Visitors can still witness the 2 rivers as they merge at this 1,118-acre park located on the north side of the Missouri River at its confluence with the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. WHERE TWO RIVERS BECOME ONE In 1721, French explorer, Father Pierre Francois de Charlevoix, wrote of the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, “I believe this is the finest confluence in the world. The two rivers are much the same breadth, each about half a league: but the Missouri is by for the most rapid, and seems to enter the Mississippi like a conqueror, through which it carries its white waters to the opposite shore without mixing them, afterwards, it gives its color to the Mississippi which it never loses again but carries quite down to the sea …” Photo: GreatRiverRoad.com ...
Camp Dubois proved to be the Expedition’s first test of cohesiveness. Living and working together prepared Corps members like Gass to face the trials the journey would bring. Still, on that spring morning in 1804, it was not without anticipation and trepidation that they “proceeded on under a jentle brease up the Missouri.” Camp Dubois sat at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, near present day Hartford, Illinois. Between December 1803 and May 1804, Camp Dubois housed the men of the newly formed Corps of Discovery. During those months dedicated to final preparations for the long journey, these men brawled and drank and disobeyed. And yet as they prepared, the men began the slow process of becoming a corps, a unit. William Clark guided this transformation. While Meriwether Lewis wintered in St. Louis, securing provisions and consulting fur traders’ journals, Clark delegated and disciplined. Courts-martial and confinement were standards of military discipline. Hard work taught the men to rely on one another and prepared them for the long voyage. Turning mischief to skill, the men held shooting matches with local farmers and honed their marksmanship. After the Corps of Discovery departed Camp Dubois on May 14, 1804, Sergeant Patrick Gass recorded his thoughts: “..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…” [alpine-phototile-for-picasa-and-google-plus src=”user_album” uid=”117292386093793315084″ ualb=”5845911629765756449″ imgl=”fancybox” dltext=”Picasa” style=”floor” row=”4″ num=”50″ size=”220″ border=”1″...
This is the first major location on their journey. While Captain Clark led the expedition from Camp River Dubois, Captain Lewis completed his business in St Louis and met the expedition here. Captain Clark arrived in St. Charles on May 16, 1804. On May 17, 1804, Captain Clark conducted a court-martial…” A sergeant and four men of the party… formed themselves into a court-martial, to hear and determine the evidences adduced against William Warner and Hugh Hall, for being absent without leave…”. Just 3 days into the journey and the trip and discipline is already necessary. Captain Clark had also noted that it would be necessary to rearrange all the cargo on the boats. Captain Lewis arrived in St. Charles on May 20, 1804, late in the evening and he “… found the party in good health and spirits”. May 21, 1804, Captain Clark writes “All the forepart of the day arranging our party and procuring the different articles necessary…we set out today a hard wind…accompanied with a hard rain.” [alpine-phototile-for-picasa-and-google-plus src=”user_album” uid=”117292386093793315084″ ualb=”5845916252761622561″ imgl=”fancybox” dltext=”Picasa” style=”floor” row=”4″ num=”50″ size=”220″ border=”1″ highlight=”1″ align=”center” max=”100″] Photos: Noel...
St. Louis is the final resting place for Captain Clark. His tombstone says it all “Soldier, Explorer, Statesman, and Patriot.” [alpine-phototile-for-picasa-and-google-plus src=”user_album” uid=”117292386093793315084″ ualb=”5845925937607815841″ imgl=”fancybox” dltext=”Picasa” style=”floor” row=”4″ num=”50″ size=”220″ border=”1″ highlight=”1″ align=”center” max=”100″] Photos: Noel...
