Nexus Between The Lewis & Clark Expedition And The First European Visitors

Late in the afternoon of May 14th, 1804, 51 men began a military journey that is one of the most incredible in our nation's entire history.

Their mission, assigned by President Thomas Jefferson, was simple enough:

"to explore the Missouri River & such principal streams of it, to seek communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean which may offer the most direct and practicable water route across this continent, for the purpose of commerce. Your observations are to be taken with great pains and accuracy and entered into a journal distinctly and intelligibly."

Heading up the Missouri River in a 55x8' keelboat with 22 oars and just behind, 2 pirogues, the cadre consisted of 3 sergeants, 8 corporals, 24 privates, an interpreter, 12 temporary engages and a slave named York. They were under the co-command of Captain Meriwether Lewis of the First Infantry, and Captain William Clark of the Corps of Artillery, United States Army.

On April 7, 1805, after their winter at Ft. Mandan at the Knife River in North Dakota, the 12 engages and an Arikara Indian (Big White) returned to St. Louis in the keelboat under the command of Corporal Richard Warfington. They would ensure the maps, writings and the samples of the flora and fauna discovered would reach President Jefferson and be preserved forever.

At the same departure time, 34 preceded westward which included 3 new members; an interpreter named Toussaint Charbonneau and his Shoshone wife, Sakakawea. Strapped to Sakakawea's back was their 2-month-old son, Jean Baptise, whom they called 'Pomp'.

The expedition successfully reached the Pacific Ocean and then returned to St. Louis on September 23rd, 1806. During their journey of 2 years, 4 months and 10 days they had covered more than 8,000 miles by walking, along with hauling, poling and oaring their boats.

All that happened during this trek is truly an epic. I encourage you to read their journals and peripheral publications to lean more.

Now, to create the complete nexus of this event I'd like to take to back to the first European visitors to the continental United States.

This too, in an incredible story.

12th CENTURY EUROPEAN VISITORS

It begins in Whales in the year 1169, some 322 years before Columbus. And there's even a monument to the event in Mobile Bay, Alabama. It involves Prince Madoc, son of King Owain Gwynedd. Madoc was a seasoned navigator and knew well the stories about Eric the Red's settlement in Greenland in the late 900's and the next century's treks of Lief Ericson. Madoc was anxious to find the New World for himself. That spring he set sail in his ship, the Gwennan Gorn, heading southwest. To his knowledge, no one had ever sailed this route before. After all, the earth was flat.

After about 5 weeks at sea and 6 days beyond the "garden in the ocean with its thousands of eels" (the Sargasso Sea), they spotted land. Having been blown off-course several times, Madoc sensed a northerly bearing would be in order as they explored the coastline off their port side. Making several stops to forage along the way they were in awe of the endless hardwood forests and bountiful game.

From the ship they thought they had spotted inhabitants several times, but upon landing they never found any.

Then, within a few days, they sailed into a huge bay almost as far across as the eye could see. Suddenly, there on the western shore, was a small gathering. The natives stared intently having never seen such a great canoe coming from beyond the sunrise water. Madoc ordered the crew to drop anchor, and they rowed ashore. The inhabitants quickly dispersed as they beached the crewboat.

Madoc waited ... and ... waited.

After what probably seemed an eternity, one of the natives appeared, then another and another. With curious caution the groups approached each other. What a sight Madoc must have been to the natives. He stood over 6 feet tall, slim at the hip, very muscular and bearded with long tresses of blond hair flowing from beneath his helmet. He wore an armored breastplate, a sword, and clothing not made of skins.

The natives wore only loincloths of deer hide. They had painted their ruddy faces and bodies black and brown, which allowed them to blend well into the woods. Their weapons were primitive bows and spears with stone or bone points.

Each group sized up the other. Though out numbered, Madoc and his crew were over a foot taller

and had the additional advantage of body weight. The approach was slow and cautions. With sword sheathed Madoc spoke the first words and gestured with palms open and up. Both groups tried to cautiously relax as they mingled.

Without a common language or hand signing, communication was extremely difficult. And then it happened. Misinterpreting one of the native's gestures, an edgy crewman drew his sword and struck. In the ensuing confusion several of Madoc's crew were killed.

They had grossly underestimated the natives' fighting ability and were driven off into the surf. Safely aboard their ship, they immediately set course to the northeast with no desire for any further exploration. All tended their wounds during the somber return to Wales.

That next year, 1170, Madoc's father, King Owain Gwynedd, died. War broke out within the family for claim of the throne. Wanting no part of this, Madoc decided to leave and sail again for the land beyond the "garden in the ocean". This time with the intent of starting a settlement.

He recruited all the necessary tradesmen and their families and set out with 13 ships. During this trip a series of storms took their toll and Madoc's fleet was blown farther south. To adjust, Madoc turned northwest expecting to soon find land off the port side. After a few days, there it was: the New World. But something was wrong. The land was now on the starboard side.

Madoc was a wise and prudent sailor. Calculating his time at sea and reading the stars he concluded that he was, indeed, where he wanted to be but had merely rounded an isthmus or peninsula. Or, maybe, this was a large island just off the coast. They continued North. For several days the land remained off the right side. Then one morning the sun rose aft and land was still on the right. Madoc