In 1803, Thomas Jefferson named Meriwether Lewis as head of the Army Corps of Discovery, calling him “brave, prudent, habituated to the woods and familiar with Native manners and character.” Captain Lewis in turn named Lieutenant William Clark to serve as co-captain of the expedition. In this role, Clark was assigned to draw maps and sketches, observing and recording flora, fauna, and Native life, along the way.
The team departed from camp near St. Louis on May 14, 1804, traveling about 8,000 miles on their journey. The explorers canoed their way up the Missouri and Jefferson Rivers, crossed the Rocky Mountains – with the help of the guide Sacajawea – then followed the Clearwater, Snake, and Columbia Rivers down to the Pacific Ocean. On the return trip, the party split up to cover more ground. Lewis went down the Marias River, and Clark descended the Yellowstone. The Army Corps of Discovery Expedition was greeted by cheering crowds as they returned to St. Louis on September 23, 1806.
A Day-by-Day Calendar of Historical Events In Iowa, William J. Petersen, State Historical Society of Iowa, 1946, p 47
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