Starting at 7 am, the boatmen paddle and row the 48 miles from La Charrette to St. Charles. They are greeted by the latter’s citizens with great cheer and hospitality. Lewis starts a letter to President Jefferson.
St. Charles in Sight
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
La Charrette Morning
rose early this morning Colected our men Several of them had axcepted of the invitation of the [La Charrette] Citizens and visited their families. at half after 7 A. M we Set out. passed 12 canoes of Kickapoos assending on a hunting expedition. Saw Several persons also Stock of different kind on the bank which reviv’d the party very much
—William Clark
St. Charles Arrival
Painting created by Split Rock Studios, Sioux City, Iowa. Original in the collection of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation and photographed by Kristopher K. Townsend.
the party rejoiced at the Sight of this hospital village plyed thear ores with great dexterity and we Soon arived opposit the Town, this day being Sunday we observed a number of Gentlemen and ladies walking on the bank . . .
—William Clark
St. Charles Salute
we Saluted the Village by three rounds from our blunderbuts [Blunderbusses] and the Small arms of the party, and landed near the lower part of the town. we were met by great numbers of the inhabitants, we found them excessively polite.
—William Clark
St. Charles Hospitality
we received invitations from Several of those Gentlemen a Mr. Proulx, Taboe, Decett, Tice Dejonah & Quarie and several who were pressing on us to go to their houses . . . . Mr. Querie under took to Supply our party with provisions &c. the inhabitants of this village appear much delighted at our return and seem to vie with each other in their politeness to us all.
—William Clark
Voyage of Discovery
St. Louis September 21st 1806
Sir,
Having acquired information & provisions of the Mandans on the evening of the 7th of Apl. 1805, we embarked with our baggage on board 2 large perogues and six small canoes at Fort Mandan on Voyage of Discovery to the Pacific Ocean.
[unfinished manuscaript by Meriwether Lewis][2]Lewis to Jefferson. Donald Jackson, ed. Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 317.
Weather Diary
State of the weather at Sun rise Course of the wind at Sun rise State of the weather at 4 oClock Course of wind at 4 P. M cloudy after rain S E. cloudy S E a Slight Shower of rain a little before day light this morning
—William Clark[3]To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented and some abbreviations have been spelled out.
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 | Lewis to Jefferson. Donald Jackson, ed. Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 317. |
| ↑3 | To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented and some abbreviations have been spelled out. |
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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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- Yellowstone Public Radio
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).