Nathaniel Pryor 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.

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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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Cruzatte Accidentally Shoots Lewis in Thicket

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:20 +0000

and procd on verry well we killed a buffaloe in the river, about
12 oClock Cap* Lewis halted at a bottom on S. Side to kill Some
Elk Peter Cruzatte a frenchman went out with Cap* Lewis
they Soon found a gangue of Elk in a thicket. Cap* Lewis killed
one and cruzatte killed two, and as he still kept fireing one of his
balls hit Cap* Lewis in his back side and the ball passed through
one Side of his buttock and the ball went out of the other Side
of the other buttock and lodged at his overalls which wounded
him bad. he instantly called to peter but Peter not answering he
Supposd it to be Indians and run to the canoes and ordered the
men to their armes. they were in readiness in a moment and Cap*
Lewis attempd to go back for battle but being faint the men pur-
swaded him not to go himself but the party run out found Cru-
zatte and he had Seen no Indians then peter knew that it must
have been him tho an exidant.2 we dressed the wound [and] pre-
pared a place for him to lay in the white perogue J° Fields killed
one Elk. we then took the best of the meat on board and proced
on about 4 P.M. we passd a Camp of Cap* Clark where we found
a note or line informing us that Serg* Pryor & party had joined
them here as the Indians had Stole all the horses & they came
the mouth of White Earth River. The White Earth is modern Little Muddy
River, in Williams County, N. Dak.
1 In McKenzie County, N. Dak., just above the mouth of Little Muddy
River.
2 Lewis was convinced that Cruzatte was immediately aware of having shot
him, and that he only pretended to have been ignorant of it. Both Gass and
Ordway appear to credit Cruzatte with entire ignorance of what he had done.
There are other interesting minor differences between the three narratives of
the accident.
388 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 12
down in leather canoes, they had left here to day day. we procd on
untill about Sunset and Camped on a Sand beach on Ld Side
high winds.

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Bighorn Sheep Encountered on the Open Plains

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

on eairly a head, we took an eairly breakfast, and proceed on
through a large plain & groves of pitch pine where the hunters
had killed 2 deer we took the meat and proceed on crossed Sev-
eral creeks one so large it Swam Some of our horses, about 12 we
Saw a large flock of Mount” Sheep or big horn animels. they run
so near us that Some of the men fired at them. Shortly after we
halted at a branch to dine, dined and proceeded on without find-
ing the road, as we cannot ford the river yet. towards evening
one of the hunters killed a deer. Soon after we Camped near the
forks of the creek.3 one of the hun ters killed a fat buck this evening.
were to await the arrival of Captain Lewis, who was to be joined at the mouth
of Marias River by Ordway’s party and the men left by Lewis at the falls.
The plans thus outlined were carried out, in the main, but the following im-
portant modifications occurred. Lewis’ projected exploration of Marias River
was curtailed, partly because he found that stream did not extend as far to the
northward as he had supposed, partly because hostile Indians compelled him
to beat a retreat to the Missouri; Clark with his detachment descended the
Jefferson with Ordway’s party before crossing over the Yellowstone: and
the plan for Pryor’s parly was defeated through the theft by the Crow Indians
of all his horses,.
1 Modern Bitter Root River; in the journals it is more frequently called
Clark’s Liver.
2 “In the vicinity of Corvallis but on the other side of the river.” Cones.
3 The camp was at the junction of West or Nez Perce Pork with East or.
Loss Fork of the Hitler Root.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 373

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Lewis Calls Volunteers for Marias River Exploration

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:14 +0000

men went out a hunting, about 10 A. M. Collins Came in had
killed one deer. Cap* Lewis Called for 6 vollunteers to go with
him on a route up the River Marreah [Marias River] as he in-
tends going that way.2 they immediately tourned out our
1 On the south side of Lolo Creek, a short distance above its mouth.
2 Lewis and Clark had planned to divide the exploring party into several
groups in order that more might be accomplished in the way of exploring the
country than could be done by a single party. The following summary of
their plans is taken from the journal entry of Lewis for July 1, 1806. Lewis
himself was to go with a small party, including the “2 Invaleeds” mentioned
below, by the most direct route to the Great Falls of the Missouri; while three
of his men remained here to prepare carriages and the other necessary equip-
ment for transporting the canoes and baggage around the falls, Lewis with the
remainder of the party was to make an exploring excursion up Marias River.
Clark was to conduct the remainder of the party to the head of Jefferson River,
where the canoes had been left the preceding autumn. With these Sergeant
Ordway and nine men were to descend the river and join the men left by Lewis
at the falls of the Missouri. Clark himself with the ten men remaining was to
cross from Three Forks to the nearest point on the Yellowstone; from here
Sergeant Pryor and two men were to conduct the horses by land to the Mandan,
and thence to the British post on the Assiniboine with a letter to Henry, the
trader, while Clark, York, Charbonneau, Sacajawea and her child, and five
of the men were to descend the Yellowstone in a canoe. At its mouth they
372 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 3
guides wished to leave us here but Cap* Lewis prevailed with
them to go 2 days march with him and put him on the road to
the falls of the Missourie then they intend to return to their
nation. 2 Invalleeds is going to the falls to Stay their untill the
party comes down with the canoes, and one man to make geers
for the 4 horses which is to be left their to draw the canoes past
the portage.

