Famous explorer and leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast. Lewis and Clark found many Indian tribes never before seen by white men and they made valuable scientific collections and observations.
Lewis was born near Charlottesville, Virginia, August 18, 1774. He served with "Mad Anthony" Wayne in the Indian campaigns and in 1797 was commissioned a captain. While private secretary to President Thomas Jefferson, he was chosen in 1803 to head an exploring party authorized by Congress for the development f trade with the Indians of the Missouri River Valley. At that time this area was held by Spain and owned by France, but before Lewis started out France sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States.
Lewis selected an old friend and army comrade, Lieutenant William Clark, as his companion. On may 14, 1804, with twenty four army men and an additional sixteen persons who were to accompany them part of the way , they left St. Louis, Missouri. They ascended the Missouri River in three boats and arrived at the present site of Bismarck, North Dakota, on November 2.
They spent the winter among the Mandan and Hidatsa Indians. It was among the Hidatsa that they found Sacajawea, the "Bird Woman," who was to act as their guide for the remainder of the journey.
In the spring of 1805 the party made its way up the Jefferson River to what is now Montana, where they received aid and horses from Sacajawea's people, the Shoshoni. They crossed the Rockies in the fall and reached the Columbia River on October 7. They followed the river to its mouth, arriving November 5, being the first white explorers to cross the continent north of Mexico.
Lewis and Clark spent the winter on the Pacific Coast and started their return journey early in the spring of 1806. After crossing the Great Divide, the party split and Lewis explored Maria's River and Clark the Yellowstone. They met at the juncture of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers and proceeded to St. Louis, where they arrived September 6, 1806. One person died and another deserted during the trip.
Lewis later was mad governor of the northern part of the Louisiana Territory. On October 11, 1809, while on his way to Washington he committed suicide near Nashville, Tennessee.
Related Information within this Site
[ Mandan ][ Nez
Percè ][ Sacajawea ][ Shoshoni
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