XLIV. XLIV
SERGEANT JOHN ORDWAY TO HIS PARENTS
XLIV. [Original MS. in possession of his grand-niece, Mrs. E. Ordway, whose transcript is here followed.
Apparently the original has been closely adhered to.]
Camp River Dubois April the 8th 1804
Honored Parents: I now embrace this oportunity of writing to
you once more to let you know where I am and where I am going. I
am well thank God and in high Spirits. I am now on an expedition to
the westward, with Capt Lewis and Capt Clark, who are appointed by
the President of the united States to go on an Expedition through the
interior parts of North America, we are to ascend the Missouri River
with a boat as far as it is navigable and then go by land to the western
ocean, if nothing prevents. This party consists of 25 picked men of
the armey and country likewise and I am so happy as to be one of them
picked men from the armey and I and all the party are if we live to
return to receive our discharge when ever we return again to the united
States if we choose it. This place is on the Mississippi River opposite
to the mouth of the Missouri River and we are to start in ten days
up the Missouri River, this has been our winter quarters, we expect
to be gone 18 months or two years, we are to receive a great
reward for this expedition 15 dollars a month and at least 400 ackers
of first rate land and if we make great discoveries as we expect the
united States has promised to make us great rewards, more than we
are promised, for fear of accidents I wish to inform you that [then
follow personal matters].
I have received no letters since Betseys yet but will write next
winter if I have a chance.
Yours &c
John Ordway Segt.
