Sacagawea 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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Colter Released to Trap with Dixon and Hancock

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

leave of our officers to go back with Mr Dixon a trapping, which
permission was granted him so our officers Settled with him and
fitted him out with powder lead and a great number of articles
which compleated him for a trapping voiage of two years which
they are determined to Stay untill they make a fortune, &C. &C.
we lashed together Some of our canoes and Colter Mr Dixon &
Handcock parted with us in their Small canoe2 the natives
visits us in great numbers, about 4 oC. P. M. dropped down to
the 1st village of Mandans where we took on board Mr Jessom his
1 The swivel was presented with “a good deel of ceremony” to Le Borgne,
or the One Eyed with a view to attaching him more strongly to the United
States government. In presenting the gun Clark told the chief “to remem-
ber,” when he fired it, “the words of his great father which we had given him,
this gun had announced the words of his great father to all the nations which we
had seen.”
2 “The example of this man shows how easily men may4 be weaned from
the habits of civilized life to the ruder but scarcely less fascinating manners
of the woods. This hunter has been now absent for many years from the
frontiers, and might naturally be presumed to have some anxiety, or some
curiosity at least, to return to his friends and his country; yet, just at the
moment when he is approaching the frontiers, he is tempted by a hunting
scheme to give up those delightful prospects, and go back without the least
reluctance to the solitude of the woods.” Biddle, III, 1182. Colter remained
on the upper Missouri, in the midst of perils and hardships, until the spring of
1810. He was the first white explorer of Yellowstone Park. For an account
of his adventurous career see Wheeler, I, 98-105, and Chittenden, American
Fur Trade, II, 713-23.
In addition to Colter Hie parly left behind at the Mandan villages, Charbon-
neau. Sacajawea, and their baby. The latter, “a butifull promising child”
of nineteen months, Clark offered to lake and rear. The parents were willing,
but the fact that the baby was Dot yel weaned led to the decision to keep him
with his mother for another year, when Charbonneau was to bring him to St.
Louis for Clark to rear “in such manner as I thought proper.” This arrange-1
ment was never carried out, however, and the youthful Charbonneau spent
his life among the savages.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 391
his wife and two children the big white the head chief of Sd vil-
lage his wife or one of his wives. I understand he has two wives,
he has only one child and takes that with him took their bag-
gage on board and the chief putting his arm round all the head
mens necks of his nation who Set on Shore and a number crying
and appeared Sorry to part with him he took his leave of them
however and we Set out and procd on the wind a head Campd
on S. S.1

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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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Elk Hides Recovered but Meat Left Behind

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:44 +0000

in the water loaded up and set out and proceeded on down the
River, the Shore is covred thick with pine and under brush.
passd several Spring runs, the waves ran verry high, we could
not land untill we turned a point in a bay2 where we halted and
cooked a young Deer which the hunters had killed the other day.
the men who had been out to take care of the meat joined us
with 4 Elk hides but no meat the distance so great and the
weather so bad that they brought no meat. Cap* Clarks servant
1 The “diat” for several days having consisted of dried pounded fish boiled
in salt water, Clark now directed that “in future the party mix the pounded
fish with fresh water.” Sacajawea, however, effected, for the time being, a
more marked change in the captain’s menu. She gave him “a piece of bread
made of flour which She had reserved for her child and carefully Kept untill
this time,” but which, becoming wet, had soured. Not having tasted bread
for several months, Clark ate it with “great satisfaction.”
2 Young’s Bay, which Clark named Meriwether’s Bay, in honor of Captain
Lewis whom he supposed (mistakenly) to be the first white man to survey it.
316 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Dec. 8
did not come up with the rest. Cap* Clark Stayed with one canoe
and waited for him a Short time we proceeded on the waves
roled verry high, the canoe I was in ran on a sand barr and was
near filling, but the waves took hir off without injury, we pro-
ceed on round a bay then went up a River ab* 3 miles and landed
at the place appointed for winters quarters.1 this River is about
100 yds wide at this place but the tide water extends further up.
we unloaded the canoes and carried all our baggage about 2 hun-
dred yards on a rise of ground and thicket of handsom tall Strait
pine and balsom fir timber and Camped here we intend to build
a fort and Stay if game is to be found thro, this winter season.

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Entire Party Votes on Winter Quarters Location

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:42 +0000

Several men went out a hunting we put out our baggage to air.
The Columbian River at this place is three miles 660 yards wide.
Some of two nations of Indians came to our Encampment the
Clatsop and Chinuck nations they behave very well as yet. our
officers conclude with the oppinion of the party1 to cross the River
1 Thwaites publishes (III, 246-48) the record of the individual votes given
on this occasion. An overwhelming majority were in favor of crossing the
river and searching there for a suitable location. It is interesting to note that
the opinions of York and “Janey,” who was, of course, Sacajawea, were duly
taken along with the rest. The latter was “in favour of a place where there
is plenty of Pota8.” The determining factors in the decision reached were
twofold: a desire to be as near the seacoast as possible, in order to be able to
make salt and to intercept any trader’s vessel that might come into the mouth
of the river; and to locate in the region where the most game for subsistence
might be had. According to the information of the Indians the region south
of the Columbia most abounded in elk.
313
314 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Nov. 25
and look out a place for winters quarter Some where as near the
ocean as possable on the account of makeing Salt.

