August 7, 1804
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

August 7, 1804

 

August 7th Tuesday    last night about 8 oClock a Storm of wind from the N. W. which lasted ¾ of an hour    mosquitors more troublesom last night than I ever Saw them, Set out late this morning    wind N.

Course   Dis
North   2 ms to a Pt. of Willows on the L. S. opposit, Saw 10 Pelicans
flying
N. 25 W.      ½ me. on the L point
N. 45 W.      ½ me. on the L. point of a Sand bar
N 45 W.   1 me. to the point of a Sand bar makeing out from the L pt.
S 12 E   2 ½ me. to the do—    do    from the St. Point    Win fair—
S. 70 E.      ½ me to the willows on the S. S.    G. Drewyer, R. Fields,
W. Bratten & Wm Labiese [Labiche], [1] sent after Reed
Deserted, La Liberty absent & a Speech to the ottoes with
a view to get a fiew of their Chief to the Mahars to make
a peace between them, Sent Some Tobacco, Wampon,
and Speech    als[o] gave pointed orders to the party in
writeing [2]
N. 36 W.   2 ½ ms. to a pt. of Willows on the L S.    a large Sand makeing
out from it—
N. 73 W.   3 ms. to a pt. of willows S. S.    I went out and discovered that
two Bayoues run thro the point & Cutit [cut it] into Island,
which I call Detachment Islands [3] as from this bend    We
detached Drewyr R. Fields Bratten & Labiecue    no Game
of any Kind
N. 83° E   2 ½ Ms. to a pt. of Cotton wood, passing over a Sand bar from
the Said point
N. 32 W.   1 ½ ms. to a Sand point makeing out from the S. point
N. 12 E      ½ m to the willows on the S. S. and camped
  18  
 

last night at 8 oClock a Storm from the N W. lasted ¾ of an hour    let out late this morning    wind from the North—    at 1 oClock dispatched George Drewyer, R. Fields, Wm. Bratten & Wm. Labieche back after the Deserter reid with order if he did not give up Peaceibly to put him to Death [4] &c. to go to the Ottoes Village & enquire for La Liberty and bring him to the Mahars Village, also with a Speech on the occasion to the Ottoes & Missouries—    and directing a few of their Chiefs to come to the Mahars, & we would make a peace between them & the Mahar and Souex, a String of wompom & a Carrot of Tobacco.    proceeded on and Camped on the S. S. [5]

Course Dist. & remarks Augt. 7th 1804
North   2 ms. to a pt. of willows on the L. S.
N. 25° W.      ½ Me. on the L. point
N 45° W.   1 ½ me. on the L. pt. of a Sd. bar
S. 12° E.   2 ½ ms.    do    do.
S. 70° E.      ½ me. to the willows on the S. S.
N. 36° W.   2 ½ Ms. to a pt. of willows on the L. S. a large
Sand makein out
N. 73° W.   3 ms. to a pt. of willows on the S. S. I went
thro to the next bend up a Beayoue S. S.
form'g two Isds I call Detachment Isd.
N. 83° E.   2 ½ Ms. to a pt. of Cotton wood L. S    Psd.
a Sand bar from L. pt.
N. 32 W.   1 ½ ms. to a Sand pt. from the S. pt.
N. 12° E.      ½ me: to the willows on the S. S.
  17  
 

Tuesday 7th    last night about 8 oClock a Storm from N. W. of wind and rain which lasted about ¾ of an hour.    the Musquetoes verry troublesome last night    we set out late this morning.    the wind N.    we proceeded on round bends & Sand bars &C—    til about 12 oClock    we then sent G. Drewyer W. Bratton R. Fields & W. Labuche Back to the ottaus village after M. B. Reed who had deserted from us with orders to fetch him Dead or alive, and to look for La Liberty who was lost as we expect with a publick horse.    they have orders to bring them all if they can find them to the mahar village where we are to wait their arrival; we Roed on about 18 miles & Camped on the N. S. of the Missouri.

 

Tuesday August 7th    Set out at 6 oclock A. m    prossed on    day Clear wind from the North west—    on the 4th of this month one of ouer men by the name of Moses B. Reed went Back to ouer Camp whare we had Left in the morning, to Git his Knife which he Had Left at the Camp 〈bout〉    the Boat went on and He Did not Return, 〈pore〉 that night nor the Next day nor Night, pon examining his nap-Sack we found that he had taken his 〈Cal〉 Cloas and all His powder and Balles, and had hid them out that night and had made that an excuse to Desarte from us with out aney Jest Case    we never minded the Said man utill the 7th    we Sent 4 men after him    we expect he will make for the ottoe town as it is not mor than 2 days Jorney from whare he Run away from us    〈made 16 miles〉    Water Good    made 16 miles    Campd. on the 〈South〉 North Sid at Some Wood Land

 

Tuesday 7th.    We set out early this morning and continued our voyage till 12, when four [6] of our people were dispatched to the Oto nation of Indians after the man who had not returned on the 4th, with orders to take him, dead or alive, if they could see him. There is no timber in this country, except some cotton wood and willows in the bends of the river. All the high land is a continued prairie. We encamped on the north side. The musquetoes here are very numerous and troublesome.

 

Tusday Augt. 7th    the Morning Clear    the party Sonsisted of 4 their names first G. Druier, R. fields, Bratton, and William that was Sent after Ms. Read that Deserted in Latd 41 17 00 N.    Nothing Else happend. Extraordinary this day.—

Tuesday August 7th    This day we remained at same place    Captain Lewis sent out 4 Men to find Read who had deserted from us, This place is a Priari, and the land lays level & is very rich; nothing extraordinary happen'd this day.—

1. Almost certainly François Labiche. He is referred to again as "William" on August 18 and 19, 1804. (back)
2. These must have been clear and specific orders to take Reed dead or alive, made a matter of record so that the responsibility would fall on the captains, not on the men sent out. (back)
3. This situation, in Harrison County, Iowa, was still present in altered form about 1890 but has since disappeared. Atlas map 14; MRC map 25; MRR maps 69, 70. (back)
4. Biddle apparently crossed out two lines of this entry in red, covering the words from "reid" to "Death." In his History, Biddle did not mention that the detachment had orders to kill Reed if they could not take him alive. Probably the passage was crossed out because either Clark or Biddle did not care to mention this aspect of the affair. Coues (HLC), 1:69. (back)
5. Probably in northwest Harrison County, a few miles below the mouth of the Little Sioux River. Atlas map 14; MRC map 25; MRR map 70. (back)