In a letter to his brother-in-law William Croghan in Louisville, Clark describes his situation at Rivière à Dubois—present Wood River. Several men and a wagon—all loaded with whiskey—appear at camp, and the weather continues clear and cold.
Stoddard’s Promotion
River a Dubois January 15th 1804
Dear Major [William Croghan]
Capt. Amos Stoddard of the Corps of Artillirists, who is now stationed at Kaskaskia is appointed the Commandant of the Upper Louisiania, and to take possession of St. Louis with his Compy. as soon as orders arrive from New Orleans to the Spanish Lt. Govr [Dehault Delassus].
WM. CLARK[1]Clark to William Croghan. Donald Jackson, Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed. (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 164.
Comfortable Situation
Dear Major
My situation is as comfortable as could be expected in the woods, & on the frontiers; the Country back of me is butifull beyond discription;
WM. CLARK[2]Ibid.
The Great Missouri River
Dear Major
The Missouri which mouths imedeately opposet me is the river we intend assending as soon as the weather will permit. This Great river which seems to dispute the preeminence with the Mississippi, coms in at right angles from the West, and forces its great sheets of muddy Ice (which is now running) against the Eastern bank.
WM. CLARK[3]Ibid.
Intoxicated Helpers
at Sun Set Maj Rumsey the Comsy arrived with Some provisions in a waggon of Mr. Todd, Seven or Eight men followd the waggon Intoxicated from the whiskey they receced [received] of R— on the way out of the barrel which was for the Party
—William Clark
A Cold Night
I ordered a Gill to each man a Cold night the Wag: in passing the Lowr Prarie which was Covrd. with Ice Suft [sufficiently] Strong to bear the teem but not the waggon which caused it to be dift [difficult] to pass
—William Clark
Weather Diary
Therm. at rise
weather wind Therm. at 4 oClock weather wind River [no data recorded] W C Sick
—Meriwether Lewis[4]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.
Experience the Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark Trail Experience—our sister site at lewisandclark.travel—connects the world to people and places on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Plan a trip related to January 15, 1804:
- Winter Camp at Wood River (Camp Dubois)
- Old Cahokia Courthouse
- Along the Mississippi (Inspiration Trip)
- Around St. Louis (Inspiration Trip)
Winter Camp at Wood River (Camp Dubois) is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The site, near Hartford, Illinois, is managed as Lewis and Clark State Historic Site and is open to the public.
In present St. Louis, the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial “commemorates Thomas Jefferson’s vision of the continental expansion of the United States” and is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service.
Old Cahokia Courthouse is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The site is managed by the State of Illinois and is open to the public.
Notes
| ↑1 | Clark to William Croghan. Donald Jackson, Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed. (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 164. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Ibid. |
| ↑3 | Ibid. |
| ↑4 | To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations. |
