In American history, there are few feats of man that are as storied as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. This three-year journey opened up North America from the continental interior to the Pacific Ocean.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition is also an important part of the history of Montana. The Expedition crossed through Montana following the Missouri and Columbia Rivers on their way to the Pacific Ocean.
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson desired to have the brightest and most motivated men exploring parts of this growing country that had not been seen by the eyes of many Americans or Europeans.
President Jefferson knew that the uncharted West was full of unknown discoveries, and with $2,500 in federal funds he put in motion one of the most important exploratory adventures in U.S. history.
The men put in charge of charting the unknown of the Americas were Meriwether Lewis and William Clark; two men already decorated for their services to the young United States. Their journey and the path they took would be etched into American History as the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Though this trek occurred over 200 hundred years ago, it still sparks imagination in the curious and those with a passion for adventure and finding new places.
An Overview of The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Following the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, President Thomas Jefferson declared that it was vital to the development and well-being of the new United States to explore the areas along the Missouri and Columbia Rivers.
These areas, part of the 828,000 square miles within the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, were essential to connecting the continental interior of the United States to the Pacific Ocean.
With President Jefferson’s vision, planning, and organization a federally funded, expeditionary group, come to be known as the Corps of Discovery was established. The Corps of Discovery would travel from the Mississippi River west in search of a direct route by boat to the Pacific Ocean.
Along the way, they would discover new people, plants, and animals never seen before. And they would chart the most direct route, though not entirely by water, from the Mississippi River to the west coast of North America.
Headed by Meriweather Lewis and William Clark (for whom the expedition is named), the Corps of Discovery would spend two years trekking across North America, charting new ground, and making substantial contributions to science, cartography, and ethnography.
The journals of the expedition are still some of the most valuable records of the geography, plants and animals, and peoples of the western United States.
Who was Involved in the Lewis and Clark Expedition?
While we know much of the two namesakes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition – Meriwether Lewis, and William Clark, they were not the only notable individuals that made the three-year journey across North America.
In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson handed to Meriwether Lewis, his personal secretary, and a trusted advisor, the task of exploring lands within the Louisiana Purchase and west to the Pacific Ocean.
Lewis started assembling his band of traveling companions, starting with his co-commander, William Clark. Clark had been Meriwether’s military superior during the US government’s battles for land with the Northwest Indian Federation during the early 1790s.
These two men were not the only participants of note. The Corps of Discovery is believed to have as many as 45 members including military enlisted men, military officers, and civilians.
A few notable individuals who traveled with Lewis and Clark include a black slave named York, a French trapper, a kidnapped Shoshone Indian, and a Newfoundland dog.
Meriwether Lewis, the leader of the Corps of Discovery, was a member of the Virginia state militia. He joined the militia following his graduation from college in 1793. He was part of the militia during the fall of the Whiskey Rebellion, and soon after was promoted to the rank of captain in the U.S. Army. He became the personal secretary to President Jefferson when he was only 27 years old.
William Clark was a member of the Kentucky state militia from the age of 19, and then joined the U.S. Army, where he served with Meriwether Lewis and was later commissioned by President George Washington to be a lieutenant in the Army infantry.
After his service in the Army, Clark returned home in 1796 to manage the family estate. It was seven years later that Lewis would call on his military superior to join him on an epic journey.
Joining the journey from the very beginning was Clark’s trusted slave, a man named York. York, a 30-ish year old man, volunteered for the Corps of Discovery, eager to join in the adventure. York was an invaluable member of the expedition.
His hunting skills frequently saved the expedition when food was scarce, and he often cared for members of the Corps who had fallen ill or were injured. Additionally, his communication skills allowed him to be a moderator between the expedition and Native American tribal leaders.
York was also instrumental in describing new plant and animal species that were discovered during the expedition.
Not known for his time or contributions to the expedition was Sergeant Charles Floyd. Sergeant Floyd was a member of the team for only three months. Shortly before crossing the Missouri River near Camp Dubois, Floyd died from acute appendicitis.
Despite the many perils that the Expedition encountered during their three-year journey, Sergeant Floyd was the only member to die. The Floyd River and Floyd Bluffs in northwestern Iowa are named after Sergeant Floyd.
French-Canadian trapper and trader Toussaint Charbonneau joined the Corps of Discovery in November 1804. He was recruited to the Expedition to be a translator for the Corps. Charbonneau was able to speak French and Hidatsa, which was helpful when dealing with fur traders in areas along the Canadian border, including North Dakota and Montana.
Charbonneau’s wife of note (he had two wives) was a Shoshone woman named Sacagawea. Sacagawea was kidnapped from her tribe by the Hidatsa. Charbonneau is believed to have “won” Sacagawea from the Hidatsa. While her inclusion to the Expedition was as Charbonneau’s wife, she quickly became a valuable member of the Corps of Discovery.
Sacagawea was knowledgeable in navigating the area and was often the interpreter and cultural guide for the Expedition when meeting with other Native American Tribes. Furthermore, she was also important in describing the many new plant and animal species that were discovered during the expedition.
Humans were not the only ones that traveled with the Corps of Discovery that were notable to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. There were many animals that were used during the trip to carry supplies and provide companionship and support to the men and women of the Expedition.
One of these animals was a Newfoundland Dog named Seaman. Seaman was purchased by Lewis specifically for the expedition. This dog was a valued member of the Expedition and was the only animal that completed the entire trip.
Seaman helped members of the Expedition hunt for food and was known for impressing Native Americans who were in awe of his wisdom and obedience. Seaman was also a keen watchdog and patrolled camps at night keeping an eye out for bears and other predators.