When I worked off Roots Web, I saw a few post asking for information on the Lewis and Clarke’s expedition to the ocean, they heard family stories that they had a ancestor on that expedition and was trying to find out if the stories were true. I had a list of he men in one of my index’s but when I looked for it , it couldn’t be found. Then the other day I ran across it and thought it was high time I did something with it, I know there is a new generation looking into this expedition. I hope this list of names will put some of those family stories to rest, or maybe add more life to them.
Note. This list was made by MERIWETHER LEWIS.
I take the liberty of proposing, for the consideration of the committee, a grant to each non-commissioned officer and private, of 320 acres of land; to Lieut. Clarke, of 1000; and to Captain Lewis. of 1,500; with the addition of double pay to each, while engaged in the enterprise; and that each one should have permission to locate his grant on any lands that have been surveyed, and are now for sale by the United States.
H. DEARBORN.
CITY OF WASHINGTON, January 15, 1807.
Herewith enclosed I transmit you the roll of the men who accompanied me on my late tour to the Pacific Ocean, through the interior of the continent of North America. In addition to the men whose names are entered on this roll, there are two others who have some claims to a gratuity, as connected with the expedition; but as I cannot consider them, in all respects, as of the permanent party, 1 have thought their pretensions more properly the subjects of this detached communication, than of the roll which accompanies it.
MERIWETHER LEWIS.
Richard Warfington was a corporal in the infantry of the United States’ army, whom I had occasion ‘to take with me on my voyage as far as the Mandan nation. His term of service expired on. the 4th of August, 1804, nearly three months previous to my arrival at that place. Knowing that it would become necessary for me. to send back my boat in the spring of 1805, with a party of soldiers, whose terms of service had not expired; that it was of some importance that the Government should receive, in safety, the dispatches which I was about to transmit from thence; that there was not one of the party, destined to be returned from thence, in whom I could place the least confidence, except himself; and that, if he was discharged at the moment of the expiration of his term of service, he would necessarily Jose his military standing, and, thereby lessen the efficiency of his command among the soldiery.
I was induced, under these considerations, to make am arrangement with him, by which it was agreed between us, that he should no receive his discharge from the military service until his return to St. Louis, and that he should, in the interim, retain his rank, and receive only for his services the accustomed compensation. Accordingly, he remained with me during the winter, and was, the next spring, in conformity to my plan, placed in command of the boat, and charged with my dispatches-to the Government. The duties assigned him, on this occasion, were performed with a punctuality which uniformly marked his conduct while under my command. taking into view the cheerfulness with which he continued in the service after every obligation had ceased to exist from his enlistment; the fatigues, labor, and dangers, incident to that service; and, above all, the fidelity with which he discharged his duty; it would seem, that when rewards were about to be distributed among those of the party who were engaged in this enterprise, that his claim to something more than his pay of seven dollars per mouth, as corporal, cannot be considered unreasonable.
John Newman was a private in the infantry of the United States army, who joined me as a volunteer, and entered into an enlistment, in common with others, by which he was held and mustered as one of the permanent party. In the course of the expedition, or shortly before we arrived at the Mandan village, be committed himself by using certain mutinous expressions, which caused me to arrest him, and to have him tried by a court martial, formed of his peers: they, finding him guilty, sentenced him to receive seventy-five lashes and to be discharged from the permanent party. This sentence was confirmed by me, and the punishment took place. The conduct of this man, previous to this period, had been generally correct; and the zeal he afterwards displayed for the benefit of the service, was highly meritorious. In the course of the winter, while at Fort Mandan, from an ardent wish to atone for the crime which he had committed at an unguarded moment, he exerted himself, on every occasion, to become useful.
This disposition induced him to expose himself too much to the intense cold of that climate, and on a hunting excursion, he had his hands and feet severely frozen, with which he suffered extreme pain, for some weeks. Having recovered from this accident by the 1st of April, 1805, he asked forgiveness for what had passes and begged that I would permit him to continue with me through the voyage; hut deeming it impolitic to relax the sentence, although he stood acquitted in my mind, I determined to send him back, which was accordingly done. Since my return I have been informed that he was extremely serviceable as a hunter, on the voyage to St. Louis, and that the boat, on several occasions, owed her safety, in a great measure, to his personal exertions, being a man of Uncommon activity and bodily strength. If, under these circumstances, it should be thought proper to give Newman the remaining third which vi1l be deducted from the gratuity awarded Baptiste Le Page, who occupied his station in the after part of the voyage, 1 should feel myself much gratified.
I have the honor to be, with due consideration, and much respect, your obedient servant.
MERIWETHER LEWIS;
Captain, in U. S. Reg’t Infantry.