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Guide Describes Two Routes to the Pacific

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:30 +0000

horses, bought 8 more, have now got 30 in all. we got our loads
ready, the guide who has engaged with us to go on to the ocean
tells us that their is 2 ways to go, but the one bearing south of
the Ri: is plains and a desert country without game or water, but
the road to the North of the River is rough and mountaineous
but sd he could take us in 10 days to a large fork of the River
which came in on the South Side where the River would be navi-
gable or in about 15 days we could go to where the tide came up
and Salt water. So we concluded to go that road, apart of the
natives went from this village over to the head of the Missourie
after the buffalow.1 about one oClock P. M. our hunter came in
had killed three deer we loaded all but 2 of our horses and set
out and proceeded on down the River bottom crossed several
this Spring runs and Sever[al] old Camps, went about 10 miles
1 Thus Sacajawea parted from her people, never, so far as we know, to see
them again.
278 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS lAug. 31
and Camped on a Smooth bottom near the River1 considerable
of cotton and alder wood along the Shores.

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Canoes Sunk to Preserve Them for the Return

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:29 +0000

hunters out a hunting, the natives do not incline to part with
any more of their horses untill they cross the mountains, but will
carry our baggage over for us. Several of the natives went out
with their horses a hunting we took all the canoes in to a pond
on the North Side of the River and sank them in the water so as
they may be safe at our return, the natives who went a hunting
1 Lewis also gave Cameahwait some dried squashes, brought from Fori
Mandan. He had them boiled, and declared them “the best thing he had ever
tasted excepl sugar,” a small lump of which his sister, Sacajawea, had given
him.
18051 SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 273
returned, drove a deer with them near the Camp and rode it
down so that they killed it with their bow and arrows, in that
way they caught & killd 5 or 6 this day one of them a verry large
black taild Deer, they have no other way to kill their game but
to run them down with their horses and tire them so that they
can kill them, about 3 oClock P. M. another party of the Snake
nation arived here about 40 of them on horse back, we expect to
set out to cross the mountain tomorrow, so we sent 2 men on a head
to kill Some meat if possable. towards evening our hunter re-
turned, had killed 2 large deer and three Small ones and brought
them all to Camp on the horse.

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Reunited with Lewis and Twenty Friendly Shoshones

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:28 +0000

been cold this Several nights under 2 blankets or Robes, over us.
a little white frost the air chilley & cold, we took an eairly
breakfast and set out proceeded on a Short distance heared
Some Indians Singing on Shore on L. Side directly came up
Several of the Snake nation a horseback, they told us that
Cap* Lewis and party was at the forks waiting our arival. Cap*
Clark the Intrepter & wife went with them back & forth the
Shore2 to see us come up with the canoes, we hailed the canoes
over a great nomber of Shole places and arived at Cap* Lewis
Camp ab* 10 oClock A. M. a little below the forks,3 their was 20
odd of the Snake nation Indians Camped here which came over
the Mountains with Cap* Lewis they appeared verry friendly
Cap* Lewis informed us that he had been over the dividing ridge
or mountain to the headwaters of the Columbian River & that it is
only about 40 miles from this place, they drank at the head
Spring of the Missourie & went only about a mile and drank at the
head Spring of the Columbian River4 which ran west, they Saw
one Indian comming towards them on horse back a considerable
distance from the band. Cap* Lewis wavered a blanket as a
token of friendship, he lay close on his horse & Spyed 2 of the
party makeing towards him who had been a hunting a little off
the road, the Indian turned his horse and ran him untill he got
to his band & told the news, the next they met was 3 Squaws
digging roots. 2 of them ran off Some distance the other being
1 Fourteen miles by water, 6§ miles by land. The camp was half a mile
above the mouth of Clark Canon Creek.
2 At this point there is evidently an omission of a portion of the thought
intended to be conveyed. Whitehouse wrote as follows: “Capt. Clark our
intrepter & wife went with the natives rode their horses to the forks, they
kept rideing back & forward to see us comeing up with the canoes.”
8 This was the point of junction of Horse Prairie Creek, which the party
was about to ascend, with Beaver Head River. The former is in reality a
tributary of the latter, a fact not clearly appreciated by Lewis and Clark.
They regarded (incorrectly) Horse Prairie Creek as the true source of the Mis-
souri.
4 Lewis had crossed the divide to the Lemhi River, which drains into the
Salmon, and this in turn into the Snake. The Indians had been encountered
in camp on the Lemhi.
268 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 17
old stood hir ground. Cap’ Lewis set down and gave hir Some
Small presents. She then called the other 2 which came up and
piloted them to their Camp which was on a branch of the Colum-
bian River they were on their way over to this Side to hunt &.
C. they had Some Salmon which they caught in the main
River they tell us that their is no timber on the head waters for
canoes, they also tell us that their is no game, but we do not
believe them, they are poor. Cap1 Lewis gave them what
little presents he had with him and they came about 20 odd with
their horses with him across the Mu 2 chiefs among them,
when Cap* Lewis first came near them they appeared frightened
untill he & them with him lay down their arms & made motions
of friendship, when they met the natives took them round the
neck as a great token of friendship, they were uneasy & afraid
that they were taken in when they came to the forks & found that
we were not there as they had mentioned, but when they Saw
us they were glad, and were verry friendly to lend us their horses
to pack meat &. C. we conclude to leave the canoes at this place,
So we unloaded and formed a Camp a little below the forks on a
Smooth prarie on L. S. no timber, we have to cook with Small
willow &. C. high hills on the point between the 2 Rivers, &
around this valley a fiew Scattering pitch pine on them, this
valley Smooth & pleasant, the natives horses appear good and
in tollarable order, but they are verry poor nothing to be seen
among it them but their horses & 2 or 3 guns, but no ammunition,
they are dressed tollarably well in antelope & Mountain Rams
Skins well dressed, a fiew beeds hung in their ears with mussel
Shells & C their hair Short the most of them, we expect they
git their horses from the Spanis[h] and what other little art articles
they have, but they have no knives tommahawks nor no weapons of
war except their bow & arrows, it is only by their ace* 8 day
travel to the South to the Spanish country, our officers Captains
Lewis & Clark told the head chief1 of them that they wanted to by
their horses to take our baggage over the Mountains, the Chief
said they would let us have the use of their horses & promised to
assist us over over as much as lay in their power. So they gave
them out considerable of different kinds of marchandize. gave
the chief a meddel made another chief & gave him a meddle also,
gave the head chief a uniform coat cv. Shirt & arm bands &.C. &C.
‘The Shoshoni chief, Cameahwait, proved’to be the brother of Sacajawea.
Fortunately for the explorers they had fallen in with the very same band from
which Sacajawea had been torn by her captors several years before.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 269
Cap* Lewis Shot the airgun, which they thought a great meddieine
& Shewed them a nomber of strange things to them. 4 deer & 2
antelopes killed by the hunters this day. Cap* Lewis tells us
that the game is verry scarse on the mountain he was about 3
days with [out] meat, the natives gave Cap* Lewis ear bobs to
put in ears and an ornament to Spread over his Shoulders, which
was made of white wezels tails & fastened on an otters Skin,
they fixed off all the men in the Same way who were returning
with Cap* Lewis, they take us round the neck and Sweze us in
token of friendship as they have a practice in Stead of Shakeing
hands.1
1 In addition to the embracing the salutation included the touching of cheeks
together. Lewis describes the ceremony, as first experienced by him, on Au-
gust 13, concluding with this hint concerning certain of its drawbacks: “we wer
all carressed and besmeared with their grease and paint till I was heartily tired
of the national hug.”
CHAPTER X
Crossing the Backbone of the Continent,
August 18 — October 6, 1805

