Gale Kira - Meriwether Lewis: the assassination of an American hero and the silver mines of Mexico

MERIWETHER LEWIS

Of courage undaunted,

possessing a firmness

& perserverance of purpose

which nothing but impossibilities

could divert from its direction.

Thomas Jefferson

R IVER J UNCTION P RESS LLC

Omaha, Nebraska

www.riverjunctionpress.com

Copyright 2015 by Kira Gale

All rights reserved

Distributed in U.S. and Canada by IPG

www.ipgbook.com

Printed in the United States of America

First edition, 2015

ISBN: 978-0991409327

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

www.lewisassassination.com

Publishers Cataloging-In-Publication Data

(Prepared by The Donohue Group, Inc.)

Gale, Kira.

Meriwether Lewis : the assassination of an American hero and the silver mines of Mexico / Kira Gale. -- First edition.

1 electronic resource : illustrations, maps

Issued also in print.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN: 978-0-9914093-2-7 (ePub)

ISBN: 978-0-9914093-3-4 (PDF)

ISBN: 978-0-9914093-4-1 (mobi)

1. Lewis, Meriwether, 17741809. 2. Explorers--West (U.S.)--Biography. 3. United States--Politics and government--17971801. 4. United States--Politics and government--18011809. 5. Mexico--History--Wars of Independence, 18101821. 6. Lewis and Clark Expedition (18041806) 7. Wilkinson, James, 17571825. 8. Biography. 9. Electronic books. I. Title.

F592.7.L42 G354 2015eb

FRONT COVER: Meriwether Lewis and James Wilkinson, by Charles Willson Peale (public domain), 1804 North American map by John Pinkerton. FRONTISPIECE: Meriwether Lewis, 1807 portrait by Charles Balthazar Julen Fvret de Saint-Mmin (Missouri History Museum, St. Louis)

Dedicated to my husband, Henry Hanna Gale, who has always supported me in my efforts to learn more, and who has been my companion on countless road trips across America exploring our country and its history.

Meriwether Lewiss birth in 1774Lewiss, Meriwethers, Jeffersons, leading families of AlbemarleThomas Jeffersons role in starting the American RevolutionVirginia Shirtmen.

George Rogers Clark, older brother of William Clark and native of Albemarle, moves to Kentuckyorganizes volunteer militia and wins Northwest Territory for the United States in 177879.

Lewiss childhooddeaths of father and stepfatherBritish officers POW campTarletons RaidLewiss schooling.

Lewis joins Virginia militia to put down rebellion in western Pennsylvaniaenlists in Legion of the United States.

Wilkinson exposes Conway Cabal and wins support of George Washingtonmarries Ann Biddlemoves to Kentuckydestroys rival George Rogers Clarks careeropens Mississippi River for Kentucky goodsbecomes Spanish agentfoils Connolly plotserves in Indian Wars in Ohio Valleyjoins the new Legion of the United States.

Wilkinson becomes brigadier general under Major General Anthony Wayneassassinations of Trueman and Hardinattempted assassination of Humphrey MarshallWaynes Ohio fortsWilliam Clarks loyalty to WilkinsonWayne almost killed by falling treeWayne wins Battle of Fallen TimbersWayne calls Wilkinson that vile assassinWilkinson demands Court of Inquiry over Waynes victoryWilkinson colludes with BritishRobert Newman, double agentPowers delivers Spanish payoff to WilkinsonEdmond Gent AffairGeorge Rogers Clark becomes Major General in French Revolutionary Army and organizes invasion of Louisiana for GentFort MassacWayne dies en route to PhiladelphiaDid he die from arsenic poisoning?Lewis carries legion records to PhiladelphiaWilkinson becomes commanding general of new United States Army.

Federalist and Republican partiesPresident John Adamsa tropical profusion of plotsthreat of British invasion from CanadaZachariah Cox and Mobile Baymartial law in DetroitSenator William Blount Conspiracy and first U. S. impeachment trialHaitian RevolutionFrench refugeesTalleyrand and XYZ AffairQuasi War with France in the CaribbeanU. S. aids Haitian rebelssurrender of Spanish forts on MississippiAndrew Ellicott discovers conspiracy of Spanish officials and American officers to establish new country in Mississippi ValleySpain prepares for warWilliam Clark sketches Spanish fort and war vessels en route to New Orleans.

