University of Virginia Library

[DISCIPLINE AND ORGANIZATION]

[The following "Detachment Orders" are in the Voorhis
collection of Lewis and Clark manuscripts—see note 2, p. 3,
ante. The documents show that the "robust helthy hardy
young men," many of them fresh from the Kentucky woods,
found it not easy to accustom themselves to the rigid discipline
of a military corps; and illustrate the difficulties which beset
the two captains during the first winter camp. The orders relating
to the personnel of the expedition, with the organization
of the messes, etc., are especially interesting and suggestive.—Ed.][5] .

[Lewis:]

Detatchment Orders
Camp River Dubois, Febr. 20th. 1804.

The Commanding officer directs that During the absence
of himself and Capt. Clark from Camp, that the party shall
consider themselves under the immediate command of Sergt.
Ordway, who will be held accountable for the good poliece
and order of the camp during that period, and will also see
the subsequent parts of this order carried into effect.

The sawyers will continue their work untill they have cut
the necessary quantity of plank, the quantity wanting will be
determined by Pryor; during the days they labour they shall
recieve each an extra gill of whiskey pr. day and be exempt
from guard duty; when the work is accomplished, they will
join the party and do duty in common with the other men.

The Blacksmiths will also continue their work untill they
have completed the articles contained in the memorandom
with which I have furnished them, and during the time they
are at work will recieve each an extra gill of whiskey pr. day
and be exempt from guard duty; when the work is completed
they will return to camp and do duty in common with the
detatc[h]ment.

The four men who are engaged in making sugar will continue
in that employment untill further orders, and will recieve
each a half a gill of extra whiskey pr. day and be exempt from
guard duty.

The practicing party will in futer discharge only one round
each pr. day, which will be done under the direction of Sergt.
Ordway, all at the same target and at the distance of fifty yards
off hand. The prize of a gill of extra whiskey wil1 be recieved
by the person who makes the best shot at each time of
Practice.

Floyd will take charge of our quarte[r]s and store and be
exempt from guard duty untill our return, the commanding

Officer hopes that this proof of his confidence will be justifyed
by the rigid performance of the orders given him on that
subject.

No man shal absent himself from camp without the knowlege
and permission of Sergt. Ordway, other than those who
have obtained permission from me to be absent on hunting
excurtions, and those will not extend their absence to a term
by which they may avoid a tour of guard duty, on their return
they will report themselves to Sergt. Ordway and receive his
instructions.

No whiskey shall in future be delivered from the Contractor's
store except for the legal ration, and as appropriated by
this order, unless otherwise directed by Capt. Clark or myself.

[Lewis:]

Detatchment Orders
March 3rd. 1804.

The Commanding officer feels himself mortifyed and disappointed
at the disorderly conduct of Reubin Fields, in refusing
to mount guard when in the due roteen of duty he was regularly
warned; nor is he less surprised at the want of discretion
in those who urged his oposition to the faithfull discharge of
his duty, particularly Shields, whose sense of propryety he had
every reason to believe would have induced him reather to have
promoted good order, than to have excited disorder and faction
among the party, particularly in the absence of Capt. Clark and
himself: The Commanding officer is also sorry to find any man,
who has been engaged by himself and Capt. Clark for the expedition
on which they have entered, so destitute of understanding,
as not to be able to draw the distinction between being
placed under the command of another officer, whose will in
such case would be their law, and that of obeying the orders of

Capt. Clark and himself communicated to them through Sergt.
Ordway, who, as one of the party, has during their necessary
absence been charged with the execution of their orders; acting
from those orders expressly, and not from his own caprice, and
who, is in all respects accountable to us for the faithfull observance
of the same.

