August, 1804
The first day of August was Captain Clark’s birthday and to celebrate the occasion, the cooks prepared a lavish meal of venison, elk, and beaver tail with dessert that included the abundant fruits in the area: cherries, plums, raspberries, currants, and grapes. The men enjoyed the special meal as much as Clark did. Afterward, Cruzatte brought out his fiddle, Shannon sang “College Hornpipe” and “Sir Roger de Coverly,” and the men danced. The men toasted Captain Clark with their daily gill of whiskey.
Captain Lewis enjoyed the celebration, but he was becoming more and more anxious about their failure to meet groups of Indians in this country where he knew they lived.
“We must make contact with them,” he reminded Clark in frustration. “An important part of our mission is to inform all the tribes that their new nation intends to embrace them if they will put down their weapons for a more peaceful way of life.”
“Yes, but can we persuade them to give up their warrior way of life and become farmers? I don’t know, but I do know we must be patient,” Clark counseled. He paused before adding, “The tribes are out hunting buffalo now, but they’ll show up soon, I feel certain.”
The Missouri River snaked its way through a country of lush green vegetation that was beginning to show a blush of late summer brown. The surface of the river sparkled, almost blinding the men in the hot afternoon sun, and the prairie grass on both sides of the river had grown to heights of almost eight feet.
Early in August, to the relief of the captains, a delegation of six Oto Indian chiefs and seven warriors arrived at the Corps’ campsite, accompanied by a French trader named Giroux to serve as translator. They came in boats made of animal skin—boats that would not turn over! The Otos were dressed in buckskin and moccasins, much like the men of the expedition, but the Indians were also adorned with feathers and porcupine quills and armed with bows and arrows. Every soldier in the Corps of Discovery was alert for any possible threat. La Liberte, the soldier sent to fetch the Otos, did not return with them, even though the Otos said he had left the day before. Lewis and Clark were surprised by his absence.
The soldiers raised the American flag and then drove poles into the ground on which they draped the keelboat sail to provide shade for the meeting. To reflect the importance of the council, Captains Lewis and Clark changed into their full-dress uniforms despite the sultry August heat.
“Ask how many are in their tribe,” Lewis told Giroux when the formality of introductions was finished.
Giroux, a short, wiry man with a face weathered from years of out-of-doors life, answered the question himself. “There are about two-hundred-and-fifty of them. They are farming and hunting people who live in semi-permanent villages. Their big chief is out with their young men hunting buffalo, but a few of their lesser chiefs are here. They have brought gifts for you.” At that, several of the younger Indians presented five watermelons as a happy murmur arose from the soldiers standing by.
“Ah! Watermelon,” Lewis smiled, nodding to the presenters. “Thank you! In this stifling heat, we all will enjoy them!”
Lewis reciprocated with gifts of tobacco twisted together into what was called a “carrot,” as well as a quantity of pork, flour, and cornmeal. After the presentation, Clark called the Corps of Discovery to attention and they performed some marching drills for the entertainment of their visitors. Captain Lewis addressed the Otos through Giroux.
“All the land west of the Mississippi River to the great mountains, where the river flows both east and west, is now part of the United States of America,” he began with an authoritative but friendly tone of voice. “All of our brothers in this land now have a new father who has adopted them as sons.” He explained that the United States would become the trading partner of all Indians, and that everyone would benefit. The six Oto chiefs delivered short speeches, acknowledging their new father and pledging cooperation.
“The chiefs also said they want gunpowder and whiskey,” Giroux told Lewis.
Lewis presented a canister of gunpowder, fifty musket balls, and a bottle of whiskey. Then Clark gave them trinkets, which pleased the Otos greatly. They smiled and nodded to each other approvingly, and said something else to Giroux.
“They said the French had never given such fine presents,” Giroux explained.
“Good!” Clark responded. “It’s comforting to know that we have an advantage.”
As the expedition traveled deeper and deeper into unknown territory, Private Moses Reed had become increasingly troubled. One evening he found the opportunity to talk with John Newman out of earshot of the other men.
“How can we survive hundreds and hundreds of miles of wilderness with only savages to turn to in time of trouble? I’m afraid we’re all going to die out here—killed either by Indians, starvation, or accidents. We haven’t seen the worst of it yet. It’s more dangerous than I ever imagined!”
