William Clark’s Epaulet: Captain or Lieutenant?

Illustration: Captain’s dress uniform, U.S. Army History website 

When Captain Meriwether Lewis recommended William Clark as his co-commander in the Corps of Discovery, he had requested Clark return to active duty as a captain. However, there were no vacancies in that grade at the time, so when Clark received his commission on May 7, 1804, it was as a first lieutenant of artillery. Both men were disappointed.

However, Captain Lewis had used the rank of captain for Clark since he boarded the keelboat on October 26, 1803 in Clarksville. And he stood beside his promise to Clark in offering him a co-captaincy – “…your situation if joined with me in this mission will in all respects be precisely such as my own.” Clark’s pseudo-captaincy was never revealed to the men throughout the mission.

So, this makes us wonder – on his dress military uniform, did Clark wear a lieutenant’s or captain’s epaulet (ornamental fringe)? Personal honor and integrity were the hallmarks of a gentlemen and it is possible that Clark would not have presented himself as a captain unless he had official sanction to do so. Regardless, according to the website of U.S. Army History, other than in the placement and color of the epaulet, there was no difference in the dress of captains and lieutenants. In general, artillery officers (Clark) wore the same uniform as infantry officers (Lewis), except the lace, buttons, and epaulets were gold instead of silver. Captains wore the epaulet on the right shoulder; lieutenants on the left.

The U.S. Army History website also states that it’s likely that neither man wore their epaulet except on special occasions; perhaps they both never wore them so that Clark didn’t appear any different than Lewis. Of course, it wouldn’t be many weeks before the military uniforms would be abandoned for more practical attire.

Whatever the method, it seems the enlisted men of the Corps never had any reason to doubt that Clark was anything but a captain. How this was accomplished is another of the many mysteries of the Expedition.