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Shannon Rejoins; Lewis Pushes Ahead for Indians

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

out eairly. we Set out at Sun rise and proceeded on. the wind
high from S. E. took on board a deer which the hunters killed,
about 8 oClock we halted for breakfast. George Shannon who
had been 3 days lost joined us with 3 buck Skins Skins which he
killed & found fat. he brought in a little of the meat also. Cap*
Lewis, Shields, Drewyer & Mcneal set out to go on a head a long
distance to make discoveries in hopes to find Indians &.C.2 we
proceeded on took on board another Deer which the hunters had
killed, the game is generally Scarse along here, only a fiew Deer
to be Seen, the River & bottoms prarie continues as yesterday
back at the 3 forks our Captains named this fork Jefferson River the
North we call Sensable River3 because we were Sensable of it. the
South fork named4 not known for certn yet So I expect the forks
ought to be called the head of the Missourie, although we are yet
on a branch which we expect to see the head of it in a fiew days.
Some thunder the Musquetoes troublesome, the beaver as
pleanty as usal, &.C. Saw Snow on the Mountains Some dis-
tance a head, proceeded on passed the head of the old channel
where the River formely ran along the high land at the South
Side of the prarie. Some timber along the old bed. Some part of
the prarie is low and boggy and will Shake for Some distance
around a man when he walks on it. we expect it would be good
turf to burn. Some Showers passed over, we Came 18 mls and
Camped at a fiew trees on L. Side.6
1 Nineteen miles by water, but owing to the crookedness of the river only
eight land miles. The camp was in Madison County, six miles above the mouth
of Stinking Water River.
2 This excursion was made because Sacajawea had given information that
her people were not far away, and the explorers stood in urgent need of finding
them and procuring horses for use in place of boats as a means of transportation.
Lewis set out with the determination to cross the continental divide and pro-
ceed down the Columbia until he should find either the Snake or other Indians
possessed of horses, “if it should cause me a trip of one month.”
3 This name is unknown, hitherto, to the records of the expedition. That
the explorers should be “Sensable” of Wisdom River is not strange, in view
of their arduous experience while attempting its navigation. Apparently
Lewis and Clark debated whether to commemorate, in naming the stream,
their experience with it, or the wisdom of their patron, President Jefferson.
4 The words in italics are marked out in the manuscript.
6 Sixteen miles, according to Lewis, but the distance gained was by land
only five miles. Camp was two miles by land (6j by water) below the Heaver
18051 SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 263

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Hailstorm Nearly Kills Clark and Sacagawea During Portage