A moments reflection must convince every man of our
party, that were we to neglect the more important and necessarry
arrangements in relation to the voyage we are now entering
on, for the purpose merely of remain[in]g at camp in order to
communicate our orders in person to the individuals of the
party on mear points of poliece, they would have too much
reason to complain; nay, even to fear the ultimate success of
the enterprise in which we are all embarked. The abuse of
some of the party with respect [to the] prevelege heretofore
granted them of going into the country, is not less displeasing;
to such as have made hunting or other business a pretext to
cover their design of visiting a neighbouring whiskey shop,
he cannot for the present extend this previlege; and dose
therefore most positively direct, that Colter, Bolye, Wiser, and
Robinson do not recieve permission to leave camp under any
pretext whatever for ten days, after this order is read on the
parade, unless otherwise directed hereafter by Capt. Clark or
himself. The commanding officers highly approve of the
conduct of Sergt. Ordway.

The Carpenters Blacksmiths, and in short the whole party
(except Floid who has been specially directed to perform other
duties) are to obey implicitly the orders of Sergt. Ordway, who
has recieved our instructions on these subjects, and is held
accountable to us for their due execution.

[Orderly Book; Clark:]

Detatchment Order
Camp River Dubois, April 1st. 1804.

The Commanding officers did yesterday proceed to take the
necessary inlistments, and select the Detachment destined
for the Expedition through the interior af the Continent of
North America; and have accordingly seelected the persons
herein after Mentioned, as those which are to Constitute their
Perminent Detachment. (Viz).

                         

William	Bratten	John	Ordway
John	Colter	Nathaniel	Pryor
John	Collins	John	Potts
Reubin	Fields	Moses B	Reed
Joseph	Fields	George	Shannon
Charles	Floyd	John	Shields
Patrie	Gass	John B.	Thompson
George	Gibson	Richard	Winser
Silas	Goodrich	William	Werner
Thomas P.	Howard	Peter	Wiser
Hugh	Hall	Joseph	Whitehouse
Hugh	Mc. Neel	Alexander	Willard
John	Newmon

The commanding officers do also retain in their service
untill further Orders: The following Persons, Richard Warvington,
Rabert Frasure, John Robertson, & John Boyley
(Moses B. Read)[6] who whilst they remain with the Detachment

shall be incorperated with the second, and third squads of the
same, and are to be treated in all respects as those men who
form the Permonant detachment except with reguard to an
advance of Pay, and the distrebutions of Arms and Accoutrements
intended for the expedition.

The following persons (viz Charles Floyd, John Ordway, and
Nathaniel Pryor are this day appointed Sergeants, with equal
Powers (unless when otherwise specially ordered). The authority,
Pay, and emouliments, attached to the Said rank of
Sergeants in the Military Service of the United States, and to
hold the Said appointments, and be respected Accordingly,
dureing their good behaviour or the Will and pleasure of the
sd. Commanding officers.[7]

To insure order among the party, as well as to promote
a regular Police in Camp, The Commanding Officers have
thought proper to devide the detachment into three Squads
and to place a Sergeant in Command of each, who are held
imediately responsible to the Commanding officers, for the
regular and orderly deportment of the individuls Composeing
their respective Squads.

The following individuals after being duly balloted for, have
fallen in the several Squads as hereafter stated, and are Accordingly
placed under the derection of the Sergeants whose names
preceeds those of his squad. (Viz :)

1st Squad
Sergeant Nathaniel Pryor.
Privates

               

George	Gibson
Thomas P.	Howard
George	Shannon
John	Shields
John	Collins
Joseph	Whitehouse
Peter	Wiser
Hugh	Hall

2nd Squad
Sergt. Charles Floyd
Privates

               

Hugh	Mc.Neel
Patric	Gass
Reubin	Fields
Joseph	Fields
John B:	Thompson
Richard	Winser
Richard	Worthington
Robert	Frasure.

3rd Squad
Sergt. John Ordeway
Privates

               

William	Bratten
John	Colter
Alexander	Willard
William	Warner
Silas	Goodrich
John	Potts
John	Robertson
John	Boleye

The Camp Kettles, and other Public utensels for cooking
shall be produced this evening after the parade is Dismissed;
and an equal division shall take place of the same, among the
non commissioned officers Commanding the squads. Those
non-commissioned officers shall make an equal Division of the
proportion of those utensels between their own Messes of their
respective squads,—each squad shall be devided into two
Messes, at the head of one of which the commanding Sergeant
shall Preside. the sergeants Messes will Consist of four privates
only to be admited under his discression, the ballance of
each squad shall form the second mess of each squad.

