William was born August 1, 1770. He was an expert
hunter and woodsman. He was red-haired, good natured, and outgoing.
He also had a slave named York which he took on
the expedition.
At age 19 he entered one of the local
militias to protect American Citizens. There he became an expert
riverboat man and rifle shooter. Clark also learned how to draw maps,
build forts and command men. Later Clark joined a regular army.
Clark met Lewis at a small frontier
outpost of Fort Greenville. There Clark was Lewis's commander.
Soon Lewis invited Clark to share command of the western expedition.
Clark accepted with enthusiasm. However, the Congress failed
to make Clark captain with Lewis. Instead they assigned Clark a lower
grade as second lieutenant. Infuriated Lewis told Clark they would
share leadership no matter what Congress said. The other men would
never know anyway.
During the expedition some of the
Native Americans thought he was a creature fallen from the clouds.
They thought this because he had shot an animal with a rifle and they had
never seen a rifle, so they got worried when he shot the rifle.
When the expedition was almost over
Clark said he would take Jean Baptiste
and rise him. Sacagawea and Toussaint
Charbonneau thought he was too young at the time. Later on Clark
wrote Sacagawea and said that he would take Jean Baptiste. He also
had also given Sacagawea a nickname which
was Janey.
After the expedition Clark settled
in St. Louis and served as Brigadier General of militia for the Louisiana
Territory. Then he was appointed to be Superintendent of Indian Affairs
of American West. Then eventually was named Governor of Missouri
Territory.
When Lewis died it troubled Clark
so he named his first son after him.
Return to cover page
Sacagawea
Alana J. White
1997
p. 9, 12, 13, 72, 105, 107
