Several Knife River villagers come to Fort Mandan “nearly frosed.” One of the expedition hunters and an Indian boy fail to come in. After a failed search, there is little hope they will survive the night.
Fort Mandan Winter
© Michael Haynes, https://www.mhaynesart.com. Used with permission.
Bitter Cold and Distress
A Cold Day Themometer at 21° below 0 . . . . Several Indians Call at the Fort nearly frosed, one man reported that he had Sent his Son a Small boy to the fort about 3 oClock, & was much distressed at not finding him here
—William Clark
Missing Hunters
2 of our party went out a hunting this morning; they got parted from each other & one of them returned in the evening. had Suffered considerable with the cold. we expected nothing else but the other man had froze or would freeze this night.
—John Ordway
Weather Diary
Ther. at rise
Weather Wind at Thert. at 4 P.M. Weather Wind at 4 P.M. River 21 below [0] fair W 18 below 0 fair after clouds N W raise 1 in. —Meriwether Lewis[1]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 9, 1805:
Fort Mandan is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The North Dakota Department of Parks and Recreation manages a modern reconstruction and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center located at US Hwy 83 and ND Hwy 200A.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. A unit of the National Park System, the site is located at 564 County Road 37, one-half mile north of Stanton, North Dakota. It has exhibits, trails, and a visitor center.
Notes
| ↑1 | To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations. |
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