Capts Lewis & Clark wintered at the entrance of a Small river opposit the Mouth of Missouri Called Wood River, where they formed their party, Composed of robust helthy hardy young men....

   Snow last night, (rain) a mist to day  Cap (William) Whitesides Came to See me & his Son, and some countrey people, Serjt Odderway return & bring me Some papers from Capt. Lewis, who is (in) Kohokia on business of importance to the enterprise, the party verry merry this evenig. Mr Whitesides says a no. of young men in his Neghborhood wishes to accompany Capt Lewis and myself on the Expdts Cap L. allso sent me a Letter from Capt Amos Stoddard which mentions his aptnt to the Comd of upper Louisane, & take possession of St. Louis &c

Dear Sir (Capt. Lewis):
   ...the newspapers inform us you left Kaskaskias about the 8^th of December. I hope you will have received my letter by that day, or very soon after; written in belief it would be better that you should not enter the Missouri till the spring; yet not absolutly controuling your own judgement formed on the spot. we have not heard of the delivery of Louisiana to us as yet, tho' we have no doubt it took place about the 20^th of December, and that orders were at the same time expedited to evacuate the upper posts, troops of ours being in readiness & under orders to take possession.
   I hope this will reach you before your final departure. The acquisition of the country through which you are to pass has inspired the public generally with a great deal of interest.... present my salutations to mr. Clarke, assure all your party that we have our eyes turned on them with anxiety for their safety & the success of their enterprise. accept yourself assurances of sincere esteem & attachment.

Dear Major (brother-in-law William Croghan)
   ...It is hourly expected that the American's will take possession of the other side of the Mississippi. All the Inhabitents appear anxious except the people of St. Louis, who are ingaged in the Indian Trade which they are doubtfull will be divided, amongst those whome will trade on the best terms....
   My situation is as comfortable as could be expected in the woods, & on the frontiers; the Country back of me is butifull beyond description; a rich bottom well timbered, from one to three miles wide, from the river to a Prarie; which runs nearly parrilal to the river from about three miles above me, to Kaskaskia and is from three to 7 miles wide, with gradual rises and several streams of running water, and good Mill seats; This Prarie has settlements on its edges from Kahoka within three miles of this place. The Missouri which mouths imedeately opposet me (is a large turbalent) is the river we intend assending as soon as the weather will permit. This Great river which seems to dispute the preeminence with the Mississippi, coms in at right angles from the West, and forces its great sheets of muddy Ice (which is now running) against the Eastern bank....
   I shall be glad to here from you at all times. Please to present my best wishes to my sister Lucy & Fanny & the Children, to them and your self I tender the assurances (of) sincear esteem & friendship.

Dear Sir (Capt. Lewis):
   ...in that of the 13^th inst. I enclosed you the map of a mr Evans, a Welshman, employed by the Spanish government for that purpose, but whose original object I believe had been to go in search of the Welsh Indians said to be up the Missouri. on this subject a mr Rees of the same nation... will write to you. N. Orleans was delivered to us on the 20^th of Dec. and our garrisons & government established there. the order for the delivery of the Upper posts were to leave N. Orleans on the 28^th and we presume all those posts will be occpied by our troops by the last day of the present month... being now become sovereigns of the country, without however any diminution of the Indian rights of occupancy we are authorised to propose to them in direct terms the institution of commerce with them. It will now be proper you should inform those through whose country you will pass, or whom you may meet, that their late fathers, the Spaniards have agreed to withdraw all their troops from all the waters & country of the Missispi & Missouri, that they have surrendered to us all their subjects Spanish and French settled there, and all their posts and lands: that henceforward we become their fathers and friends, and that we shall endeavor that they shall have no cause to lament the change: that we have sent you to enquire into the nature of the country & the nations inhabiting it, to know at what places and times we must establish stores of goods among them, to exchange for their peltries... although you will pass through no settlements of the Sioux (except seceders) yet you will probably meet with parties of them. On that nation we wish most particularly to make a friendly impression, because of their immense power, and because we learn that they are very desirous of being on the most friendly terms with us.
   I enclose you a letter which I believe is from some one on the part of the Philosophical society, they have made you a member, and your diploma is lodged with me... your friends here and in Albemarle as far as I recollect are well...
   Accept my friendly salutations & assurances of affectionate esteem & respect.

