Trouble with the Spanish, St. Louis, MO

The Spanish Government would not permit the expedition to spend the winter West of the Mississippi River. “Monday the 12th of December opposite the mouth of the Missouri River I came to the mouth of a little river called Wood River about 2 o’clock,” William Clark. Shortly after arriving the wind started to blow with hail and snow at the location of Camp River Dubois, the first winter camp of Lewis and Clark.⁽¹⁾

Historically, enlisted men in the Army do not like garrison duty and so it was with this camp. The building of cabins was the first priority. While the expedition exploration journals had not been started, from Osgood’s Field Notes of Captain William Clark and Jackson’s Letters we learn that the camp was a busy place. The young recruits started learning military discipline when they broke protocol, that included killing live stock or visiting the local source of liquor in the American Bottom where the camp was located.⁽²⁾

John Hay, the Post Master at Cahokia, and his wife and others visited the camp and provided information about the region and Missouri River the expedition would confront in the spring. Being friends with the Post Master helped communications with the East and President Jefferson or his Cabinet.⁽³⁾

Lewis spent the greater part of the winter in St. Louis gathering information and material for the exploration. However, Clark traveled to St. Louis on ceremonial occasions especially for the transferring of the Louisiana Territory to the United States. Clark’s faithful recording of the weather and evaluation of the men during the winter training clearly explains why garrison duty is not appreciated by the recruits.