Day-by-Day / September 26, 1806

September 26, 1806

Writing commences

St. Louis, MO The expedition has ended, and in his concluding journal entry, Clark says that the captains have commenced writing. Later in Washington City, Thomas Jefferson receives Lewis’s letter with the news.

Commenced Writing

a fine morning   we commenced wrighting &c
William Clark

Weather Diary

State of the weather at Sun rise Course of the wind at Sun rise State of the weather at 4 oClock Course of wind at 4 P. M
fair S E fair S. E

fair and worm
—William Clark[1]To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented and some abbreviations have been spelled out.

Exploring Party Arrives

After receiving Lewis’s letter of 23 September 1803 in Washington City, Thomas Jefferson gives the ‘scoop’ to The National Intelligencer.

Monday, October 27 [1806]

It is, with the sincerest pleasure, that we announce to our fellow citizens, the arrival of CAPTAIN LEWIS, with his exploring party, at St. Lewis [St. Louis].

. . . . .

He found it two thousand five hundred and seventy-five miles from the mouth of the Missouri to the great falls of that river, thence by land passing the Rockey mountains to a navigable part of the Kooskooske [Clearwater River] three hundred and forty miles, of which two hundred would admit good road, and one hundred and forty miles over tremendous mountains which for sixty miles are covered with eternal snows.

. . . . .

Capt. Lewis expected to remain at St. Louis some days to settle with and discharge his men, and would then set out for Washington . . . . He is accompanied by the great Mandan chief [Sheheke]. . . .[2]The National Intelligencer and Washington Advertiser, 27 Oct. 1806, at “Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers,” Library of Congress, … Continue reading

 

Notes

Notes
1 To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented and some abbreviations have been spelled out.
2 The National Intelligencer and Washington Advertiser, 27 Oct. 1806, at “Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers,” Library of Congress, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045242/1806-10-27/ed-1/seq-3/

Discover More

  • The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.