October 27, 1806

Announcing the Return

WASHINGTON CITY
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27

It is, with the sincerest pleasure, that we announce to our fellow citizens, the arrival of CAPTAIN LEWIS, with his exploring party, at St. Louis.

The President of the United States has recived a letter from him, dated at St. Louis, September 23, at which place himself, Captain Clarke and their party arrived that day. . . .

Capt. Lewis expected to remain at St. Louis some days to settle with and discharge his men, and would then set out for Washington, by the way of Vincennes, Louisville, Abington, Fincastle, Staunton and Charlottesville. He is accompanied by the great Mandan chief, who is on a visit to Washington. Capt Lewis speaks of his colleague, Capt Clarke, in the most affectionate terms, and declares his equal title to whatever merit may be ascribed to the success of this enterprize.^[2]Washington (DC) National Intelligencer, Monday, 27 October 1806, page 3.

The newspaper article closely follows a the 24 October press release written by Thomas Jefferson.

Little Wabash Crossings

[February] 13th. Arrived early at the two Wabashes. Although a league asunder, they now made but one. We set to making a canoe.

14th. Finished the canoe and put her into the river about 4 o’clock in the afternoon.

15th. Ferried across the two Wabashes, it being then five miles in water to the opposite hills, where we encamped. Still raining.
—Joseph Bowman^[3]Joseph Bowman, “Journal of the Proceedings of George R. Clark, from the 27th January, 1779, to March 20th Inst. (1779)”, in William H. English, Conquest of the Country Northwest of the … Continue reading

Related: Dugout Canoes

Five Miles Wide and Three Feet Deep

Louisville, Falls of the Ohio, Nov. 19, 1779.

My Dear Sir:

Arriving at the two Little Wabashes, although three miles asunder — they now make but one — the flowed water between them being at least three feet deep and in many places four. Being near five miles to the opposite hills, the shallowest place, except about one hundred yards, was three feet.

G. R. Clark.^[4]G. R. Clark to George Mason in English, Conquest, 1:411–453.

George Rogers’ Distrust and Doubt

I viewed this sheet of water for some time with distrust; but, accusing myself of doubting, I immediately set to work without holding any consultation about it or suffering anybody else to do so in my presence; ordered a pirogue to be built immediately, and acted as though crossing the water would be only a piece of diversion.
—George Rogers Clark^[5]“General Clark’s Memoirs” in English, Conquest, 1:294.

The accounts of George Rogers march to take Vincennes were to doubt on William Clark’s mind—if even for a moment—as they crossed these same streams. One can only wonder if these tales were told to his Osage and Mandan guests.