George Drouillard

Fort Southwest Point is today a park within the city of Kingston, Tennessee.  It’s the only pioneer-era fort reconstructed on its original site in the state and is on the National Register of Historic Places.  Admission is free.  The Fort’s Visitor Center houses a museum containing artifacts excavat

George Drouillard first met Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in November 1803 when the Captains made a recruiting trip to Fort Massac, in today’s southern Illinois. They seem to have been immediately impressed with the French-Canadian-Shawnee.

Drouillard’s skills, confidence, and experience would clearly benefit the Corps of Discovery, so Lewis offered him a civilian position. Drouillard conditionally accepted – he first wanted to make certain of both the mission of the Expedition and its Captains before he committed himself.

His first assignment proved the Captains thought highly of the 28-year-old. He was to travel alone to Fort Southwest Point, Tennessee, to retrieve eight soldiers who had volunteered for the Expedition and escort them back to winter quarters near St. Louis. This was a substantial overland journey – the fort was on the Tennessee River southwest of Knoxville. He fulfilled his commitment and arrived with the soldiers at Camp River Dubois on December 16, 1803.

By the end of December, Drouillard had decided he would commit to the Western Expedition and he was put on the payroll beginning January 1, 1804. He would become one of the most relied upon members of the Corps – who had the Captains’ complete faith and trust.

Alt Text: A rough-hewn cabin with a covered porch is in the foreground. Behind it is the fort’s wooden palisade with a corner guard house.