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Death Visits the Corps of Discovery

By: Phil Scriver, LC200 Historian

The Corps of Discovery left their camp white catfish on July 28th, intent upon counciling with several of the Indian tribes that lived in the area. They traveled 26 miles upriver where Lewis selected a site just below some high bluffs on the river’s edge. Stretching out from those hills were miles of lush green rolling prairies as far as the eye could see. The Missouri River meandered through these plains between two sets of hills. Patches of cottonwood trees dotted the river at every bend. A flag was raised at the Expedition’s chosen camp and messengers were sent out to locate tribes of Otos and Missourias to invite them to council. Hunters were sent out to secure a good supply of meat for the Expedition’s needs and for feeding the Indians who came to council.

While waiting for the messengers to return Clark busied himself with his maps and daily journal entries. Joseph Fields killed a barrow (badger), skinned it and prepared it as a specimen to be sent back to the United States. This was the Expedition’s first zoological specimen. Jefferson later proclaimed this animal was not known to exist anywhere but in Europe, but there had been a description of a Canadian badger made as early as 1788. Additionally, Clark had killed one earlier at Camp Dubois and appeared at that time to already be familiar with the animal. Lewis prepared a specimen and a detailed description of the great egret, however he called it a white heron.

Clark noted in his journal entry for July 30th that Sergt Floyd was very unwell. He termed it a bad cold. The next day was William Clark’s 34th birthday which was observed with a substantial meal and freshly picked berries for dessert. Clark remarked in his journal, “the prairies contain cherries, apple, grape, currants, raspberry, gooseberries, hazel nuts and a great variety of plants and flowers not common to the U.S. What a field for a botanist and a naturalist.”

Finally, on August 2nd six chiefs and some warriors, along with a French trader by the name of “Farfonge” who lived with these Indians, were escorted into the Expedition’s camp by one of the messengers. The next day Lewis delivered a speech telling of the new great father who wished for peace among the Indians. He also spoke of the new great father’s wish for the Indians to trade with the American traders who would soon be coming. After Lewis finished each of the chiefs replied to the speech, all accepting what Lewis had said. After these speeches the Captains gave presents to the warriors, medals to the chiefs and powder and shot to all. While Lewis was busy with the council, Clark made notes on the tribes living in the area. He grouped the many splinter groups into larger groups based upon a commonality of their languages. This was to become the pattern for future councils the Expedition would hold as they journeyed to the Pacific and back.

Clark named the area they were at Council Bluffs, in honor of the first council the Expedition had held.

One of the messengers that had been sent out to find Indians to invite to council was a French engage, La Liberte. He apparently decided he did not want to continue upriver and took the opportunity to simply leave the Expedition. Although he was caught a short while later by a search party Clark sent looking for him and another deserter, he escaped from them, never to be seen again by the Expedition.

Lewis continued his search for the Omahas, hoping to council with them and broker a peace among the Indians of the area. He considered the Omahas a key tribe in this process. On August 13th after traveling almost 200 miles up the meandering Missouri River the Expedition passed within four miles of the primary Omaha village going three more miles before camping near present day Dakota City. Here Lewis planned to hold a council to establish peace. Messengers were sent to the village to invite the Chiefs to council, but to the Captains’ surprise the village was deserted and lay in ruins. It had been ravaged by smallpox; those who survived had fled and not returned. Lewis determined to remain at this camp and assess his situation. They had several loose ends to tie up. Four men had been sent after two who had deserted and had not returned; the Otos who had earlier agreed to peace were to meet the Expedition here to council with the Omahas; and Lewis still had to figure out where the Omahas were.

While Lewis was occupied with locating the Omahas, Clark took a detail of men to a nearby beaver dam. Using a brush drag that worked like a big net, they caught 308 fish of various species. The next day this was repeated resulting in a catch totaling 800 fish. This camp became known as Fish Camp.

Finally, on the 17th of August one of the men sent to find the deserters returned to camp. He told the Captains the rest of his group was a short way behind and had one of the deserters, Reed, in custody. They were also accompanied by three principal chiefs of the Otos. Lewis had the prairie grass set fire as a signal to other Indians who saw the smoke to came and council.

The next day a trial was held for Reed. He confessed to desertion and stealing public property and asked for mercy. His sentence was to run the gauntlet four times through the party “each man with 9 switches should punish him” and he was no longer one of the party. What makes this trial interesting is there were no other mentions of it except for this day and there was no order of the courts martial entered into the Orderly Book. When Clark had sent the four men to find Reed he gave them orders to bring him back dead or alive. They were also to bring back the other deserter, La Liberte, if they could.

Lewis held a council with the Otos since no other Indians responded to the signal fire. In his speech Lewis explained his message sent to these chiefs who had not attended the earlier council at Council Bluffs. The chiefs responded that they wanted peace but could not keep all the young warriors in line all the time. This council was of little value since the primary objective of including the Omahas was not met. After Lewis distributed some presents the council ended and the chiefs departed.

Clark noted that evening after the council that Sergt Floyd was bad with a “Beliose Cholick” and dangerously ill. He could eat very little and what he could eat he couldn’t keep down. York was the primary attendant to Floyd, but Clark said he was up with him all night. By morning Floyd was “as bas as he can be to live.” The Expedition set out upriver but stopped at noon to try to relieve Floyd with warm baths. Floyd told Clark, “I am going away. I want you to write me a letter.” With that said the man died.

Floyd was buried with full military honors on a bluff overlooking the river on August 20, 1804. Two days later and some 40 miles upriver near Elk Point, South Dakota the enlisted men chose Patrick Gass as a Sergeant to replace Floyd.

The changing river channel caused Floyd’s grave on Sergeants Bluff to wash out so he was reburied. His grave is now marked with a large obelisk in Sioux City, Iowa.