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:45:25 +0000

the 2 truck waggons and returned back to the lower Camp for
another load, took 2 canoes up the hill on the high plains the
day proved pleasant and warm the men much fatigued, we Saw
large gangs of buffalow and antelopes to day. we got our loads
ready for a Start in the morning, below the falls the plains are
inferior in point of Soil to those below, more Stones on the Sides
of the hills, grass but a fiew Inches long or high and but a fiew
flowers in the plains. Great quanties of choke cherryes Goose
berrys red & yallow berry, & red purple currents on the Edges of
the water, we catch great quantities of Trout and a kind of
muttel [mussel] flat backs and a Soft fish resembling Shad, caught
but fiew cat fish this Season. Serg* Pryor Sick the party amused
themselves dancing untill 10 oClock all in cheerfulness and good
humour, we tied up all the baggage ready for an eairly Steart in
the morning.
June 26th Wednesday 1805. Some rain last night, this morn-
ing cloudy, we Set out eairly with our loads to the canoes con-
sisting of pearched meal pork powder lead axes tools Bisquit and
portable Soup we put it in the canoes and proceeded on verry
well to willow creek, where we halted to cook & then proceeded
on. The day proved fair, we Saw great numbers of buffalow in
the plains in everry direction considerable of the plains as far as
our Eyes could extend appear to be black with buffalow. Some
antelopes and Deer also wolves Whitehouse took Sick this
evening a little before we got to the upper Camp, we arived at
the u. camp a little before night, the men went with Cap1 Lewis
on a Small Island below the Camp to hunt for a white bear which
had been about the Camp the night before and cut Some meat
near the tents &.C.
1 The “saleing” was promoted by the hoisting of a sail on the canoe, a detail
which Ordway neglects to record.
238 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 27
June 27th 1805, Thursday a fair warm morning. Whitehouse
Some better, a heavey diew last night. I and three more of the
party Set off eairly to return by the way of the falls, the men Stearted
with the truck waggons at the same time. I passed Some In-
dian Camps above medicine River on the Shore Lard Side. Saw
a large gang of buffalow out of which I killed a cow and calf, and
went on passed the upper falls which is a great catteract and
look[s] remarkable. I Set and looked at them a fiew minutes and
went on untill I came to the Spring which was the finest tasted
water I ever Saw and the largest fountain which [comes] up
through a ledge of rocks near the River and forces its way up
about 10 feet for Some distance around then forms a fall in to
the River, it is clear as a cristal I could have Seen to the bot-
tom of the fountain to pick up a pin.1 the water cold and pure,
the Rocks green which the water run over, proceeded on about
noon we killed a fat Bull and took out the hump and went down a
Steep hill to git to water where we broiled the hump and eat a
hearty meal of it. went on passed the lower high falls of Neagra
[Niagara], all these falls measured and added together is 300 60
[360] odd feet in hight, and is a great Site to See them.2 I pro-
ceeded on to the mouth of willow Creek a hard Shower of rain and
hail came on of a Sudden So I got under a Shelving rock on one
Side of the creek where a [I] kept dry through the hardest of it.
hard thunder, large hail the creek rose So high in a fiew minutes
that I had to move from the dry place and proceeded on. the wind
blew So high that the hail cut verry hard against me and I could
hardly keep my feet, the rain has made it so muddy and Slip-
perry, but we arived at the lower Camp a little before night the
party had arived a little before, with the truck wheels look[s]
likely for more rain, So I and one man more went and Slept in the
carsh a hole which was dug to deposit Some baggage in which
1 This is the spring which had been discovered by Clark on June 18. He
supposed it to be the largest in America. Neither Lewis nor Clark mention
this trip of Ordway and his companions. Whitehouse explains its occasion:
“Sergt. Ordway and three men went down by the River to See the falls and
Spring &C.” The fountain is now known as (‘.real Spring. Wheeler, writing
a decade ago, describes it as 300 to 100 feet wide, with a discharge of (‘SO cubic
ted of water per second. A report made in I860 places the temperature of
the spring wafer at 53° and that of tin- river at 70°.
2 The total descent of the river for a distance of ten miles, from the first
rapid to the foot of the (‘.real falls is 1 1 2 feel. The Great Falls has a sheer
drop of i:>’. feet. Cones, II, 385.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 239
we intend to leave, cloudy all night. Some buffalow came down
the River dead.
June 28th Friday 1805. a fair morning, wind from the South,
we Set out with the remaining canoe and baggage [and] took it
to the top of the hill three miles, the men who remained at the
camp was employed carrying those things we intend to deposite
to the whole or carsh. Some repairing one of the trucks &. C. the
water is riseing and of a redish brown cholour. after covering the
cashe or whole, and loading the 2 carriages with the remaining
part of the Baggage, we all Set out passing red creek1 which had
rose a little and the water nearly red and bad tasteed. we as-
cended the hill to the place the canoe lay with great labour, at the
canoe at which place we left some boxes & kegs of pork & flower
for another load, and proceeded on with the canoe and what bag-
gage we could draw on the wheels to willow run 6 miles where we
camped, this run nearly dry some water remaining in wholes.
Soon after we halted, we had a Shower and at dark we experienced
a most dreadful wind from off the Snow Mountains to the S. W.
accompanied with rain which lasted nearly all night. Cap* Clark
refreshed the men with a dram, killed 2 buffalow great num-
bers about this run
June 29th Satturday 1805. a little rain verry eairly this morn-
ing after [which it was] clear & warm we find that the prarie is so
wet as to render it impossable to pass on to the end of the portage,
So Cap1 Clark Sent all back except one man to take care of the
baggage after the remainder which was left yesterday on the hill.
Cap* Clark Set out to go to the falls at the Same time his Servant
Intrepter and Squaw accompanied them. I went with the party for
the remainder of the baggage, we got all and was returning. Saw
a black cloud rise in the west which we looked for emediate rain we
made all the haste possable but had not got half way before the
