Historical Overview for the Publication of the Travels of Lewis and Clark

Introduction

Upon returning from their westward expedition in 1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the executors of Thomas Jefferson's grand vision for expanded scientific knowledge, Indian diplomacy, and new commercial routes for the newly formed United States, received the homecoming welcome of conquering heroes. Excitement in the country ran high as the President and the public waited eagerly to hear about the adventures of the travelers and the discoveries they made on their two-year journey. President Jefferson intended for all the information collected and recorded on the expedition to be published by the captains as soon after the Corps of Discovery returned as possible. He wanted the journals available to the public while interest remained high. However, fortune and politics turned Jefferson's well-laid plan into an obstacle course and a seven-year endeavor.

On January 18, 1803, President Jefferson presented a secret proposal to Congress. In that address, he requested that the legislature approve an expedition to the western reaches of the continent that the United States occupied at that time with French, Spanish, British, and Indian territories. He told Congress that it was a commercial and diplomatic mission, however, Jefferson's ambitions exceeded a desire for friendship with surrounding nations and commercial gains.

The inquisitive President wanted to know about the languages, customs, and technologies of the Indians, the dates on which plants started to wilt, and what new species of animals roamed beyond the frontier. He wanted to establish relations with the Indians, and perhaps bring some to Washington in a learning exchange. He wanted to create maps of the unclaimed territories, based on geographical and astronomical observations. He yearned to enrich the public understanding of science and nature. Congress approved the proposal, granting the Corps of Western Discovery $2,500 (Beckham, 2003 p.68). President Jefferson entrusted his personal assistant and fellow Virginian, Lieutenant Meriwether Lewis, to lead the venture. Lewis invited a friend from his military service, William Clark, to serve as his co-captain. Together, the two captains recruited 49 other volunteers with military experience to accompany them for the grand adventure; some for just part of the trek, and many for the entire journey. Jefferson instructed the leaders of the expedition to maintain detailed journals "entered distinctly and intelligibly for others as well as [themselves]," and have some of the lower ranking participants copy the journals to protect them against "the accidental losses to which they will be exposed." (Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 20 June 1803). Upon their return from the wilderness, Jefferson intended to publish their findings.

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