   a Cloudy morning, Some Snow... at 8 oClock 16° abv 0, about Sun Set Capt. Lewis arrived accompanied by Mr J. Hay & Mr Jo Hays of Kohokia-       The hunters killed 5 Deer to day-

   Still Sick, the french Man Wife &c came to See us to day    Mrs. Cane als    (Samuel) Hanley sent us some Butter & milk, river riseing & Covered with Small Ice. Ct L send out Shields to get walnut Bark for pills, fowl pass

   The Commanding officer directs that During the absence of himself and Cap^t Clark from the Camp, that the party shall consider themselves under the immediate command of Serg^t Ordway....
   The sawyers will continue their work untill they have cut the necessary quantity of plank....
   The four men who are engaged in making sugar will continue in that employment until firther orders....
   The practicing party will in futer discharge only one round each p ^r day, which will be done under the direction of Serg^t Ordway, all at the same target and at a distance of fifty yards off hand. The prize of a gill of extra whiskey will be recieved by the person who makes the best shot at each time of practice.
   Floyd will take charge of our quarters and store and be exempt from guard duty until our return...

   The weather had been clear since Cap^t Lewis lef Camp untill this

   Return from S^t Charles after having arrested the progress of a Kickapoo war party

   a verry smokey day   I had Corn parched to make parched meal, Workmen all at work prepareing the Boat, I visit the Indian Camps, In one Camp found 3 Squaws & 3 young ones, another 1 girl & a boy    in a 3^rd Simon Gertey (Girty) & two other famileys    Gertey has the Rhumertism Verry bad. ...

   a Cloudy morning, all hands at work prepareing for the voyage up the Missourie. Cap Louis arrived at 4 oClock from St. Louis

   Tried Several men for missconduct

   Set out at 7 oClock in a Canoo with Cap Lewis my servant York & one man at 1/2 past 10 arrived at St. Louis. Dressed & Dined with Capt (Amos) Stoddard & about 50 Gentlemen, A Ball succeeded, which lasted untill 9 oClock on Sunday    no business to day

   A rainy morning    Slept late, Thunder and lightning at 1 oClock, men Shoot at a mark....

   Honored Parents: I now embrace this oportunity of writing to you once more to let you know where I am and where I am going. I am well thank God and in high Spirits. I am now on an expedition to the westward, with Capt Lewis and Capt Clark, who are appointed by the President of the united States to go on an Expedition through the interior parts of North America. We are to ascend the Missouri River with a boat as far as it is navigable and then go by land, to the western ocean, if nothing prevents. This party consists of 25 picked men of the armey and country likewise and I am so happy as to be one of them picked men from our armey and I and all the party are if we live to return to receive our discharge when ever we return again to the united States if we choose it.... we expect to be gone 18 months or two years, we are to receive a great reward for this expedition 15 dollars a month and at least 400 ackers of first rate land and if we make great discoveries as we expect the united States has promised to make us great rewards, more than we are promised....
   I have received no letters since Betseys yet but will write next winter if I have a chance.
   Yours &c

   Mr Hay packing up    all hands at work prepareing. Several Country men Came to Win my mens money, in doing So lost all they had, with them. river fall

Dear friend (Capt Clark):    I cannot hear of or find the hair pipes. The articles you sent by Serg^t Floyd wer duly received. The mail has not arrived. The Osages will set out about the 10 ^th ....
   The pay of the men will commence from the dates of their inlistments and will be made up to the last of November 1804 at the regular wages of soldiers & Serg^t. &c - including the bounty of such as are intitled to it which is not the case with those whose former inlistments do not expire before the said 31st of November. Other receipt rolls will be made out for 5 dollars pr month as an advance on the score of Cloathing and provisions not furnished by the government - this to commence with those inlisted in Kentucky from the dates of their inlistments, all others from the 1st of january 1804. Mr. (Auguste) Choteau has procured seven engages to go as far as the Mandanes - but they will not agree to go further....