Shower met us and our hind extletree broke in two. We were
obledged to leave the load Standing and ran in great confusion to
Camp the hail being so large and the wind so high and violent in
the plains, and we being naked2 we were much bruuzed by the
large hail. Some nearly killed one knocked down three times,
and others without hats or any thing about their heads bleading
and complained verry much. Soon after we had got all Safe to
1 Portage Creek of the explorers; modern Belt Creek.
2 On account of the heat and the excessive toil the men were working practi-
cally naked.
240 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [June 30
the run [it] cleared off. Cap* Clark & them that went with him
returned Cap1 Clark informed us that when he Saw the Shower
comming he looked out for Some Shelter about of a mile above
the falls he observed a deep reveen in which was Shelving rocks
under which they took Shelter near the river and placed their
[guns] and compass &C. &C. under a Shelving rock in a place
verry secure from rain the first Shower was moderate to them
then a torrent of rain fell and hail [more] violent than they ever
Saw before, the rain fell like one voley of water falling from the
heavens and gave them time only to git out of the way of a torrent
of water, which was poreing down the hill with amence force
tareing everry thing before it, taking with it huge rocks and mud.
Cap1 Clark took his gun and Shot pouch in his left hand and with
his right he Scrambled up the hill pushing the Intrepters wife who
had hir child in hir arms, the intrepter himself makeing attempts
to pull up his wife by the hand much Scared and narely
without motion, at length reached the top of the hill Safe,1
where Cap* Clark found his servant york who was in search
of them greatly agitated, for their well fare. Cap* Clark informed
me when he went in to the revene it was a flat dry rock, but before
he got out of it, it was up to his waist so he wet his watch, lost the
large Compass, an elegant purse, tommahawk, an Humbrello
[umbrella] Shot pouch & horn with powder and ball mockinsons
and the woman lost hir childs Cloaths & bear bedding &. C &. C.
The Compass is a seerious loss, as we have no other large one. the
plains are So wet that we could doe nothing this evening, we got
revived with a dram of grog and got some warm Soup and took
our rest.
June 30th Sunday 1805 a fair morning, we went after the re-
maining Baggage left in the plains. 2 men went to the falls to
look for the Compass &. C. 2 men went out to hunt, about 4
oClock the hunters came in loaded with fat meat the men re-
turned with the baggage ecty 4 men set at makeing axtletrees
and repair the carriages &. C. this run has fallen a little, last
evening it was up to a mans waist at I he crossing place where it
was dry before the Showers, and verry riley and bad tasted. Some
took the Baggage up the hill the 2 men in Search of the articles
lost yesterday returned and brought the Compass which they found
in the mud and Stones near the mouth of the revene. no other
1 “one moment longer & it would have swept tliem into the river just above
the greal cataracl of 87 feet where they must have inevitably perished.” Lewis.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 241
articles found, one man killed an Elk. at 12 oClock we Set out
with a load to the 6 mile Stake and returned] this evening, we
intend takeing the remainder through to the upper Camp tomorrow
if the prarie will permit, at 3 oClock we had a Storm of wind from
S. W. after which a fair evening great numbers of buffalow in
everry direction I think 10000 may be Seen at one view.
July 1st Monday 1805. we Set out eairly this morning, with
the remaining loads and proceeded on verry well to Cap1 Lewiss
Camp where we arived at 3 oClock the day warm and party
much fatigued found Cap* Lewis and party all employed in
fitting the Iron boat &. C. the wind hard from the S. W. one
man verry unwell his legs & thighs broke out and Swelled, the
hail which fell at Cap* Lewis Camp was 7 Inches in Surcumference
and weighed 3 ounces, fortinately for us it was not so large in
the plains where we was if it had we Should most certainly
[have] fallen victims to its rage as the the most of the men were
without hats or any thing on their heads and mostly naked, the
hunters at the upper Camp killed 3 White bear one large the fore
feet of which measured 9 Inches across, the head [hind] feet 11 |
Inches long and 7 Inches wide, a bear [came] nearly catching
Joseph Fields chased him in to the water, bear about about the
Camp everry night, and Seen on the Island in the day.1
July 2nd Tuesday 1805. Some rain at day light this morning
after which a fair morning we Set out eairly with the truck wag-
gons for the kegs and boxes & C left at the Six mile Stake, the
men at camp Set at gitting timber & C for the Boats Musque-
toes verry troublesome to day. we went to the 6 mile Stake and
got the remander of our loading & C [and] returned back. Saw
buffalow as usal; one hunter killed 3 buffalow and one antelope
1 Ordway here records some of the events at the upper camp during the pre-
ceding days. The large bear, the measurements of whose feet are given,
was killed by the strategy of Fields and Drewyer on June 27. For the story
see Lewis’ journal. The narrow escape of Fields from another grizzly occurred
two days earlier. While hunting elk, alone, he came upon two grizzlies. In
stalking them for an opportunity to shoot he “stumbled uppon” a third, which
promptly charged him from a distance of a few steps. With equal prompt-
ness Fields exchanged the role of hunter for that of the hunted and running
to the river near by jumped over the steep bank, alighting on a stony bar below.
The fall cut and bruised him and disabled his gun, but the intervening bank
now concealed him from the bear’s sight and the beast gave up the chase. It
was Fields who on June 4 was so hotly pursued by a grizzly that it “struck his
foot.” On recording his second narrow escape (June 25) Lewis observes that
he has been “truly unfortunate” with the grizzlies.
242 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 3
in a fiew minutes we arived at Camp about 2 oClock and re-
joiced that we have got through Such a laborious & fatiguing
portage The day warm the men put their fire arms in good
order and towards evening the most of the hunters with the 2
Captains went over on an Island to hunt bear they killed one
and Saved the Skin and greese. the Musquetoes troublesome this
evening.
July 3rd Wednesday 1805. a clear pleasant warm morning.
Serg’ Gass and 4 men Set out to go down the River and take a