Lewis joins Freemasonsleave of absence on family businessbecomes army recruiting officer at CharlottesvilleAlien & Sedition ActsJefferson and Madison secretly draft Kentucky and Virginia Resolutionssecession from union fearedGeorge Rogers Clark flees arrest on charge of seditionWilliam Clark tries to solve his brothers financial troublesAdams and Hamilton quarrelCongress authorizes five armies anticipating war with FranceHamilton becomes commanding general of U. S. ArmyPresident Adams sends peace envoy to FranceHamilton and Wilkinson plan secret military base, Wilkinsonville, at Ohio and Mississippi RiversHamilton is-forced to resignWilkinsons proteg Philip Nolan is killed in Texas by Spanishfires at War and Treasury Departments destroy government records700 troops begin moving to Wilkinsonville without Adamss knowledgeelection of 1800 ends in tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron BurrWas an invasion of Spanish territory planned if Burr became president?silver mines of Mexico, Natchez cotton lands, and ship ownersusurpation and civil warGabriels slave rebellion in Virginiagovernors of Pennsylvania and Virginia prepare for civil warAaron Burr accepts vice presidencyLewis becomes paymaster for western army postsPresident Jefferson asks Lewis to become his private secretary.

Description of the Presidents Housedinner partiesLewis ranks army officers in coded listWilkinson tours northeast with Jonathan WilliamsWilkinson and Williams go to Wilkinsonville for training exercisesstrange death of Colonel StrongIndian treaties and road buildingmammoth cheeseLewis visits Mahlon Dickerson in Philadelphiamammoth exhibitAlexander Mackenzies VoagesRobert Grays discovery of Columbia RiverDoctrine of DiscoveryMackay-Evans Expedition to Upper MissouriJohn Evans and the Welsh IndiansMandan villagesEvans death in New OrleansFrance prepares to invade LouisianaSt. Domingue (Haiti) revolutionthe Louisiana Purchase, a noble bargainplanning an expedition to the Pacific CoastLewis goes to Harpers Ferry, Lancaster and Philadelphia preparing for expeditionLewis asks William Clark to join him as co-leadernews reaches capitol on July 3, 1803 that France has sold Louisiana to the United States.

Lewis leaves Washington on July 5, 1803Boat building in PittsburghSeaman the dogairgunWheelingGrave Creek MoundBig Bone Lick fossilsWilliam Clark at Falls of OhioNine Young Men from KentuckyFort Massac & KaskaskiaLouisiana transfer ceremoniesWilkinson urges capture of Lewiss expeditionUpper Missouri boundary of Louisianafour Spanish expeditions sent to capture Captain MerryPawnee chief stops Spanish soldiersWood River Camp in IllinoisPostmaster John HayClark receives 2nd Lt commissionMay 14th, 1804 departuremusicdescription of keelboatduties of sergeantsClark as map makerjournal keepersLewiss missing journalIndian surveyOtoe CouncildesertersOmaha villageSgt Floyds deathShannon gets lostYankton Sioux CouncilPatrick Gass elected Sergeantprairie dog capturepronghornsIndian burning of prairiesconfrontation with Teton SiouxBlack Buffalos role as American ally in War of 1812Arikara Councilsex with Indian womenmutiny trialcrime & punishmentwinter at Fort MandanHidatsa and Mandan chiefsBritish tradershunting partiesrelations with Indiansdancingsex and venereal diseaseblacksmithsSacagawea gives birth to Pompeyreports to the presidentkeelboat returns to St. Louisdeath of Arikara Chiefdeparture from Fort Mandan, April 7, 180533 members of permanent partyimportance of woman and baby with expeditiongrizzly bearsmap of Montana riversimmense amount of buffalo and beaverAssiniboin Indians watch themboat accident, loss of Lewiss journalincredible labor of menWhite CliffsDecision PointMarias RiverGreat FallsSacagawea sickdragging canoes on wheels(Portage Camps)cache pitsiron boat framenarrow escapes from deathprickly pear cactusThree Forks and Missouri headwatersmap of water route to Pacificacquiring horses from the ShoshoneSacagaweas brother, chief of Shoshone bandLemhi PassFlatheadsOld Tobe guides them through Bitterroots (Lolo Trail)portable soupNez Perce view of expeditionstomach troublesCanoe CampBlackfeet Indians, allies of Britishlack of guns among Shoshone, Flatheads, Nez Percegeopolitical significance of reaching mouth of Columbia RiverBoston ships and Triangular Tradethree territorial missions of expeditionestablishment of American fur trade in WestColumbia River Plateau IndiansCelilo FallsSalmon fishingChinook Indiansreaching the PacificDismal Nitchvote for location of winter quartersFort ClatsopSaltworksthe great whaleperpetual rainbargaining with Chinookssex and venereal diseasereturn journeySeaman stolen and retrievedhorses purchasedWalla Walla Indiansreturn to Nez PerceClark fathers son with Nez Perce womanNez Perce visit to Clark in 1831Travelers RestLewis goes north to explore MariasClark goes south to explore YellowstoneCamp Disappointmentfight with Blackfeetlater accounts of fightColter runs for his life in 1808Drouillard killed in 1810Blackfeet hostility to AmericansLewis accidentally shot by CruzatteClarks party on YellowstoneIndians steal horsesPompeys Pillarreturn to Man dan villagesClark promises to raise Pompey in St. LouisMandan chief Big White, Jessaume, their wives and children join expeditionmeet Teton and Yankton Siouxencounters with traders on riverarrival back at St. Louis.