Dureing the indisposition of Sergeant Pryor, George Shannon
is appointed (protempor) to discharge his the Said Pryor's
duty in his squad.

The party for the co[n]venience of being more imediately
under the eye of the several sergeants haveing charge of them,
will make the necessary exchanges of their Bunks and rooms
for that Purpose as shall be verbally derected by us.

Untill otherwise derected, Sergeant John Ordway will continue
to keep the rouster and detaile the men of the detachment

for the several duties which it may be necessary, they should
perform, as also to transcribe in a book furnished Him for
that purpose, those or such other orders as the Commanding
officers shall think proper to publish from time, to time for
the government of the Party.

[Orderly Book; Ordway:][8]

Detachment Order
River a Dubois, April 7th. 1804.

During the absence of the Commanding officers at St. Louis,
the Party are to Consider themselves under the immediate
command of Sergt. John Ordway; who will be held accountable
for the Poliece; and good order of the Camp, dureing
that period. Every individual of the party will Strictly attend
to all the necessarry duties required for the benefit of the
party; and to the regulations heretofore made which is now in
force. Sergt. Floyd will stay in our quarters, attend to them,
and the Store; and to the other duties reqeired of him; he
will also assist Sergt. Ordway as much as possable.

[Orderly Book:]

Detachment Orders
April 21st. 1804.

Dureing the absence of the Commanding officers at St. Louis
the Party are to be under the immediate Command of Sergeant
John Ordway agreeable to the Orders of the 7th. Instant

[Orderly Book:]

Camp at River a Dubois, May the 4th 1804

Orders Corporal Warvington, Frasier, Boley & the Detachment
late from Captain Stoddards Company will form a
mess under the direction of the Corporal, who shall be held
accountable for their conduct in Camp.

Orders: The Sergeants are to mount as officers of the
Day During the time we delay at this place, and exhibet on
Duty to Command the Detachment in the absence of the
Commanding officer—he is to see that the Guard doe their
Duty, and that the Detachment attend to the regulations heretofore
made and those which may be made from time to time,
No man of the Detachment Shall leave Camp without permission
from the Commanding officer present, except the French
Hands who have families may be allowed to Stay with their
families whilst at this place

2   Sergt. Ordway for Duty to Day. Sergt. Floyd tomorrow
& Sergt. Pryor the next day.

[Clark:]

A Memorandom of Articles in readiness for the Voyage[9]

                                             

Viz:	14	Bags of Parchmeal of 2 bus:	each about.	1200w
	9	do - Common Do . do .	do  .	800
	11	do - Corn Hulled . do   .	do   .	1000
	30	half Barrels of flour) (Gross 3900w)	do
			.	3400
	2	Bags of . do )
	7	do of Biscuit)
		(   .    Gross 650)	do   .	560
	4	Barrels do )
	7	Barrels of Salt of 2 bus: each" (870)	do   .	750
	50	Kegs of Pork . (gross 4500) .	do   .	3705
	2	Boxes of Candles 70lb and about 50lb (one of which has 50lb of soap.	do   .	170
	1	Bag of Candle-wick .   .	do   .	8
	1	do" Coffee .   .   .	.   .	50
	1	do "Beens & 1 of Pees   .	.   .	100
	2	do "Sugar .   .   .	do   .	112
	1	Keg of Hogs Lard .   .	do   .	100
	4	Barrels of Corn hulled (650) .	do   .	600
	1	do of meal    170	do   .	150
	600lb	Grees
	50	bushels meal
	24	do Natchies Corn Huled
	21	Bales of Indian goods Tools of every Description &c &c.

our party

2 Capts. 4 Sergeants, 3 Intptrs., 22 Amns. 9 or 10 French, & York
also I Corpl. & Six in a perogue with 40 Days provisions for the party
as far as these provisions last