St. Louis to Vincennes

The common misconception of the Lewis and Clark Story is that it ended on September 23, 1806. At least some excellent historians and authors — Ambrose, Brakeless, Buckley, Dillon, Foley & Jones- read Jefferson’s Instructions to Lewis and got it right. After providing compensation for service, back pay, and discharging the men no longer required for the mission, Lewis and Clark and the Tribal Delegation plus interpreters, departed St. Louis for Washington, D.C. on 21 October 1806.⁽¹⁾

Immediately on return to St. Louis, Lewis wrote President Jefferson of his return and that he would travel by way of Cahokia, Vincennes, Louisville, the Crab Orchard (near Stanford, KY), Abingdon, Fincastle, Stanton and Charlottesville, VA to Washington, D.C. The large party traveled to Vincennes in 9 days following the Cahokia Belleville Mail Route established in 1805. The route across Illinois followed the Buffalo Trace from St. Louis to Vincennes then multiple trails to the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville.^(2)(3)(4)

In Vincennes, 30 October 1806, Lewis wrote Bill of Exchange #113 in favor of George Wallace, Jr. Wallace was a merchant and contractor for U.S. Army rations. He accepted the bill in exchange for $500.00 cash. Territorial records for Knox County, IN detail transactions and court cases in the early 1800s involving Wallace.⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾ The stay in Vincennes was an opportunity to thank Indiana Territorial Governor, General William Henry Harrison, for the maps and information the Governor had graciously provided Lewis and Clark before the exploration of the west.⁽⁷⁾

The Buffalo Road would follow present day U.S. 50 from Cahokia, IL to Vincennes, IN. Urban highway development in the area between Cahokia and O’Fallon have obliterated the old road.