Day-by-Day / July 8, 1804

July 8, 1804

New orders for cooks

Near the present Nodaway River in Missouri, Clark reports that five men are sick with headaches or boils. Lewis assigns a cook to each sergeant’s mess along with instructions on conserving rations and providing good nutrition.

Nodaway River and Island

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

Cooking Kettle

A kettle hangs on a chain above a fire

© 2014 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Six Ill Men

the Sick man [Robert Frazer] much better . . . . five men Sick to day with a violent Head ake &c. and Several with Boils
—William Clark

Related: Wilderness Medicine

Assigning Cooks

The Commanding Officers Do appoint the following persons to recieve, cook, and take charges of the provisions which may from time to time be issued to their respective messes, (viz) John B. Thompson to Sergt. Floyd’s mess, William Warner to Sergt. Ordway’s mess, and John Collins to Sergt. Pryor’s Mess.—
—Meriwether Lewis

Related: The Enlisted Men

Judicious Nourishment

These Superintendants of Provision, are held immediately responsible to the commanding Officers for a judicious consumption of the provision which they recieve; they are to cook the same for their several messes in due time, and in such manner as is most wholesome and best calculated to afford the greatest proportion of nutriment
—Meriwether Lewis

Related: Cooking on the Trail | The Order of Encampment

Exempting Duties

[The cooks] will in future be exempt from guard duty . . . . and their regular tour—shall be performed by some one of their rispective messes; they are exempted also from pitching the tents of the mess, collecting firewood, and forks poles &c. for cooking and drying such fresh meat as may be furnished them;
—Meriwether Lewis

 

Notes

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.

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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.

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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).