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Sweat Lodge Treatments; Canoe Built for Camp Fishing

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

most of the women went out eairly with their horses to dig roots,
the women do the most of the Slavery as those on the Missourie
the men went eairly to a Swet house built a large fire and put in a
large quantity of Small Stone and het them red hot then put them
in some water in the Swet hole which was prepared for that purpose
& only a hole big enofe to git in one at a time, about 12 at on
once got in to the hole untill they Sweet then went in the water
and bathed themselves, then in the hole again and bathed them-
selves in that way for about 2 hours, they Signed to me that it
was to help them of Some disease & Sore eyes, &C. &C. I then
returned with a back load of white roots to the Encampment.
Several of the party were employed makeing a canoe for con-
venience of the fishing &C and 4 men were gone a hunting. Serg*
Pryor was sent down to the mouth of Collins creek [Lolo Creek]
to see if their is any good place to encamp as all may moove down
in our canoe for a better place to fish and hunt if the place will
admit &C. we haveing had no meat of any account for several
days we killed a fine colt. Serg* Pryor returnd without finding
the mouth of Collins creek as the clifts were so high he got only
8 miles five of our hunters returnd had killed five deer and
brought in the meat, a number of Indians chased a deer down
the hills with their horses on South Side of the river it took the
river tho the Inds had wounded it with their arrows. Some of
the party Shot in [it] in the river and the Indians got it. in the
evening we made a fire on the canoe to burn it out.

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Sweat Treatment Attempted on Bratton's Crippling Back Pain

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

a deer at a lick near our Camp it Swam the river to the S. Side
two Indians who Stayd with us last night Swam the river with
their horses and ran the deer it took the river and Swam back
again. Serg* pryor then killed it and gave the Indians one half
of it who Swam their horses back after it. Wm bratton having
been so long better than 3 months nearly helpless with a Severe
pain in his back we now undertake Sweeting him nearly in the
manner as the Indians do only cover the hole with blankits having
bows bent over above the hole, we expect this opperation will
help him.1 we continue burning out the canoe &C. about noon
1 Of all the medical treatments given by Lewis and Clark none was more
interesting than Bratton’s. He had been helpless since before the beginning
of the homeward journey from Fort Clatsop. Although he ate heartily and
digested his food well his strength did not return, notwithstanding the amateur
doctors tried on him every remedy their “engenuity” could devise. Now
360 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [May 24
our hunters all came in empty had killed nothing except a fiew
fowls most of our men went to the village we were camped at
Some time past and bought considerable of couse & Shappalell &C.
Some of the natives caught 3 Salmon to day.

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Pryor and Collins Bring In Black Bear and Grizzly

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

night and continues this morning, about 10 oClock A. M. Serg*
pryor and Collins returned had killed one black bear and one
white bear, and brought in one of them, in the evening our officers
directed that 10 or 12 hunters turn out a hunting tommorrow.
asigned them horses Some three & others 4 to hunt on in turn.

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Seeking a Canoe to Buy Above the Shoote Villages

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:02 +0000

light breakfast of a little dog meat and departed Soon passed
the village only one house rimaining covred in it which lives a
number of the natives. Gap* Lewis and the Small canoes crossed
over to the South Side to 2 villages [a] little above the Shoote, in
order to purchace a canoe from the natives if possable. the cur-
rent Swift, we proceeded on little above cruzattes River the
wind rose So high that [it] obledged us to halt at this bottom
where we expected to find our Hunters1 2 men went out a
hunting the day proved fair the wind cold and Snow laying
low on the Mountains near the River, the hunters soon came
in had killd nothing but a bald Eagle we then proceed on
about 5 miles and halted again at a bottom on the N. Side2 3
men went out a hunting. Serg* Pryor & 2 men sent back to
cruzattes River to look again for the hunters one of the hunters
killed two Deer. Cap* Lewis & party overtook us had pur-
chased two small canoes the price of which was 2 Small peaces
of blue cloath and two Elk hides, & bought three dogs also, we
dryed the 2 Small canoes by [the] fire and pitched them &G

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Hunters Jerk Elk as Multinational Native Visitors Arrive

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:46:01 +0000

came across the River & informed us that the hunters had killed
4 Elk 2 of which is about 3 miles from the River so Serg* pryor
and 3 more men were Sent over to help jourk the meat Slight
Showers of rain in the course of the day. the Savages who Stayed
with us last night were of five different nations and had Several
prisoners among them these Savages tells us that they are going
down the River after wapatoes &C. &C. in the evening Cap*
Clark & party returnd to Camp and informed us that they had
been and took a view of the River which the Indians in-
formed us of, and that it is a verry large River & is 500 yd wide
and is Supposed to head with the waters of the California, they
went 7 miles up sd River.1 their guide informed them that a
large nation lived up the fork of this River by the name of Clack-
amus Nation of 30 Towns, and that another Nation lives along
distance up this River where it gits small by the name of Callap-
no-wah Nation who are verry numerous, on their return they
halted at a new discovred village behind Swan Island where they
bought 5 dogs a fiew Commass roots and some wapatoes &C.

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