This is a series of Lewis & Clark return series posts that were published on Facebook and Instagram for the local chapter’s website July to September, 2023.
September 23rd, 1806 The Captain’s Return
September 23, 1806, St. Louis, MO: The group rose, was taken to the public store and furnished with some clothes, and an early breakfast with Col. Hunt, and departed for St. Louis down the Mississippi, and arrived at about 12 o'clock. Major Christy, an old neighbor of...
September 22nd, 1806 – Fort Belle Fontaine
September 22nd, 1806 Fort Belle Fontaine, St. Louis, MO: The group waited in St. Charles most of the day while heavy rains came down, making their way down the river in the evening to Fort Belle Fontaine. Fort Belle Fontaine is about 20 miles north of St....
September 21st, 1806 – St. Charles, MO
September 21st, 1806, St. Charles, MO: The boatmen paddle the 48 miles to St. Charles from La Charrette. They passed 12 canoes of Kickapoos ascending on a hunting expedition. "The party rejoiced at the sight of this hospitable village" - William Clark...
September 20th, 1806 – La Charrette, MO
September 20, 1806, La Charrette, MO: The crew reached the small french settlement after 68 more miles of paddling. Two Scottish traders were there and fed Lewis & Clark their first beef since their departure. "every person, both French and American...
September 19th, 1806 – Osage & Missouri River Confluence
September 19th, 1806, The Return: Determined to make the first french village (The Missouri River & Osage River Confluence) by the next day, the men paddle hard the entire day for 72 miles. Many have swollen, painfully red cheeks, and 3 have their eyeballs...
September 18th, 1806 – Lamine River, MO
September 18, 1806, The Return - Lamine River, MO: The main party catches up to the hunters near the Grand River and find that they had killed nothing. The men declare they can live on pawpaw fruit until they reach the first white settlement 150 river miles...
September 16th, 1806 – Joseph Robidoux IV
September 16th, 1806, The Return: The crew pressed on, it was an excessively warm and disagreeable day. Young trader, Joesph Robidoux IV met the crew, and his hunting license was requested for review. "at 11 AM we met young Mr. Robidoux with a large boat...
September 11, 1806 – Nodaway Valley
September 11, 1806, The Return: The meat was checked, and was about 2 days past spoiled, so it was thrown out. Everyone was hungry, so the group stopped near the Nodaway River in the valley. Only 2 deer were killed, but grapes and pawpaws were found too and...
September 10, 1806 – The White Perogues
September 10, 1806, Wednesday: The Return crew encountered Alexander La Fass and three french men from St. Louis in a small perogue, after an early morning and a good head start on the river, who were on their way to trade with the Pawnee at the Platte River....
September 7th, 1806 – South of Blari, NE
September 7, 1806, south of Blair, NE, The group camped at a trading post previously used and built by James McKay, who had traveled this route before, made a map and sent his map to Thomas Jefferson & Meriwether Lewis in 1803. Map picture shown. The Lewis...
September 4th, 1806 – Sgt. Floyd’s Grave
Happy Labor Day! Sept. 4th, 1806, the Lewis & Clark group stops at Sgt. Floyd's Grave. Floyd passed away 2 years earlier, most likely from peritonitis, caused by the inflammation or rupture of his appendix. The Monument is at 2601 S Lewis Blvd, Sioux City,...
September 1st, 1806 – Calumet Bluff, Nebraska
September 1st, 1806, Calumet Bluff, Nebraska. Clark expresses relief when a group of shooting Indians turn out to be Yankton Sioux. They encamp at the same place as on their outward journey exactly two years earlier. Gunfire was heard, and it turned out to be...
August 31, 1806 – The Tower (Old Baldy)
August 31, 1806, The Tower (Old Baldy, SD): The crew makes an encampment 70 miles past Old Baldy after a windy day.. Everyone had to hold the canoes from being blown away. Clark killed 2 fox squirrels. https://lewis-clark.org/day-by-day/31-aug-1806/
August 27, 1806 – Big Bend of the Missouri, SD
August 27, 1806, Big Bend of the Missouri, SD: The Lewis & Clark expedition group discovers buffalo throughout the day and eventually kills a few of them, and packages up most of the meat to travel. Capt. Lewis walked on the sandbar and injured himself, was in...
August 23th, 1805 – Missing Horses
William Clark, August 26th, 1805 - Clark sent out 3 men to look for the horses that were missing, later 5 more men joined the search party. The rest of the party went along the river to the forks near the Indian camps. The Indians brought over 2 boiled salmon...
August 31st – The Spanish Soldiers
The Spanish did not recognize the borders of the Louisiana Purchase and territories because they hadn't been defined clearly yet. They sent soldiers to intercept the expedition a few times. Here is one instance in 1804 when they missed the expedition, and...