view of the falls and Big Spring &. C. the men at Camp employed
Some at makeing tar or pitch for the Boat others puting the
leather on it &. C. we over hailed the Baggage and killed a large
curious kind of a rat with hair on his tail.1 the mice are pleanty
also, light Sprinklings of rain in the afternoon, we fixed Scaffels
[scaffolds] and put our Baggs & C from the ground, & a little more
from the rats & mice&. C. Some men Sowing the leather on the
Iron boat, the men not other ways directed are dressing Skins
to make themselves mockinsons as they have wore them all out
in the plains one pair of good mockins will not last more than
about 2 days, will ware holes in them for the first day and patch
them for the next. George Drewyer one of Cap* Lewis hunters at
the upper Camp killed 2 large handsom otter and three beaver. 2
men went out a short distance that evening and killed a fat bufTa-
low. Some men out for meat &. C. the 2 men returned from
the falls and had killed 6 buffalow, and Saved only the tongues, &
brains for to dress Skins, we got the leather on the Iron boat in
8 seperate Sections & put them in the water to sook 2 men
attempting to burn a small tar kill.
July 4th Thursday 1805. a beautiful clear pleasant warm morn-
ing, the most of the men employed putting the sections of the
Iron boat together &. C. one of the hunters went on bear Island
a Short time and killed an Elk and a beaver, we Saved the Skins
and Some of the meat, we finished puting the Iron boat together
and turned hir on one side to dry. it being the 4th of Independence
we drank the last of our ardent Spirits except a little reserved for
Sickness, the fiddle put in order and the party amused themselves
dancing all the evening untill about 10 oClock in a Sivel & jovil
‘ “This Rocky Mountain rat, Montana cinera, was fust described 1>> Lewis.
Us technical name was noi assigned until 1815.” Thwaites, II. 205, note.
Lewis devotes more space to describing the rat (which was killed July 2)
than he does to the bear hunt on the island.
1805] SERGEANT ORD WAY’S JOURNAL 243
manner, late in the evening we had a light Shower of rain but
did not last long.
July 5th Friday 1805. a clear pleasant morning. 3 men Set
out to go down to see the falls & C a gang of buffalow seen on
the hills Some distance from Camp. Cap* Clark and 12 men went
out to attempt to kill Some of them but we could not git near
them before they Smelled us and ran off Cap* Clark and some
of the men then returned to Camp the rest went after another
gangue toward the South Mountain, towards evening they all
came in had killed 3 buffalow 4 miles from this, they brought
in Some meat and Skins, the 3 men returned from the falls &
had killed Several buffalow might have killed hundreds if they
had wished where they were pened under high clifts of rocks at
the falls, they went So close among them as to reach them with
the muzzle of their guns, &. C. they brought home Several
tongues & Some brains, but had not time to take care of their
meat & Skins & C.
July 6th Saturday 1805. verry hard Showers of rain and hail
through the course of last night, hard Thunder & lightning, at day
light this morning a hard Shower came up of a Sudden attended
with high wind, & large hail one of the men Saved a Small tin
kittle full of the hail which did not all disolve through the day.
the morning cloudy. 4 men dispached with 2 canoes to go down
to the head of the falls in order to kill buffalow buffalow & git
Skins to cover our crafts & meat to dry &. C. Some men employed
finishing the Iron boat &. C. a part of the day clear, light
Showers of rain in the afternoon. Some men dressing Skins to
make themselves cloaths &. C. the wind high from the west,
this evening the hunters did not return this evening (caught
a fiew Small fish).
July 7th Sunday 1805. a clear pleasant morning, one man
caught a beaver last night, two hunters set out across the river
eairly in order to hunt Elk for 1 or 2 Skins &. C. we finished off
the Iron boat and put hir up in an open place to dry &. C. the
day warm, in the afternoon Some Thunder the musquetoes
troublesome at this Camp a light Shower of rain, about 4
oClock the hunters returned, had killed Several buffalow and
buffalow calfs one Elk and Several wolves, they brought in the
Skins which will answer to cover our crafts &. C. the 2 hunters
returned from the other shore, had killed 4 Deer & one ante-
lope.
244 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 8
July 8th Monday 1805. a clear pleasant morning one man
went across the river a hunting eairly this morning about 9
oClock A. M. Cap* Clark and all the men that could be Spared
from Camp Set out to go down the river a hunting down past the
falls and Spring &. C. the men that remained in Camp employed
in paying over the outside of the Iron boat with coal Tallow and
bare wax in Stead of pitch.1 we went about 6 miles through the
plains then went to the big Spring. Cap* Clark measured the
width of the River at the Spring and middle falls and found it to
be [blank in Ms.] yards wide at the Spring and [blank in Ms.]
yards wide at the middle falls.2 in the afternoon we all returned
to Camp had killed Several buffalow one of which was fat.
killed 1 or 2 antelope and a curious yallow fox. and Several rattle
Snakes, towards evening the hunter returned from across the
river had killed one buck Deer and a buck antelope &. C.
Some Thunder and light Showers this afternoon The River
falling. The Musquetoes troublesome.
July 9th Tuesday 1805. a beautiful pleasant morning, the
Island near the Camp is covered with black birds, we put the
Iron boat which we covered with green hides in to the water.
Corked Some of the canoes in order to git in readiness to depart
from this place in the afternoon we loaded the 6 canoes but did
not load the Iron boat as it leaked considerable soo[n] after we
got the canoes loaded Thunder and high wind came on So that we
had to unload again, our officers concluded for to leave & burry
the Iron boat, as we cannot git tar or pitch to pay the[m] over the
out Side of the Skins, the coal Tallow & bear wax would not
stick to the hides as they were Shaved the time is So far ex-
pended that they did not think proper to try any more experi-
ments with it. So we Sank hir in the water So that She might be
the easier took to peaces tomorrow.3 our officers conclude to
1 Lewis had first planned to distill tar with which to caulk the boat. This
effort having failed he now had recourse to a composition of charcoal, beeswax,
and buffalo tallow.
2 Clark gives 270 yards as the width of the river at the spring, and 173 yards
at the “Handsome falls.”
3 With “hir” sank one of Lewis’ most dearly cherished hopes. On the iron