“Well, maybe you’re right, but I think we’ll make it,” Newman replied, trying to keep his squeaky, high-pitched voice to a whisper. “The captains always seem to know what they’re doing, and I trust them.”
“Well, I don’t because they don’t know what’s ahead. I think this trip is doomed.” Reed’s dark eyes were intense, filled with fear. At that moment, Reed decided to desert the expedition, and he knew he would have to do it alone because it would be too risky to try to recruit Newman, as he had planned. He decided he would return to the Oto village and make it from there back to civilization.
When the Corps pulled to shore to make camp the next evening, Reed approached Clark. “Captain, I left my tomahawk back at the council site. I’d like permission to go back and get it.”
Clark considered the importance of the missing weapon and gave his permission. “Just be sure you’re back in time to take your place at your oar in the morning.”
Reed had stashed his clothes and extra ammunition outside the camp. Retrieving them, he took off into the wilderness to find his way to the Oto village. Rain fell all night and by morning, the rain and wind were so fierce that the expedition was delayed for two hours. Even so, Reed had not returned.
“Has anyone seen Reed?” Captain Lewis asked among the men as they busied themselves getting ready to shove off.
No one had, and Newman kept his suspicions to himself. Finally, the expedition departed without Reed, stopping at noon for Lewis to make and record observations. By the end of the day, Reed still had not returned.
“I’ll check his personal belongings,” Clark said to Lewis, and he soon discovered that Reed’s belongings and ammunition were gone.
“Reed has deserted!” a surprised Clark told Lewis.
“It looks like it,” Lewis agreed. “This is disappointing because the men all seem in such good spirits. Let’s send a detail to find him and bring him back.”
The captains selected a four-man detail, headed by George Drouillard and including Privates Reuben Fields, Bratton, and Labiche to find Reed and bring him back.
“If he won’t surrender, kill him,” Lewis instructed Drouillard coldly. “Army regulations demand death for desertions. If he won’t surrender, let him pay the debt he owes.”
Captain Clark added, “At the Oto village, if their big chief has returned from the buffalo hunt, bring him back with you if he is willing. Also, see what you can find out about La Liberte while you’re there. We’ll wait for you near the Omaha village.”
Drouillard and the three men departed directly for the Oto village, the only logical place for Reed to go. They traveled all the following day, camped that night, and at midmorning of the second day approached the Oto village with care, looking for Reed.
“There he is,” Field whispered, pointing.
“Men, prime your muskets. Be ready to shoot if Reed runs,” Drouillard ordered.
With their guns loaded and ready, the men quietly entered the village and surrounded a visibly shocked Reed. He started to raise his musket, but quickly realized he would be killed before he could fire.
“Reed, you are under arrest for desertion,” Drouillard said. “My orders are to bring you back or kill you. Which will it be?”
Reed was so frightened he could barely speak. “You men know this is an impossible expedition,” he pleaded, searching their faces for agreement. “We will never make it through this wilderness with savages waiting to kill everyone.” His musket fell from his shaking hands. “I want to live, not die,” he pleaded.
“I’m not here to argue with you, Reed.” Drouillard motioned to his companions. “Tie his hands behind his back while I look for the chief of the Otos.”
Drouillard found the chief and invited him and others from his village to come to the Corps of Discovery camp for a council. Then he asked about La Liberte, and the chief summoned the French trapper. Private Fields stepped over to hear their conversation.
The two men spoke French, but Fields could tell that Drouillard asked him about being gone from the Corps of Discovery. La Liberte was surprised and taken aback, strongly denying a second question Drouillard asked him. Drouillard motioned back toward the way his group had come, and La Liberte seemed to agree, but he asked a question and hurried away.
“Did La Liberte desert, Drouillard?” Fields asked.
“No. He is going for his gun and clothes and is coming with us. ”
The Corps of Discovery never saw La Liberte again.
Meantime, the expedition had continued and come upon the gravesite of the famous Chief Blackbird, an Omaha chief whose memory was so revered by his people that they still brought food to his grave four years after his death. The grave, located atop a three-hundred-foot hill, was a mound of earth six feet high. To honor him and to please his people, the men placed a flagpole and flag on the mount.
“The Omahas say he is buried astride his horse,” Clark said.
“I think very few leaders in history have been so loved,” Captain Lewis added, in awe of the legends about the mighty chief.
They camped in a nearby cottonwood grove that night, and the next morning Lewis summoned Sergeant Floyd.
