Lewis & Clark Site Map

Christmas Day, 1804 at Fort Mandan (State of North Dakota today)

December 25, 1804 (William Clark's Journal)
I was awakened before Day by a discharge of 3 platoons from the Party and the french, the men merrily Disposed, I give them all a little Taffia and permited 3 Cannon fired, at raising Our flag, ... Danceing and Continued untill 9 oClock P.M. when the frolick ended &c.

December 25, 1804 (Joseph Whitehouse's Journal)
we ushred [in] the morning with a discharge of the Swivvel, and one round of Small arms of all the party. then another from the Swivel. then Capt. Clark presented a glass of brandy to each man of the party. we hoisted the american flag, and each man had another Glass of brandy. the men prepared one of the rooms and commenced dancing. at 10 oC we had another Glass of brandy, at one a gun was fired as a Signal for diner. half past two another gun was fired to assemble at the dance, and So we kept it up in a jovel manner untill eight oC. at night, all without the compy. of the female Seck, except three Squaws the Intreptirs wives and they took no part with us only to look on. agreeable to the officers request the natives all Stayed at their villages all day.

Christmas Day, 1805 at Fort Clatsop (State of Oregon today)

December 25, 1805 (William Clark's Journal)
At daylight this morning we were awoke by the discharge of the firearms of all our party & a salute, shout and a song which the whole party joined in under our windows, after which they retired to their rooms. Were cheerful all the morning. After breakfast we divided our tobacco which amounted to 12 carrots, one half of which we gave to the men of the party who used tobacco, and to those who do not use it we make a present of a handkerchief. The Indians leave us. In the evening all the party snugly fixed in their huts. I received a present of Capt. Lewis of a fleece hosiery, shirt, drawers and socks, a pair of moccasins of Whitehouse, a small Indian basket of Goodrich, two dozen white weasel's tails of the Indian woman [Sacagawea], & some black root of the Indians before their departure. Drewyer informs me that he saw a snake pass across the path today. The day proved showery, wet and disagreeable. We would have spent this day [of] the nativity of Christ in feasting had we anything either to raise our spirits or even gratify our appetites. Our dinner consisted of poor elk, so much spoiled that we eat it through mere necessity, some spoiled pounded fish and a few roots.

New Year's Day, 1805 at Fort Mandan (State of North Dakota today)

Tuesday January the 1st 1805 Fort Mandan on the northeast bank of the Missouri 1600 miles up (William Clark's Journal)
The day was ushered in by the discharge of two cannon. We suffered 16 men with their music to visit the 1st Village for the purpose of dancing, by as they said the particular request of the chiefs of that village. About 11 o'clock I with an interpreter & two men walked up to the Village (my views were to allay some little misunderstanding which had taken place through jealousy and mortification as to our treatment towards them). I found them much pleased at the dancing of our men. I ordered my black servant [York] to dance, which amused the crowd very much, and somewhat astonished them, that so large a man should be active &c.

Tuesday 1st Jan. 1805 (John Ordway's Journal)
Cloudy but moderate. We fired a swivel & drank a glass. About 9 o'clock 15 of the party went up to the 1st village of Mandans to dance as it had been their request. Carried with us a fiddle & a tambourine & a sounding horn. As we arrived at the entrance of the village we fired one round then the music played. Loaded again, then marched to the center of the village, fired again, then commenced dancing. A Frenchman danced on his head, I and all danced round him for a short time, then went into a lodge & danced a while, which pleased them very much. They then brought victuals from different lodges & of different kinds of diet, they brought us also a quantity of corn & some buffalo robes which they made us a present of. So we danced in different lodges until late in the afternoon. Then a part of the men returned to the fort, the remainder stayed all night in the village. Rained a little in the evening.

Tuesday 1st Jan. 1805 (Patrick Gass's Journal)
Two shots were fired from the swivel, followed by a round of small arms, to welcome the New Year. Captain Lewis then gave each a glass of good old whiskey; and a short time after another was given by Captain Clark. About 11 o'clock one of the interpreters and half of our people went up, at the request of the natives, to the village, to begin the dance; and were followed some time after by Captain Clark, and three more men. The day was warm and pleasant. Captain Lewis in the afternoon issued another glass of whiskey; and at night Capt. Clark and part of the men returned from the village, the rest remained all night.

