THIRTEENTH OF AN ONGOING SERIES Uniforms to buckskins Officers carried Field dress uniform Field hunting uniform Enlisted men weapons called esp- Norm Anderson of the Lewis and Clark Honor Guard in Great Falls portrays Anderson wears a replica of Lewis’ “field hunting, ontoons. Capt. Meriwether Lewis wearing a dress uniform. Here are some details: foraging or exploring uniform.” Lewis and Clark wore round, felt hats bear- Leather waist belts Basic Army ing leather ornaments, or cockades, with held hatchets, uniform A silver eagle medallions at the sheathed knives ornament center. For full dress and a pouches. Steve Schaller of the known as they wore chapeau Lewis and Clark Honor an epaulette de bras, cres- Guard portrays Pvt. Sil- cent-shaped on the right Lewis wore a as Goodrich wearing hats like the shoulder sig- caped hunting the basic U.S. Army is- one at right. nified cap- frock made of sue uniform of 1796- tain’s rank. linen. 1804. An epaulette The hats were issued on the left Some uniforms includ- with removable black shoulder ed black leather neck bearskin crests, or caps meant lieu- stocks to guard with white-tail deer tenant. Both against saber slashes. plumes (not shown). shoulders signified a major. Officer and basic army coats were deep blue with red woolen col- The captains lars, cuffs and lapels wore a gorget, and coattails lined in or metal cres- white. The officers’ cent handed coats had silver trim down from the decorated with false Sergeant’s uniform days of medi- buttonholes. eval knights. Walt Walker, president Knights used it Black of the Lewis and Clark The captains and A powder to protect the leather Honor Guard in Great sergeants wore horn carried throat. waist Falls, portrays Sgt. Patrick decorative crim- and dispensed belts Gass. son sashes. gunpowder. Metal breast- with He wears a forage cap, plates inscribed brass which resembles a stock- with eagle motifs Swords worn on A cartridge box buckles ing cap turned up and adorned their the captains’ left on the right hip kept trimmed in red. They sword belts. sides were at- carried balls, sheathed made their own from old tached to white or bullets, for knives Army coats. shoulder belts. the muskets. handy. When conditions were Lewis and bad, all the men wore gai- Clark’s trousers Like many of their men, the captains often wore ters (not shown) over their were called fringeless buckskin pants, frocks and moccasins. ankles to keep mud out pantaloons. of their shoes. Enlisted men Sources: “Tailor Made, Trail Worn: Army Life, Clothing and wore overalls. Weapons of the Corps of Discovery.” by Robert J. Moore and Fatigue uniform issued Michael Haynes (illustrator). Far Country Press, P.O. Box to enlisted men 5630, Helena MT 59604. (2003). “A Manual for Interpreting Photos by Tribune Lewis and Clark: A Guideline for Individuals, Groups, Historic Photo Editor Sites and Re-Enactments,” by Gene Hickman and published Zach Staigmiller, Robin Loznak Research by Larry Winslow by the Lewis and Clark Honor Guard (2003) in Great Falls. Graphic by Také Uda 12, of the Lewis and Clark Honor Guard, portrays Pvt. George Shannon, who at 18 was the youngest member of the expe- dition. Clothing of the Lewis and Clark Expedition The uniform includ- ed white linen overalls By LARRY WINSLOW hide, or “buckskins,” and below-zero weather and When the expedition and a matching frock, or shirt. Tribune Staff Writer furs. frostbite, the captains is- reached the Pacific coast, Soldiers kept their full- sued cold weather cloth- the rain rotted the old The Lewis and Clark Ex- dress dress uniforms in ing Lewis had procured in leather clothing as fast as pedition was a military storage for the duration 1803. “Blanket cappoes the men could make re- mission, and the 35 mem- of the journey. Uniforms (coats) provided for each placements. bers of the Corps of Dis- of red, white and blue for man who Stood in need One article of clothing covery who were soldiers the regulars and drab of them & C.” Capt. Will- the Corps adopted were were expected to wear mil- and blue for the new re- iam Clark noted that “I hats made of interwoven itary uniforms. cruits were worn during line my Gloves and have cedar bark and beargrass Tricorner hats were out, military inspections, cer- a cap made of the Skin of by the Clatsop Indians. round hats were in. And emonies and parades for wore their own civilian the Louservia (lynx)...” When the party left Fort forget about Davy Crock- Indian tribes, and formal clothing, a colorful combi- Back on the move in Clatsop to return home, ett’s coonskin caps. Fring- occasions such as a nation of Indian and Euro- April 2005, moccasins they had 358 pairs of Clothing enlisted es on buckskin clothing court-martial and punish- pean-style clothing. A de- wore out every two days moccasins, as well as men wore as was frowned upon. One ment. scription of George and were constantly re- shirts, overalls and coats issued uniforms military exception, almost In lieu of a uniform Drouillard noted a yellow paired or replaced. of dressed elk skins. became unusable all of the men changed to coat, the men wore fa- handkerchief on his head, Even after they began They took little time to leather moccasins soon tigues, hunting shirts or a bright blue and white wearing buckskin, or replace worn out clothes. L&C Honor Guard’s after leaving St. Charles frocks made of linen at checkered shirt under a leather clothing, officers As the men neared civili- Mike Staigmiller por- and civilization in May first, and later buckskin white linen frock, a blue continued to carry espon- zation “nearly naked,” trays Pvt. William Warn- er in leather garb worn 1804. for the hard work of get- and red woven sash, gar- toons and wear chapeau they traded with the fur later in the expedition. Lewis knew that the mil- ting the keelboat and two ters and blue wool leg- de bras bicorner military expeditions coming up the The captains also al- itary clothing wouldn’t last pirogues up the Missouri gings. His moccasin flaps hats issued to officers. Missouri. By the time they lowed the soldiers to the journey. The men River. were edged with blue and Enlisted men also contin- returned to “civilization,” wear black head- would have to replace French engagés, hired red wool. ued to use the military many wore buckskins but scarves instead of their garments with similar in St. Louis as boatmen, During the winter at Fort knapsacks they had been also new linen or flannel hats. clothing made of deer hunters and interpreters Mandan, with 32-degree- issued. shirts.