boat he had builded great expectations. His journal for this period is full
of details concerning the enterprise, and his hopes and fears in connection
therewith. His delight must have been great, therefore, to find thai the boat,
which was named the “Experiment,” when launched, “lay like a perfect cork
on the water.” But a sudden storm delayed the departure. When it had
ceased Lewis’ joy over his boat had turned to mortification, for the skins would
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 245
build 2 canoes more So that we can carry all our baggage without
the Iron boat, about 10 men got ready to [go] up the river to
build 2 canoes.
July 10th Wednesday 1805. a clear morning, we took the
Iron boat out of the River and loaded 4 canoes one of which was
[reserved for] the men baggage & tools who were going to make
canoes, we Set out eairly, with the canoes.1 Cap’ Clark and
about 10 men Set out to go by land after we set them over the
river, it is only about 5 miles by land to the bottom where they git
the timber for the canoes and it is about 20 miles round by water,
we proceeded on with the canoes 5 or 6 miles then the wind arose
so high that we were oblidged to lay by untill towards evening,
we passed 2 Islands covered with cotton and box elder also choak
cherrys & yallow currents which are now ripe, halted near a
village of bearking Squerrells. one of the hunters killed one of
them on the N. S. late in the afternoon the wind abated a little
So we proceeded on within about 3 miles of the upper Camp and
halted for the night in a grove of cottonwood high banks of Sand
along this Shore on N. S. we killed a large rattle Snake near our
Camp.
July 11th Thursday 1805. a clear morning, the wind verry
high from the N. W. which oblidged us to lay at Camp untill late
in the afternoon, except the Canoe which had the baggage and
tools, they went on to Camp 2 men went by land to the Camp &
got Some meat, towards evening the wind abated So that we
went on and arived at Cap* Clarks Camp at Sunset, and unloaded,
the hunters had killed 2 fat buffalow and Several Deer, we took
on board Some fat meat and 4 of us Set out with 3 canoes to re-
turn back to the other Camp for the remainder of the baggage
&.C. we floated about 8 miles and the wind rose so high that [it]
drove us to Shore so we landed untill morning. Cap1 Clark and
party had got 2 fine trees2 cut for 2 canoes & ready to dig out.
not retain the composition which had been substituted for pitch, and “she
leaked in such manner that she would not answer.” Notwithstanding that
“in every other rispect” she completely answered his most sanguine expectations,
this was a fatal defect, and Lewis was regretfully forced to “bid adieu to my
boat and her expected services.”
1 Ordway was placed in charge of the party which thus went by water.
2 Lewis gives a less favorable estimate of the trees, “one proved to be
hollow and split in falling at the upper part and was somewhat windshaken at
bottom; the other proved to be much windshaken.” Clark “surched the bot-
tom for better but could not find any.”
246 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
July 12th Friday 1805. a clear morning, the wind as usal. we
proceeded on down the wind rose so high that one canoe filled
with water the other 2 took in water the waves high but with
difficulty we got down to Camp about noon the men at Camp
had killed 2 bufTalow and put the Irons of the Iron boat and other
articles in the ground. Several men had Set out this morning for
to join Cap* Clarks party, we scaffelled up what meat we had to
dry. the wind continues verry high all day.
July 13th Saturday 1805. clear and calm this morning, we
loaded the canoes eairly and Set out with all the remainder of
our baggage for the upper Camp. Cap* Lewis a sick man1 & our
Intrepters wife went across by land which is only about 6 miles
distant by land and 20 by water we proceeded on verry well with
the canoes about 5 miles, the wind rose so high that 2 of the
canoes took water, it oblidged us to halt and dry our baggage,
the wind continued untill towards evening, then abated a little
and we proceeded on about 7 miles and Camped, the Musque-
toes verry troublesome in the evening.
July 14th Sunday 1805. the morning clear and pleasant, we Set
out eairly and proceeded on very well passed 3 Islands covered
with timber and arived at the upper Camp about noon. Cap*
Clark and party at Camp had got the 2 large canoes nearly done,
we unloaded the canoes, and put the large niew one in the River
about 4 oClock P.M. we expearenced a Small Shower of rain,
warm the Musquetoes verry troublesome we put the other niew
canoe in to the River and make ready to leave this {place] tomor-
row, we have considerable of fat buffalow meat dryed, which the
hunters killed at or near this Camp, the weeds and Grass in
this bottom is as high as a mans knees but the Grass on the high
plains & praries is not more than 3 Inches high no time in this
Season.
1 Baptiste Lepage.
CHAPTER IX
From the Great Falls to the Great Divide,
July 15— August 17, 1805
July 15th Monday 1805. rained the greater part of last night,
a clear morning, the wind high from the N. W. we loaded the
canoes and could hardly find room in them for all our baggage,
about 10 oClock A.M. we Set out1 with the 8 canoes and all our
baggage and proceeded on verry well, passed a large creek or
Small River2 on the S. Side, passed Several Islands covered with
cotton timber, fine pleasant bottoms & plains on each side of
the river, the current verry gentle & river Smoth Since we left
the falls, our officers and a hunter who walked on Shore killed
two Elk and 2 Deer also an otter, we Came about 26 miles by
water to day and Camped on the N. S. of the River.3
July 16th Tuesday 1805. a clear pleasant morning. I went
about 4 miles back down the River after an axe forgot last even-
ing, the party proceeded on with the canoes, we passed a round
hill on N. S. which at a distance look[ed] like a large fort or forti-
fycation. so we called it fort mountain.4 passed a large creek on
s. s.5 Saw large Indian Camps on N. S. back of the bottom in
the edge of the Smooth plains, the hunters killed 2 buffalow. I
Saw verry large gangs of buffalow on the plains under the rockey
1 “much to my joy and I beleive that of every individual who compose the
party.” Lewis. Lewis was impatient over the delay which the party had
encountered at the portage, and on June 30 the conviction is expressed “that
we shall not reach Fort Mandan again this season if we even return from the
ocean to the Snake Indians.” In fact 13£ months were to elapse before the
explorers again saw Fort Mandan.
