Fort Clatsop National Memorial
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FORT CLATSOP NATIONAL MEMORIAL OREGON recruited and trained the Regular Army vol of the Shoshone Indians and their language The Indians tered available remedies. Fleas were a major unteers and hardy young frontiersmen who to help gain passage through the Rocky nuisance, fresh relays of the tormenting in made up the Corps of Discovery. Mountains. She displayed unflinching forti The Clatsops, Chinooks, Cathlamets, and sects being acquired on each visit from their tude and staunch courage in sharing all the Tillamooks were the most frequent visitors Indian neighbors. There never was much Fort Clatsop at Fort Clatsop. They lived in the sur food in reserve, and hunting for meat was Outward Bound rigors and hardships of the trail, and her native knowledge and resourcefulness con rounding area, looked and dressed very all-important. George Drouillard earned NATIONAL MEMORIAL On May 14, 1804, the expedition started tributed materially to the success of the ex much alike, and spoke a similar language. high praise from his commanders for his from the mouth of the Missouri River near pedition. Head flattening was a common practice. skill as a hunter. Some 130 elk, 20 deer, St. Louis in one 55-foot keelboat and two On April 7, 1805, the party of 30 men The captains described them as talkative, and many small animals and fowl were killed smaller open boats called pirogues. The plus the Charbonneau family of 3 left Fort inquisitive, intelligent, and possessing excel during the winter. Cutting firewood in the Here Lewis and Clark wintered in 1805-06 following their epoch-making 1,600-mile ascent of the Missouri to the Mandan in the 2 pirogues and 6 canoes on lent memories. dripping rain forest was a continuous task. journey from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Mandan villages in what is now North Da its venture into the unknown. On the same These Indians had been in contact with A trail to the seacoast was established for kota was a tedious voyage of more than 5 day, the 10 men not assigned to the final white fur traders who came to the coast in the use of hunters and salt-makers. Three months. Sgt. Charles Floyd, the only mem phase of the expedition started back down ocean-going ships for a dozen years before men were detailed to set up a camp on the The Lewis and Clark Expedition — the first France, active preparation for the expedition ber to lose his life during the entire ex stream for St. Louis, laden with natural his Lewis and Clark arrived overland. They ocean beach 14 miles to the southwest, at journey across the North American Continent was well underway. pedition, died of natural causes near present- tory specimens and dispatches and letters could describe the ships which brought the present-day Seaside, where more than three between the Spanish possessions on the south day Sioux City, Iowa. Warlike Sioux threat from the leaders and their men. traders to the mouth of the Columbia and bushels of salt were laboriously boiled out and British Canada to the north —was an ened the party, but were overawed by a The continued ascent of the upper Mis remember the names of their masters. Some of seawater in five metal kettles. event of major importance in the history of Leadership and Preparation display of firmness and courage. souri presented many challenges. Not least had acquired a few words of English, but When stormbound or not engaged in out the United States. President Jefferson chose Capt. Meriwether Fort Mandan was built and occupied dur was the long portage around the Great Falls, communication with them was chiefly by side tasks, the men serviced their weapons This expedition gave the first detailed Lewis to head the expedition, and Lewis se ing the long, hard winter of 1804-05. At accomplished by considerable toil and inge Capt. William Clark. Painting by Capt. Meriwether Lewis. Painting by the sign language. and equipment. Elkhide clothing and moc knowledge of the American Northwest and Charles Willson Peale. Charles Willson Peale. lected William Clark, his friend and former the nearby Minnetaree village, the services nuity. Correctly choosing the main water Although they possessed a few old mus casins were prepared for the homeward awakened the interest which started the pro COURTESY INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK COLLECTION. COURTESY INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK COLLECTION. commanding officer, to share the responsibili of Charbonneau, a half-breed interpreter, were route, they continued up the Jefferson- kets, they still relied mainly on the bow and journey. The captains and the others who cession—first of trappers, then of settlers — ties of leadership. acquired. His young Shoshone wife, Sacaja- Beaverhead forks in