Patrick Gass and John Ordway

Site of Fort Kaskaskia, pictured here in the 20th century.

Library of Congress

What kind of person volunteered to join the Lewis and Clark Expedition?

Two of the recruits at Fort Kaskaskia—Patrick Gass and John Ordway—give us a glimpse into the lives of those who willingly joined the expedition, with all its risks and uncertainties.

Gass was born in Pennsylvania in 1771. A restless young man with a good sense of humor, he volunteered for the U.S. Army Rangers in his early twenties. He was eventually stationed at Fort Kaskaskia. Gass’s skills as a carpenter and boat builder made him indispensable there.

In fact, when Meriwether Lewis arrived at Fort Kaskaskia, Gass’s commander valued him so much that he rejected Gass’s request to join the expedition. Gass then went directly to Lewis, who persuaded Gass’s commander into allowing it.

Almost immediately after joining the party, Gass put his carpentry skills to use during the construction of Camp Dubois. He also helped design and construct the expedition’s winter quarters at Fort Mandan and Fort Clatsop.

John Ordway was the first sergeant to join the expedition. Little is known of his early life except that he was born in New Hampshire in 1775. He joined the military and eventually made his way to Fort Kaskaskia, where he served alongside Gass in Captain Bissell’s 1st Infantry.

Ordway was excited to join the group that Lewis and Clark were putting together. In April 1804, he wrote to his parents, “I am So happy as to be one of them pick’d men from the armey.”

One of Ordway’s tasks was to keep a journal that documented and described the Indigenous people the group met along the way. He also kept track of rations and supplies—an important job for such a long journey.

About this article: This article is part of a series called “Pivotal Places: Stories from the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.”