Late in the afternoon, the swivel gun is fired, three cheers are raised, and the expedition leaves St. Charles bound for the Western Sea. Facing a strong wind, the three boats move only 3¼ miles. Camp is on the north shore where storms continue through the night.
Leaving St. Charles
by Yellowstone Public Radio[1]Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © … Continue reading
Captains Lewis and Clark Departing for the Northwest Passage, 1804
32″ x 34″ oil on canvas
© 2009 by Charles Fritz. Used by permission.
Five Days at St. Charles
St. Charles May 21st 1804
Dear Sir [William Croghan]
. . . . .
I have been at the [this] place five days waiting for Capt. Lewis who had been detained at St. Louis to fix off the Osage Chiefs. He has just arrived and we shall leave this Village immediately & proceed on our journey. We have had a great Deel of rain thunder lightning with wind for several days past, which dis-commodes me a little in sitting out.
The politeness of the gentlemen of this place and about twelve or fifteen who came from St. Louis to see us set out and are constantly with us, prevents me giving you, at this time, a description of the Country, river, or the occurrences which have or may happen.
Wm. Clark[2]Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., ed. Donald Jackson (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 195–96.
Leaving St. Charles
we took on board Some more provision bread &c. about 4oClock P.M we Set out from this place. fired our bow peace [swivel gun] and gave three cheers, and proceeded on in good heart . . . .
—Joseph Whitehouse
“rains powerfully”
Soon after we Set out to day a hard Wind from the W. S W accompanied with a hard rain, which lasted with Short intervales all night
—William Clark
Weather Diary
leave St. Charles heavy rain in the evening with wind. great number of Muscators
—Meriwether Lewis
Today, the St. Charles Historic District is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service.
Notes
| ↑1 | Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © 2003 by Yellowstone Public Radio. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., ed. Donald Jackson (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 195–96. |
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Discover More
- The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.
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Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).