“Floyd, take Cruzatte, Shannon, Warner, and Cooper and see if you can find the local Omaha village. If you find them, invite them to a council with us.”
Floyd took along a flag and some tobacco as presents. However, locating the Omaha village proved to be a challenge because the men had to struggle through dense thistles and huge sunflower plants that rose to a height of ten feet. They finally came upon an abandoned Indian village of three hundred dwellings that had been burned some time before. A few miles further, the group came upon the current Omaha village, where an old chief greeted them. Cruzatte spoke the Omaha language and communicated fluently with him.
“We have come from a faraway land to make friends with our brothers, the Omahas,” he said. “We come to invite your chiefs to come and talk with our chiefs.”
The old chief nodded. “Our chiefs and young men have gone to hunt buffalo. Only women, children, and old men are here now,” he explained.
“Just our luck,” Floyd said when Cruzatte translated for him. “Ask him about the burned village.”
“We found a large village that had been burned. Why was it burned?”
“There was much sickness. Half of our people died. We burned the village to stop the bad sickness.”
The men returned to the camp alone, and when Floyd reported on the trip, both Lewis and Clark were disappointed.
“Damn!” Lewis said. “Apparently all the Indian tribes are out hunting buffalo. The time of year is preventing us from counseling with these tribes. I had hoped we could meet with all the friendly Indians before meeting with any hostile ones.”
“We’ll keep trying,” Clark said. “I’m sure they can’t stay out more than a week at a time.”
Game was scarce in these grasslands, so Captain Clark took a crew of ten men to make a brush drag and take it to Omaha Creek, where they caught 318 fish. Their success took them the next day to a nearby creek that had been dammed by beavers. This time, they caught more than 300 salmon, pike, bass, and perch. The men had a great fish fry that evening, along with much fiddling and dancing. During the festivities, Labiche arrived with the news that Drouillard’s detachment was returning.
“Do they have Reed?” Lewis asked.
“Yes, and some Indians are with them.”
Drouillard arrived with Reed, two Oto chiefs, seven Oto warriors, and the Oto’s French interpreter, Giroux. Lewis and Clark greeted the party warmly, ignoring Reed to make him feel insignificant. The Otos were covered only with breech cloths, blankets, or brightly painted buffalo robes. After introductions and the usual exchange of presents, Lewis explained to their guests that the expedition was going to conduct a military trial for the man who had deserted. The captains created the court with Captain Lewis as the presiding judge. A nervous Reed was brought before it.
“Private Moses Reed, you are charged with the very serious crime of desertion in the face of potential danger,” Lewis began. “How do you plead, guilty or not guilty?”
“Guilty,” Reed responded, hanging his head.
“How do you plead to the charge of theft of a musket, a shot pouch, gunpowder, and musket balls?”
“Guilty.”
“You deserted your post in potentially hostile territory at a time when every soldier is vitally needed at his post. Under the Articles of War of the United States Army, you could be executed for this offense. But since you surrendered and returned to face the consequences of your action, it is the sentence of this court that you run the gauntlet four times and then be discharged from the army. You will give up all soldierly duties as unfit to be a soldier and be assigned to hard labor as an oarsman with the French engages without pay until you can be returned to St. Louis.”
The Oto chiefs pleaded with the captains on Reed’s behalf when they learned what “running the gauntlet” meant.
“The Oto never strike anyone, not even children,” Chief Little Thief explained to Captain Lewis.
“This man’s absence from his duties could have endangered the lives of our entire party,” Lewis explained. “We cannot let such disloyalty go unpunished. It is our law.”
The two chiefs nodded to each other with understanding, and Chief Little Thief said, “We punish disloyalty with death.” The Oto delegation witnessed the punishment without further comment.
Each soldier in the Corps of Discovery cut nine sturdy switches from trees and formed two lines with a four-foot path between them. At a given signal, Reed was forced to walk nude through the path as men mercilessly beat him with their switches. After four trips through the gauntlet, Reed’s body was a bloody mess.
During the council that evening, the captains entertained the Otos by demonstrating a magnet and by firing the air gun with its powerful blast. The Otos were impressed, but they soon became troublesome by begging for whiskey and gifts, not satisfied with the presents already given to them.
“We have already given you all the presents we have,” Captain Clark explained. “Let us be happy in the friendship between us.” However, he had to give them a dram of whiskey before the Otos were willing to leave.