1. John Ordnay, Sergeant.
2. Nathaniel Pryor, Sergeant.
3. Charles Floyd, Sergeant, Deceased the 20th of August, 18O4. A young man of much merit. His father, who now resides in Kentucky, is a man much respected, though possessed of but moderate wealth. As the son has lost his life whilst on this service, I consider his father entitled to some gratuity, in consideration of his loss; and also, that the deceased being noticed in this way, will be a tribute but justly due to his merit.
4. Patrick Gass, Sergeant, Promoted to sergeant, 20th of August, 1804, in the place of Charles Floyd, deceased; in which capacity he continued until discharged at St. Louis, November 10, 1806.
5. William Bratton, Private.
6. John Collins, Private.
7. John Colter, Private.
8. Pierre Cruzatte, Private.
9. Joseph Field, Private,----- He was most active and enterprising young man who accompanied us. It was this peculiar flute to have been engaged in all the most dangerous and difficult scenes of the voyage, in which he uniformly acquitted himself with much honor.
10. Reuben Field, Private,…He was most active and enterprising young man who accompanied us. It was this peculiar flute to have been engaged in all the most dangerous and difficult scenes of the voyage, in which he uniformly acquitted himself with much honor.
11. Robert Frazier, Private.
12. Silas Goodrich, Private.
13. George Gibson, Private.
14. Thomas P. Howard, Private.
15. Hugh Hall, Private.
16. Francis Labuicke, Private, He has received the pay only of a private, thogh, besides the duties performed as such, he has rendered my very essential services as a French and English interpreter, therefore, I should think it only just that some small addition to his pay, as a private, should be added, though no such addition has, at any time, been promised by me.
17. Hugh M’Neal, Private.
18. John Sheilds, Private, Has received the pay only of a private. Nothing was more peculiarly useful to us, in various situations, than the skill and ingenuity of this man as an artist, in repairing our guns, accoutrements, &c. and should it be thought proper to allow him something an artificer, he has well deserved it.
19. George Shannon, Private.
20. John Potts, Private.
21. John Baptiste Le Page, Private, Entitled to no peculiar merit: was enlisted at Fort Mandàn, on the 2d of November; 1804, in order to supply the deficiency in my permanent party, occasioned by the discharge of John Newman. He performed the tour to the Pacific Ocean, and retuned to St. Louis, where he was discharged, in common with others. on the 10th of November last. As he did not perform the labors incident to the summer of 1804, it would be proper to give him the gratuity only of two-thirds as much as is given to others of his rank.
22. John B. Thompson, Private.
23. William Werner, Private.
24. Richard Windsor, Private.
25. Alexander Willard, Private.
26. Joseph Whitehouse, Private.
27. Peter Wiser, Private.
28. George Drulyard, Interpreter, A man of much merit; ho has been peculiarly useful from his knowledge of the common language of gesticulation, and his uncommon skill as a hunter and woodsman; those several duties he performed in good faith, and with an ardor which deserves the highest commendation. It was his fate also to have encountered, on various occasions, with either Captain Clarke or myself, all the most dangerous and trying scenes of the voyage, in which he uniformly acquitted himself will, honor. He has served the complete term of whole tour, and received only 25 dollars per mouth, and one ration per day while I am informed that it is not unusual for individuals, in similar employment to receive 30 dollars per month.
29. Nouisant Carbono, Interpreter, A man of no peculiar merit; was useful as on interpreter only, in which capacity he discharged his duties with good faith, from the moment of our departure from the Mandans, on the 7th of April, 1805, until one return to that place in August last, and received a compensation, 25 dollars per month, while in service.
CHAP. XXXII.—.An .act making compensation to Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, and their companions.
Be it enacted, &c., That the secretary of war be, and he is hereby directed to issue land warrants to Meriwether Lewis and William Clarke, for one thousand six hundred acres each; to John Ordway, Nathaniel Prior, the heirs or legal representatives of Charles Floyd deceased, Patrick Gass, William Bratton, John Collins, John Colter, Pier Cruzatte Joseph Field, Reuben Field, Robert Frasier, Silas Goodrich, George Gibson, Thomas P. Howard, Hugh Hall, Francis Labuiche, Hugh M’Neal, John Shields, George Shannon, John Potts, John Baptiste Le Page, John B. Thompson, William Werner, Richard Windsor, Peter Wiser, Alexander Willard, Joseph Whitehouse, George Drulyard, Totisaint Charbono, Richard Worfington, and John Newman, for three hundred and twenty acres each: which several warrants may. at the option of the holder or possessor, be located with any register or registers of the land offices, subsequent to the public sales in such office, on any of the public lands of the United States, lying on the west side of the Mississippi, then and there offered for sale, or may be received at the rate of two dollars per acre, in payment of any such public lands.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That double pay shall be allowed,
by the secretary of war, to each of the before named persons, agreeably
to the time he or they may have served, in the late enterprise to the Pacific ocean, conducted by Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, and that the sum of eleven thousand dollars be and the same hereby is appropriated to discharge the same, out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
APPROVED, March 3, 1807.
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