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200 years ago…this was an eventful week for Lewis
and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. Lewis was accidentally shot in the
buttocks by one of his men, and the corps was reunited in western North
Dakota after a month-long series of separate maneuvers in Montana. Of
course there were no such states in 1806…the area was simply the
“Upper Missouri” or “the North West.” Their journals
tell the story in their own words…
August 07, 1806, William Clark noted, “the air was exceedingly clear
and cold and not a mosquito to be seen, which is a joyful circumstance
to the Party.”
On the same day, Meriwether Lewis wrote, “we set out early resolving
if possible to reach the Yellowstone River today which was at the distance
of 83 miles from our encampment... at 4 P.M. we arrived at the entrance
of the Yellowstone River. I landed at the point and found that Captain
Clark had been encamped at this place … I found a paper on a pole
at the point which merely contained my name in the hand writing of Captain
C. We also found the remnant of a note which had been attached to a piece
of Elk’s horns in the camp; from this fragment I learned that game
was scarce at the point and mosquitoes troublesome which were the reasons
given for his going on.”
On August 8, Sergeant Ordway noted, “not overtaking Captain Clark
& party Captain Lewis concluded to halt and dry our baggage, dress
some skins (as the party is nearly naked), and repair the canoes.”
On August 11, Lewis suffered a hunting accident… “I was in the
act of firing on the Elk a second time when a ball struck my left thigh
about an inch below my hip joint, missing the bone it passed through the
left thigh and cut the thickness of the bullet across the hinder part
of the right thigh; the stroke was very severe; I instantly supposed that
Cruzette had shot me in mistake for an Elk as I was dressed in brown leather
and he cannot see very well; … at 4 P.M. we passed an encampment
which had been evacuated this morning by Capt. Clark…”
Midday on August 12, Lewis was lying face down in the boat, immobilized
by his wounds when the much anticipated reunion occurred… “at
1 P.M. I overtook Captain Clark and party and had the pleasure of finding
them all well. As writing in my present situation is extremely painful
to me I shall desist until I recover and leave to my friend Captain Clark
the continuation of our journal.”
William Clark concurred, “... at Meridian Capt Lewis hove in Sight
…; I was alarmed on the landing of the Canoes to be informed that
Capt. Lewis was wounded by an accident. I found him lying in the Pirogue,
he informed me that his wound was slight and would be well in 20 or 30
days this information relieved me very much. ... This Cruzette is near
sighted and has the use of but one eye, he is an attentive industrious
man and one whom we both have placed the greatest confidence in during
the whole rout.” In other words…the private did not shoot the
captain intentionally.
Patrick Gass noted, “...overtook Captain Clarke and his party, all
in good health. ... and now, (thanks to God) we are all together again
in good health, except Capt. Lewis, and his wound is not dangerous.”
And John Ordway added, “... we fired the blunderbusses and Small
arms being rejoiced to meet all together again.”
Written by Russell Ford-Dunker
Note: Spelling is corrected in journal quotes for ease of reading.
Sources:
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/archive
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