2 Named Smith’s River in honor of Robert Smith, secretary of the navy.
It rises in southern Meagher County and flows in a general northerly direction.
It is still known by the name which Lewis and Clark gave it.
3 In Cascade County, 3| miles below the mouth of Little Muddy Creek.
4 Identified by Coues (II, 413) as modern Square Butte, a short distance
south of Fort Shaw. It is “an entirely isolated, mesa-like formation which
rises to the height of 4600 feet.”
5 Bird Creek, three miles above Little Muddy Creek, which Ordway omits to
mention.
247
2 IS WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 17
mountains, which we are now approaching, in the afternoon I
joined the party. Cap* Lewis and 2 men was gone on a head.1
the current swift towards evening we Came 20 miles this day and
Camped near the entrence of the Rocky Mountain^],2 which
appear verry high & rocky. Some pine &.C.
July 17th Wednesday 1805. Cap* Lewis and the two men Stayed
out all last night, a clear morning, we Set out at Sunrise & pro-
ceeded on about 4 miles. Came to a verry bad rapid3 where we
found Cap* Lewis & the 2 men. the Mountains make close to
the River on each side, we left Some articles and doubled maned
the canoes and [brought] them all over [the rapid] safe which was
about half a mile long, & roled white over the rocks, but by the
assistance of the towing lines we got up all the canoes without
Injury. Sent back for the other articles, passed a large Spring
jest above the rapids which heads about half a mile above or back
under the mountain on Lard Side, proceeded on. the moun-
tains make close to the River & verry steep high pricipicies about
700 feet from the Surface of the water perpinticular & a solid
rock. Some Spots of pine and balsam fir timbers & narrow bot-
toms on the points and high grass &.C. Some willow & currents
of different kinds, the current Swift, the River about 100 yards
wide, we Came 11 miles this day and Camped on the Starbord
Side in a narrow bottom.4 a little cotton timber.
July 18th Thursday 1805. a clear pleasant morning, we Saw
Mountain Sheep or Ibex on the top of a high Steep pricipice. they
ran along the rocks where it was all most perpenticular and about
200 feet from the Surface of the water, we set out at sun rise and
proceeded on about 3 miles passed the mouth of a river on the
N. S. about 100 yards wide at its mouth.5 one mile further Cap*
1 For the purpose of journeying to the point where the river enters the
Rockies and there making the necessary observations pending the arrival of
the main party.
2 Coues locates the camp “above St. Clair and Cascade, past Knapp creek,
and about opposite Chestnut.” I do not find Chestnut on the maps before
me. The camp was some three or four miles below I lardy.
3 Modern Halfbreed Rapids, just above Hardy.
* Near the boundary of Cascade County, 2j miles below the mouth of Dear-
born River.
6 They named it Dearborn, in honor of Jefferson’s secretary of war, Gen.
Henry Dearborn. Two years earlier his name had also been given to a small
stockade fort at the southern end of Lake Michigan. The name of Dearborn
River still persists. Had the General’s name dung with equal tenacity to the
other spot, the second city of the New World would now be Dearborn instead
of Chicago.
1805] SERGEANT ORD WAY’S JOURNAL 249
Clark killed an Elk. Saw Several others, we Saw a flock of
mountain Rams on the Side of a hill which had large horns.1
Cap* Clark his Servant and 2 other men set out to go 1 or 2 days
march a head to make discoverys &.C.2 we proceeded on verry
well with the canoes, towards evening we passed a River3 which
came in on N. S. about 60 yards wide, the mountains continues
but not So high as yesterday, we Came 19^ miles and Camped in
a narrow bottom on the Larbord Side4 considerable of fine flax
in this bottom now going to Seed, we found a Deer Skin and
Some meat which Cap* Clark had killed.
July 19th Friday 1805. a clear pleasant morning, we Set out
as usal. and proceeded on. Cap* Lewis and one hunter walked
on Shore & Shortly killed a cabberee or antelope we took on
board the Skin and some of the meat, the current Swift, the
Mountains high. Some Spots of pine ceeder, and balsom. fir
trees &. C. one of the men killed an otter with a socket pole
they are pleanty &. C. Some beaver also along these mountains,
passed the mouth of a Small River5 on the South Side. in the
afternoon we passed through a verry high part of the Mountain,
1 This rather startling statement might well pass without comment did it
not stand for a type of grammatical error more than once indulged in by Ord-
way. It is evident that our explorers were more familiar with toil and hard-
ship than they were with the precepts of English grammar.
2 The advance party was composed of Captain Clark, York, Potts, and
Joseph Fields. Ordway’s “&c” conceals a matter charged with the deepest
importance for the issue of the expedition. If it was to succeed, the friendship
and aid of the Snake, or Shoshoni Indians must be gained. Largely because
of her expected assistance to this end Sacajawea had been brought along. But,
although signs of them had been noted, no Shoshoni had thus far been encoun-
tered. Lewis states that Clark’s party was sent in advance “in order to dis-
cover them, should they be on the river before the daily discharge of our guns,
which was necessary in procuring subsistence for the party, should allarm and
cause them to retreat to the mountains and conceal themselves, supposing
us to be their enemies, who visit them usually by the way of this river.”
3 With commendable modesty Ordway omits to record the fact that this
stream was named in his honor. Unfortunately for his fame, however, it
appears on modern maps as Little Prickly Pear Creek. The Great Northern
Railway, running from Helena to Great Falls, follows its bed for a considerable
distance. “Some of its ties,” says Coues, “are laid in the very foot-prints of
the great pioneer.”
4 In the vicinity of Holter, 5J miles above the mouth of Little Prickly Pear
Creek.
5 Cottonwood Creek, in Lewis and Clark County.
250 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [July 20
which is Steep on each Side & about 6 or 700 feet1 perpinticular
up from the Surface of the water & a Solid rock this curious
looking place we call the gates of the Rocky Mountains.2 Several
fine Springs Issues from under clifts or in md near the edge of the
River, about one oClock P. M. we had a Thunder Shower which
lasted about one hour a little hail attended it. Saw some spots
of pine Spruce ceeder and balsom fir timber on the Sides of the

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