January 1st 1805 Tuesday (Joseph Whitehouse's Journal)
2 guns was discharged from the swivel to celebrate the New Year, a round of small arms immediately after by each man of the party. A glass of old, ardent spirits were given. A short time after, Capt. Clark gave another. About 10 o'clock one of the interpreters & one half of the party went up to the 1st village of Mandans by their request to dance. Some time after Capt. Clark and 3 more men came up also. The day was warm and pleasant. In the afternoon Capt. Lewis gave another glass. In the evening Capt. Clark & some of the party came home & some stayed all night.

New Year's Day, 1806 at Fort Clatsop (State of Oregon today)

Wednesday 1st Jan. 1806 (John Ordway's Journal)
The party saluted our officers at daybreak this morning by firing at their quarters as a remembrance of the New Year. A pleasant morning. 2 men went out a hunting. Several of the natives visited us. They go bare legged all winter and bare footed, some kind of a little robe over their shoulders &c. The women have short petticoats made of some kind of grass, some of which are twisted like twine, and are nearly naked otherwise. The general part of them are very poor and ask a large price for anything they have to part with. In the evening the two hunters returned & had killed two large buck elk.

Wednesday January 1st 1806 (Joseph Whitehouse's Journal)
At daybreak the men at the fort fired several guns as a salute to our commanding officers, & in honor of the day. The morning was pleasant. Two of our party were sent out to hunt. Several Indians came to the fort on a visit.

Fourth of July, 1804 (State of Kansas today)

Wednesday July 4th 1804 (John Ordway's Journal)
We Set out Early & passed the mouth of the Outlet of a large lake which comes in on the north side. This pond or lake is large & there has been a Great many beaver I found in it. High land on the south side & prairies. We Delayed a Short time at noon to dine. A Snake bit Joseph Field on the outside of his foot. This was under the hills near the prairies on the south side. We passed a Creek on the south side about 15 yards wide [which] comes out of the large prairie, and as it has no name & as it is the 4th Of July, Capts. name it Independence Creek. We fired our bow piece this morning & one in the evening for Independence of the U. S. We saw a number of Goslings half grown today. We camped in the plains, one of the most beautiful places I ever Saw in my life, open and beautifully Diversified with hills & valleys all presenting themselves to the River.

Captain Clark's Birthday, August 1, 1805 (State of Montana today)

Thursday August 1st, (Joseph Whitehouse's Journal)
. . . We passed some very high cliffs of rocks which were in many places 1,200 feet high & on the sides of the hills we saw considerable quantities of pine & cedar trees growing. About noon Captain Clark killed a mountain sheep or ibex out of a flock which were on the side of steep reddish hills or cliffs. The remainder of the flock of mountain sheep or ibex ran up the steep cliffs out of gunshot and to such a height as is most incredible. The mountain sheep that was killed rolled down the hill and we got it. We stopped at this place to dine, which was amongst the high cliffs, and it being Captain Clark's birthday he ordered some flour to be served out to the party, which with the mountain sheep made us an excellent meal.

Captain Lewis' Birthday, August 18, 1804 (State of Iowa today)

18th August 1804 (William Clark's Journal)
. . . Had a Dance which lasted until 11 o'clock, the Close of Capt. Lewis' Birthday.

Captain Lewis' Birthday, August 18, 1805 (State of Montana today)

August 18, 1805 (Meriwether Lewis's Journal)
. . . This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this sublunary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the happiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence, and now sorely feel the want of that information which those hours would have given me had they been judiciously expended. But since they are past and cannot be recalled, I dash from me the gloomy thought and resolved in future to redouble my exertions and at least endeavor to promote those two primary objects of human existence, by giving them the aid of that portion of talents which nature and fortune have bestowed on me. Or in future, to live for mankind, as I have heretofore lived for myself.