The Missouri River with a riverside town of brick buildings and a church spire on the far bank, 2023 Enter the 360° tour Drag to look · Click to move

Expedition place · May 16, 1804 – September 22, 1806

St. Charles, Missouri

31 journal entries · 7 analyses · Recorded by William Clark, Patrick Gass, Joseph Whitehouse, John Ordway, Charles Floyd, Meriwether Lewis

NPS High Potential Historic Site: St. Charles Historic District · National Register of Historic Places

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The journal entries written here

May 1804

May 16 Clark: May 16, 1804 William Clark “Wednesday May 16th A fair morning, Set out at 5 oClock passed the Coal hill (Call by the natives Carbonear) this hill…” May 16 Patrick Gass: May 16, 1804 Patrick Gass “Wednesday 16th. We continued our voyage, and arrived at St. Charles, a village on the north side of the Missouri, about 21…” May 17 Clark: May 17, 1804 William Clark “Thursday the 17th 1804 a fine Day 3 men Confined for misconduct, I had a Court martial & punishment Several Indians, who…” May 17 St. Charles, Missouri — Joseph Whitehouse: May 17, 1804 Joseph Whitehouse “a pleasant morning. we are waiting here the arival of Cap! Lewis, the evening rainy.” May 17 St. Charles, Missouri — John Ordway: May 17, 1804 John Ordway “occured worthy of notice this day” May 17 St. Charles, Missouri — Charles Floyd: May 17, 1804 Charles Floyd “a fair day but Rainey Night” May 17 Patrick Gass: May 17, 1804 Patrick Gass “Thursday 17th. We remained at St. Charles.Source: Patrick Gass, A Journal of the Voyages and Travels of a Corps of Discovery (Pittsburgh,…” May 18 St. Charles, Missouri — Joseph Whitehouse: May 18, 1804 Joseph Whitehouse “a fair morning. we bought some acceseries &c. for the voiage. passed the evening verry agreeable dancing with the french ladies, &c.” May 18 Clark: May 18, 1804 William Clark “Friday May the 18th 1804 a fine morning took equal altitude and made it 97° 42' 37" M. A I had the…” May 18 St. Charles, Missouri — Charles Floyd: May 18, 1804 Charles Floyd “we Lay at S' Charles” May 18 Patrick Gass: May 18, 1804 Patrick Gass “Friday 18th. We continued at St. Charles.Source: Patrick Gass, A Journal of the Voyages and Travels of a Corps of Discovery (Pittsburgh,…” May 19 St. Charles, Missouri — Joseph Whitehouse: May 19, 1804 Joseph Whitehouse “a rainy wet morning. Cap! Lewis and Some of the officers from S! Louis arived here this afternoon. we made ready for…” May 19 Clark: May 19, 1804 William Clark “Satturday May the 19th 1804 a Violent Wind last night from the W. S W, Suckceeded by rain with lasted Som hours,…” May 19 St. Charles, Missouri — John Ordway: May 19, 1804 John Ordway “Cap* Stoddard1 & Sergts Worrell2 came with him” May 19 St. Charles, Missouri — Charles Floyd: May 19, 1804 Charles Floyd “a Rainey day Capt Lewis Joined us” May 19 Patrick Gass: May 19, 1804 Patrick Gass “Saturday 19th. We still remained at St. Charles.Source: Patrick Gass, A Journal of the Voyages and Travels of a Corps of Discovery…” May 20 Clark: May 20, 1804 William Clark “Sunday 20th May a Cloudy morning rained and a hard wind last night I continue to write Rolls, Send 20 men to…” May 20 St. Charles, Missouri — Joseph Whitehouse: May 20, 1804 Joseph Whitehouse “Several of the party went to church, which the french call Mass, and Sore [saw] their way of performing &c.” May 20 St. Charles, Missouri — John Ordway: May 20, 1804 John Ordway “to the Mass, & saw them perform &C.” May 20 Lewis: May 20, 1804 Meriwether Lewis “Sunday May 20th 1804 The morning was fair, and the weather pleasent; at 10 oCk A M. agreably to an appointment of…” May 20 St. Charles, Missouri — Charles Floyd: May 20, 1804 Charles Floyd “nothing worth Relating to day” May 20 Patrick Gass: May 20, 1804 Patrick Gass “Sunday 20th. Captain Lewis arrived from St. Louis, and joined us at St. Charles.Source: Patrick Gass, A Journal of the Voyages and…” May 21 St. Charles, Missouri — Charles Floyd: May 21, 1804 Charles Floyd “Left S' Charles at 4 oclk. P m Showerey encamped on the N Side of the River” May 21 Clark: May 21, 1804 William Clark “Monday 21st May Dine with Mr. Ducete & Set out from St. Charles at three oClock after getting every matter arranged, proceeded…” May 21 St. Charles, Missouri — Joseph Whitehouse: May 21, 1804 Joseph Whitehouse “Some rainy. we took on board Some more provision bread &c. about 4 oclock P. M. we Set out from this place.…” May 21 St. Charles, Missouri — John Ordway: May 21, 1804 John Ordway “Showery, the men all in high Spirits. George Drewyer & Willard3 Stayed on business Encamped on the N. Side of the River” May 21 Patrick Gass: May 21, 1804 Patrick Gass “Monday 21st. We left St. Charles in the afternoon, and proceeded up the Missouri. In the evening we encamped on an island.Source:…”

September 1806

Sep 21 Clark: September 21, 1806 William Clark “Sunday 21st Septr. 1806 rose early this morning Colected our men Several of them had axcepted of the invitation of the Citizens…” Sep 21 Missouri River approaching St. Louis — John Ordway: September 21, 1806 John Ordway “procd on passed the Scattering houses along the Shores met a great number of Indians in canoes mooving up the River, the…” Sep 22 Clark: September 22, 1806 William Clark “Monday 22nd of Sept. 1806 This morning being very wet and the rain Still Continueing hard, and our party being all Sheltered…” Sep 22 Missouri River approaching St. Louis — John Ordway: September 22, 1806 John Ordway “untill about 11 Oclock A. M. at which time the party was collected and we Set out & procd on towards evening…”

Nights the Corps camped here

NPS campsite reconstruction (Bergantino; Harlan where he is the only source). Source: National Park Service, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Park Atlas.

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