Corps+of+Discovery

=Corps Of Discovery= toc Corps of Discovery was an expedition to the Pacific coast lead by William Clark, Meriwether Lewis, and Thomas Jefferson. Also civilians, engages, an military men also came along.

Getting Ready
On January 18, 1803 President Jefferson sent a message to congress about the expedition. On the expedition Jefferson planned to map out the territory they would cover. One step Jefferson had to do was to get Lewis passports from French and British legations. But there was no passport for Spain, so Jefferson had to ask the minister of Spain, Carlos Martinez de Yrojo if it would be alright to travel in their territory, and Yrojo declined there proposal and warned his superior that Jefferson might come on the territory anyways. Merriwether Lewis arrived in Harpers Ferry, Virginia on March 15, 1803 to obtain equipment.



Setting Out for the Unkown
May 14th, 1804, the Corps of Discovery leaves Camp Dubois, described by clark as "a gentle breeze". They were traveling in a large keel boat that was 55 feet long, 8 feet wide, and had the capability of carrying 10 tons. Two smaller boats called pirogues. They were hoping to travel 14 miles a day, but sailing the Missouri is a hard task. On May 25th, the Corps passed La Charette, Charles Floyed noted this was the last settlement of white on the Missouri. On, July 4th, the Corps celebrated there first 4th of July on there journey. They celebrated by eating extra rations and drinking extra whiskey. They even naming a creek Independence creek.

New Friends
The first tribe of Indians that were found by the Corps was a small collaboration of the Oto and Missouri Indians on August 3rd. The Indians would be given peace medals, presents, 15 star flags, and the parade men would show them the technology that we had. This would be the regular routine with all the Indian tribes they met. Later on August 30th, they held a peaceful meeting with the Yankton Souix. Here, a baby is born and is wrapped in an American Flag by Lewis and called an American. On September 7th, the Corps begins to move into the plains and they begin to see new and exotic animals such as the ====== Prairie Dog and Jack Rabbit. They recorded 178 plant species and 122 animals. On September 25th the Corps met with the Teton Souix, or "Lakota". The Teton Souix demand one of the Corps's boats for permission to move on, but to keep peace, there chief Black Buffalo. The Corps ended up staying with the tribe three more days. On October 24th the Corps discovered the Hidatsas and Mandans. The Corps builds Fort Mandann across the river and stays all winter. They hire Toussaint Charbonnaeu to be there interpreter. He and his young wife, Sacagawea were brought along with the Corps thinking they would be helpful. On February 11th, 1805, Sacagawea gives birth to a baby boy, Jean Babtiste.

On the Water Again
On April 7th, they departed from Fort Mandan to continue with their journey. On May 31st the Corps enter the White Cliffs of the Missouri where they would find sandstone formations like never before and ruins of and ancient city. On June 2nd, the Corps stops at a fork in the river, they decide to take the south turn even though every one besides Lewis and Clark think that the western is the right turn.On June 13th, they catch sight of the Great Falls of the Missouri, proving that they had gone in the right direction. On July 4th, they once again celebrated there independence by drinking there last supply of whiskey. On August 11th Lewis finds one mounted Indian. This was the first the Corps had seen since they left Fort Mandan. After trying to approach the Indian, he rides off. On September 11th, the Corps reaches the Bitterroot Mountains, 11 days later, starving, the Corps find there way out of the Mountains were they met the Nez Parce, who decided to befriend them. On November 7th, they finally arrive at the Pacific Ocean. This is were they would set up Fort Clatsop and stay the rest of winter.

The Trip Back
July 3rd, 1806, they recross the Bitterroot Mountains ant the Corps splits into four groups so they can discover more territory. On August 12th, the expedition is reunited and they continue home. On September 20th, the current begins to make them travel 70 miles a day. On September 20th they were back home.

Resources
Lewis and Clark, PBS, Florentine Films and WETA, Washington D.C. http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/ Corps Of Discovery, http://www.history.army.mil/LC/index.htm Lewis and Clark Expedition, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition The Expedition of the Corps of Discovery, Al Brendenburg, http://www.edgate.com/lewisandclark/expedition.html