Corps of Discovery - The Others
In December 1803, William Clark established
"Camp River Dubois" at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri
Rivers, north of St. Louis. While there he recruited and trained
men, while Meriwether Lewis spent time in St. Louis, conferring
with traders about the Upper Missouri regions and obtaining maps
made by earlier explorers.
On May 14, 1804, William Clark and the Corps
of Discovery left Camp River Dubois, and were joined by Meriwether
Lewis in St. Charles, Missouri. The party numbered over 45, and
included 27 young, unmarried soldiers, a French-Indian interpreter,
and Clark's Black slave York. An additional group of men, engagés,
would travel only to the Mandan country for the first winter, and
these included six soldiers and several French boatmen.
Military
| Civilians | Engagés
| Seaman | Burial
Sites
These profiles
of members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition were written as though
each individual was talking directly to you. The time would be May
13, 1804 at the expedition's camp on the Wood River in Illinois.
The following day the Corps of Discovery embarked on their incredible
journey. In each case there is a "P.S." which tells you what happened
(if it is known what happened) to each of these people after the
expedition was
over.
For information on the later lives of Lewis
and Clark and several of the men of the Corps of Discovery as revealed
through original court documents take a look at the St.
Louis Court Records Project website.
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