My dear friend (Clark),    I send you herewith inclosed your commission accompanyed by Secretary of War's letter: it is not such as I wished, or had reason to expect; but so it is - a further explaneation when I join you. I think it will be best to let none of our party or any other persons know any thing about the grade, you will observe that the grade has no effect upon your compensation, which by G--d, shall be equal to my own.
   ...I send you by Colter and (moses) Reed 200 lbs. of tallow which you will be so good as to have melted with 50 lbs. of hog's lard, cooled in small vessels and put into some of those small Keggs which wer intended for whiskey. Not a kegg can be obtained in St. Louis.... I hope all matters will be in readiness for my departure from this place. Damn Manuel (Manuel Lisa) and triply Damn Mr. B. (Francis Marie Benoit). They give me more vexation and trouble than their lives are worth. I have dealt very plainly with these gentlemen, in short I have come to an open rupture with them; i think them both great scoundrels, and they have given me abundant proofs of their unfriendly dispositions towards our government and it's measures. These (gentlemen) (no I will scratch it out) these puppies, are not unacquainted with my opinions; and I am well informed that they have engaged some hireling writer to draught a petition and remonstrance to Govr. (William) Clairbourne against me; strange indeed, that men to appearance in their senses, will (show) manifest such strong sumptoms of insanity, as to be wheting knives to cut their own throats.
   I have determined to take two horses on with me, the one which is at Camp and the one the men now bring you. Adieu it is late. Your sincer friend,

   I Load the Boat all day, a fair day    Mr. Rumsey Ride a public horse to St. Louis    a fair day....

   I despatched an express this morning to Cap^t Lewis at S^t Louis, all our provisions Goods and equipage on Board of a Boat of 22 oars (Party) a large Perogue of 71 oares (in which 8 French) a Second Perogue of 6 oars, (Soldiers) Complete with Sails &c. &c. Men comp^d with Powder Cartragies and 100 Balls each, all in health and readiness to set out....
   Lat^d      38° - 55' - 6/10 North of equator
   Long^td  89 - 57 - 45 - West of Greenwich

   Rained the fore oart of the day    I determined to go as far as S^t Charles a french Village 7 leag^s up could finish the business in which he was obliged to attend to at S^t Louis and join me by Land from that place 24 miles; by this movement I calculated that if any alterations in loading of the Vestles or other Changes necessary, that they might be made at S ^t Charles
   

   Showery day    Capt Clark Set out at 3 oclock P m for the western expidition    the party consisted of 3 Serguntes and 38 working hands which maned the Batteow and two Perogues we Sailed up the missouria 6 miles and encamped on the N. side of teh River

   On Monday the 14th of May 1804, we left our establishment at the mouth of the river du Bois or Wood river, a small river which falls into the Mississippi, on the east-side, a mile below the Missouri, and... proceeded up the Missouri on our intended voyage of discovery, under the command of Captain Clarke. Captain Lewis was to join us in two or three days on our passage.
   The corps consisted of forty-three men (including Captain Lewis and Captain Clarke, who were to command the Expedition) part of the regular troops of the United States, and part engaged for this particular enterprise. The expidition was embarked on board a batteau and two periogues. The day was showery, and in the evening we encamped on the north bank six miles up the River. Here we had leisure to reflect on our situation, and the nature of our engagements: and as we had all entered this service as volunteers, to consider how far we stood pledged for the success of an expedition, which the government had projected; and which had been undertaken for the benefit and at the expence of the Union; of course of much interest and high expectation.

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