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Historical Background

Jefferson obtains congressional approval

About the time of Jefferson's meeting with Yrujo, Lewis submitted to the former an estimate of $2,500 to cover the cost of a 10-12 man expedition. Jefferson submitted the estimate unchanged to Congress in a special and confidential message on January 18, 1803. [19 He first asked approval for continuance of the act that had established Indian trading houses. [20] But, after reviewing the need for extending the act and making recommendations for the conduct of Indian affairs within the U.S. boundaries, he came around to his prime purpose. Reversing what he had told the Spanish ambassador about the pursuit of knowledge as the goal of western exploration, he stressed the possible benefits of trade beyond the national boundaries to U.S. citizens.

Jefferson pointed out that not much was known of the Indians along the Missouri, who "furnish great supplies of fur & peltry to the trade of another nation [present Canada] carried on in a high latitude, through an infinite number of portages and lakes, shut up by ice through a long season." He continued:

The commerce on that line could bear no competition with that of the Missouri, traversing a moderate climate, offering according to the best accounts a continued navigation from it's source, and, possibly with a single portage, from the Western ocean, and finding to the Atlantic a choice of channels through the Illinois or Wabash, the Lakes and Hudson, through the Ohio and Susquehanna or Potomac or James rivers, and through the Tennessee and Savannah rivers.

At this point, Jefferson proposed sending an expedition up the Missouri:

An intelligent officer with ten or twelve chosen men, fit for the enterprize and willing to undertake it, taken from our posts, where they may be spared without inconvenience, might explore the whole line, even to the Western ocean, have conferences with the natives on the subject of commercial intercourse, get admission among them for our traders as others are admitted, agree on convenient deposits for an interchange of articles, and return with the information acquired in the course of two summers.

Jefferson emphasized that the modest cost of $2,500 for this exploration of the "only line of easy communication across the continent, and so directly traversing our own part of it" could easily be justified on the basis of "extending the external commerce of the U.S." and would avoid any obstructions placed by "interested individuals." Additionally, the expedition would enhance geographical knowledge of "our own continent," a factor that would cause the "nation claiming the territory [France]" not to be disposed to "view it with jealousy, even if the expiring state of it's interest there did not render it a matter of indifference."

In other words, about 6 months before Jefferson learned of the Louisiana Purchase, he was virtually ignoring French ownership of Louisiana Territory as well as Spanish claims to the area west of it and blandly proposing exploration of the entire region. At the same time, he was encouraging a U.S. takeover of the British fur trade in the interior of North America.

Somehow, the Spanish Ambassador learned of the contents of Jefferson's confidential message and reported it to his Government on January 31, but he explained that the Senate would not pass the measure for fear it "might offend one of the European nations." Congress nevertheless appropriated funds for the expedition on February 28, 1803.

Logistical arrangements and scientific indoctrination

About this time, Lewis intensified his planning and logistical preparations. About the middle of March, he set out from Washington for Lancaster and Philadelphia by way of the U.S. armory at Harpers Ferry. At the latter place, he ordered or checked on the status of manufacture of 15 advance, or prototype, specimens of the first regulation U.S. Army rifle, the Harpers Ferry Model 1803, which was on the verge of being put into full production. [21] The armory also was to supply tomahawks and knives.

Lewis was delayed about a month beyond his expectations at Harpers Ferry because of problems associated with the manufacture of a light iron framework for a boat, which was to be assembled and covered with hides along the Upper Missouri and be named the "Experiment." He wanted to be sure the workmen fully understood the framework's design, and he needed to experiment with the dimensions. The frame, when later finished, weighed only 44 pounds and could support a burden of 1,770 pounds.

Because of the time lost at Harpers Ferry, Lewis did not reach Lancaster until April 19. He stayed there until about May 7, studying procedures for celestial observations with astronomer-surveyor Andrew Ellicott. He was one of a group of eminent scientists, the rest at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, whom Jefferson had written to in late February and early March requesting that they indoctrinate the would-be explorer.

Either at Lancaster or Harpers Ferry, Lewis wrote to Maj. William McRae, commanding the Army post at South West Point, Tenn., and the commanders of two forts in present Illinois, Massac and Kaskaskia, and a projected post at Cahokia. These officers were requested to help recruit volunteers for the exploration. At this point, Lewis planned to proceed overland from Washington to Nashville, stopping at South West Point to pick up recruits, and then move by boat down the Cumberland River to the Ohio-Mississippi and gather volunteers at the Illinois posts. He had written Dr. William Dickson at Nashville and authorized him to contract confidentially for the construction of a boat, according to specifications furnished, and to purchase a light wooden canoe.

At about this same time, by mail Lewis also hired as an interpreter a man named John Conner, who was living at an Indian village near present Muncie, Ind., and who had offered his services. Describing the mission and cautioning secrecy, Lewis requested him to recruit two Indians with appropriate qualifications and join the expedition at one of the Illinois forts. As it turned out, for some reason Conner decided not to do so.

About May 7 Lewis proceeded from Lancaster to Philadelphia, where he had arrived by May 10. There he was even busier than he had been at the two earlier stops. One of his principal activities was study with the university scientists: naturalist-physician Benjamin S. Barton, anatomist Dr. Caspar Wistar, physician Dr. Benjamin Rush, and mathematician Robert Patterson. They instructed Lewis in the use of scientific instruments, including those employed to determine latitude and longitude; surveying; methodology of celestial observations; medicine; natural history; and Indian ethnology and history. Thus, he acquired rudimentary outlines of virtually every branch of natural and physical science considered to be important in conducting the exploration. The experts also recommended scientific instruments that should be taken along, provided instructions in collecting and preserving specimens, furnished guidance on the general types of information that should be sought, and supplied lists of specific questions that should be answered if possible.

The academic instruction was intensive enough, but another major problem occupied Lewis' attention: procurement of basic supplies and equipment to sustain a 2-year expedition. He purchased or obtained these from the Schuylkill Arsenal, merchants, and public stores. Scientific devices included a quadrant, mariners' compass, pocket telescope, sextant, chronometer, magnet, and pole chains. Other categories were some food items, including 193 pounds of "portable soup" in 32 canisters; tents and camp equipment; clothing and blankets; medicines and a few basic surgical instruments; cutlery and tools; various types of armament, gunpowder, and weapon accessories; and such odds and ends as writing paper, tobacco, soap, and fishing equipment.

Indian trade goods and presents obviously ranked high in the procurement and included:

With his own funds, apparently as a novelty or to impress the Indians, Lewis also purchased an air gun. [22]

In addition to the Indian goods, a large supply of silver and copper Indian peace medals were obtained. On one side, they bore the likeness of Washington or Jefferson; and, on the other, various inscriptions. [23] Also procured was a good supply of printed certificates for issuance to Indian leaders. These documents, which contained a blank to be filled in with the names of chiefs and their tribes, certified the status of the chiefs, asserted the sovereignty of the United States, and guaranteed its protection.