Montana toward the arrow for hunting. Lewis and Clark ex kept an account of the trip brought their that was a factor in making Oregon Ameri tiful on the south side of the Columbia, and bers. It was 30 feet above high water mark, wea, and their infant son accompanied him, Continental Divide as far as the canoes could pressed great admiration for the natives' can rather than British. They were instructed by the President to aware that a location fairly near the ocean timber suitable for construction was at hand, explore the Missouri River to its source, as the leaders wished to use her knowledge go. Before them were formidable moun beach would be convenient for making and fresh-water springs were close by. The canoes and their skill in handling them. Clark's ground plan of Fort Clatsop. From Thwaites, Original Journals. establish the most direct land route across the tains whose crossing required horses, for much-needed salt, the company voted to forest cover and hills provided shelter from Glass beads represented money to the na Statue of Sacajawea at Bismarck, N.D. Background of the Expedition continent to the Pacific Ocean, make scientific which they successfully traded with Sacaja- seek a suitable wintering site across the river. the prevailing southerly winter gales which tives; they prized blue beads above all and geographic observations, and, in the in wea's Shoshone people and later with friendly Rough water made it necessary to go up lashed the open estuary of the Columbia, others. The Indians came to Fort Clatsop The vast and virtually unknown territory terests of future trade and peace, learn what Flatheads. stream several miles to navigate the crossing. and it was close enough to the harbot for to visit and trade, bringing fish, roots, furs, west of the Mississippi had for many years they could of the Indian tribes they encoun But even with horses, the explorers had This accomplished, a temporary camp was them to become aware of any visiting ships. and handcrafted articles. There were prac been of absorbing interest to Thomas Jeffer tered and impress them with the strength great difficulty traversing the Lolo Trail established on Tongue Point, just east of The seashore was less than 4 miles to the tically no hostile incidents. Clark described son, who recognized its importance to the and authority of the United States. through the rugged Bitterroot mountains to present-day Astoria, Oreg. Captain Lewis west. The main village of the friendly them as very close bargainers. Although future of a young and growing nation. After During the year preceding the departure, the Nez Perce country on the Clearwater with a small party scouted ahead and finally Clatsop Indians was about 8 miles distant, fond of smoking, they apparently had no his election to the presidency in 1800, he lost Captain Lewis applied himself to the study River in northern Idaho. There canoes were resolved on a location 2 miles up a small close enough for trading, far enough to keep desire for spirituous liquor. Generally speak no time in formulating plans to send an ex of scientific subjects under some of the most built and the party ptoceeded down that stream, now called the Lewis and Clark their friendly neighbors from calling too ing, these "Canoe Indians" were of small stature and not handsome by white man's ploration party overland to the Pacific Ocean. learned men in the country. With remark stream and the Snake River in eastern Wash River, flowing into a bay of the Columbia frequently. The location admirably served standards. By June 1803, when it became publicly known able efficiency, he determined the needs and ington into the Columbia. On Novem now known as Young's Bay. Clark called their needs of winter residency. that the United States had acquired the im procured the varied equipment and supplies ber 14, after some 600 miles of water travel, it Meriwether's Bay, incorrectly believing On December 8, construction of their they had their first full view of the ocean Captain Lewis to be the first to survey it. mense Louisiana Territory by purchase from for the expedition. Clark, his able associate, winter quarters was begun, and the party Life at Fort Clatsop from near present-day McGowan, Wash. Like so many geographic features of the was under shelter on Christmas Day, 1805. area, it had been named by Lt. William Here, in a lonely outpost in a vast wilder Strict military routine was observed. A Broughton of Capt. George Vancouver's The National Park System, of which this area is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the scenic, scientific, Locating for the Winter ness, they celebrated with volleys of firearms, sentinel was constantly posted, and at sun and historic heritage of the United States for the benefit and inspiration of its people. command, during his river survey in 1792.