mandans in hopes to git a frenchman or
Some body to go with him to the head of the river. So we procd
on about 10 A. M. we overtook Cap1 Clark and party all alive
and well they informed us that they after they left us at the
three forks followed on up the South fork or Gallentines River
nearly to its head which was about 30 miles, and that the beavers
abound on that river that their dams overflowed the bottoms So
that they had difficulty to cross the river they then struck for
the River Roshjone leaving the Mount” a Short distance to the
right crossd over a low ridge 10 miles then come on the head
waters of the roshjone [and] followed down Some distance before
they found any timber that they could make canoes of. they
Saw no Indians but Saw Indn tracks and the Indn Stole 25 of the
horses they having the two Small canoes done lashed them and
Serg* pryor Set out with 3 men and the rest of the horses by land
in order to take them to the Mandans 25 in number which now
remained, but the 2nd night the Indn Stole all the horses and they
1 Joseph Dickson and Forest Hancock were the first white men encountered
by the explorers since leaving Fort Mandan in the spring of 1805. Dickson
was a Pennsylvania!! who had migrated to the Illinois country in 1802. A
son born to him in January, 180″), ;i fact concerning which I lie father was doubt-
less still in ignorance, became a pioneer settler of the Wisconsin lead-mining
region, and commanded a company of scouts in the Black Hawk War. For
his reminiscences sec Wisconsin Historical Collections, V, 315-17.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 389
had to return to the Roshjone and killd buff aloe and made leather
canoes of them and followed on down they informed us that
the distance from where they Struck the River Roshjone to its
mouth is 836 miles and a pleasant river bottoms and timber on
this river the buffaloe So pleanty and Swiming the river So that
they could Scarsely pass down this river mount11 Sheep also in
many places we fired the blunderbusses and Small arms being
rejoiced to meet all together again. 2 of Cap1 Clarks party were
a hunting and killed a Spotted Elk had white spots about it and
different from any we have ever Seen before, we left their buffaloe
canoes and after a delay of three hours we procd on Mr Dixon
and Handcock accompy us to the Mandans. we Camped on a
Sand beach1 on ace1 of the Musquetoes a little rain this evening
&C.

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Mandan Corn and Beans; Chief Negotiations Begin

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:21 +0000

the party went at dressing themselves deer Skins &C. the na-
tives brought us corn and beans &C. they brought us a break-
fast of boild siniblins & beans &C. the 2 village of Mandans gave
us Considerable of corn and more than we would take away.
Cap* Clark went over and tryed to perswade Some of the chief of
that village to go down with us but they could not find any one
willing to go with us. the chiefs of the 1st village wished us to
1 “a little below the enterance of Shabonos Creek.” Clark.
2 The camp was “at the entrance of Myry river.” Clark. Ordway’s
“long distance” is estimated by Clark at eighty-six miles. The M. R. C. map
agrees closely with Clark’s statement, showing the length of the day’s journey
as a little over eighty miles.
390 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 16
Stay 1 or 2 days longer with them we gave the Swivvel to the
Big Belleys or Grousevauntars.1

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