1From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 16 May 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 14th: is this moment recieved, & I hasten to answer it by return of post, that no time may be lost. the copy of instructions sent you are only a rough draught for consideration. they will not be signed or dated till your departure. presuming you would procure all the necessary instruments at Philadelphia, which is a principal object of your journey there, the instructions say...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 22 January 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
My letters since your departure have been of July 11. & 15. Nov. 16. and Jan. 13. yours recieved are of July 8. 15. 22. 25. Sep. 25. 30. & Oct. 3. since the date of the last we have no certain information of your movements. with mine of Nov. 16. I sent you some extracts made by myself from the journal of an agent of the trading company of St. Louis up the Missouri. I now inclose a translation...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 17 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Since I parted with you in Albemarle in Sep. last I have never had a line from you, nor I believe has the Secretary at War with whom you have much connection through the Indian department. the misfortune which attended the effort to send the Mandane chief home became known to us before you had reached St. Louis, we took no step on the occasion, counting on recieving your advice so soon as you...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 4 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The seeds & other light articles which you entrusted to me for your friends in Albemarle were safely delivered. your mother returned from Georgia in good health a little before I left Monticello. the horns, which I could not take on with me, were packed in one of 25. boxes, barrels &c., which I sent round by water. the vessel was stranded, and every thing lost which water could injure. the...
5Enclosure: Extracts from Accounts of Indians and the Fur Trade along the Missouri River, 16 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Extracts from the Journal of M. Truteau , Agent for the Illinois trading company , residing at the village of Ricara , up the Missouri. This company was confirmed in 1796. with the exclusive right for 10. years to trade with all the nations above the Poncas, as well to the South, & the West, as to the North of the Missouri with a premium of 3000. pes. for the discovery of the South Sea: and a...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 23 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have not been able to hear any thing of you since Mar. 7. till two or three days ago, Lieutt. Wilson told me you would leave Frederic the 18th. inst. & that you had been detained till then at Harper’s ferry, where Capt Murray also told me he had seen you. I have no doubt you have used every possible exertion to get off, and therefore we have only to lament what cannot be helped, as the delay...
7IV. Instructions for Meriwether Lewis, 20 June 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
To Meriwether Lewis esquire, Captain of the 1st Regiment of infantry of the United States of America. Your situation as Secretary of the President of the United States has made you acquainted with the objects of my confidential message of Jan. 18. 1803. to the legislature: you have seen the act they passed, which, tho’ expressed in general terms, was meant to sanction those objects, and you...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 15 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I dropped you a line on the 11th. inst. and last night recieved yours of the 8th. last night also we recieved the treaty from Paris ceding Louisiana according to the bounds to which France had a right. price 11¼ millions of Dollars besides paying certain debts of France to our citizens which will be from 1. to 4. millions. I recieved also from Mr. La Cepede at Paris, to whom I had mentioned...
9Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 16 August 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by mr Bradbury , an English botanist, who proposes to take S t Louis in his botanising tour. he came recommended to me by mr Roscoe of Liverpool , so well known by his histories of Lorenzo of Medicis & Leo X. & who is president of the Botanical society of Liverpool
10I. Draft Cipher Table, [April 1803?] (Jefferson Papers)
The man whose mind on virtue bent ujh qft epxbp yvas dd maknpa zcmu the equivalent of the 1st. lre is taken from the 1st. col. of the 2d from the 2d
11From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 26 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved, my dear Sir, with unspeakable joy your letter of Sep. 23 announcing the return of yourself, Capt Clarke & your party in good health to St. Louis. the unknown scenes in which you were engaged, & the length of time without hearing of you had begun to be felt awfully. your letter having been 31. days coming, this cannot find you at Louisville, & I therefore think it safest to lodge it...
12From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 13 January 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 16th. of Nov. since which I have recieved no letter from you. the newspapers inform us you left Kaskaskia about the 8th. of December. I hope you will have recieved my letter by that day or very soon after; written in a belief it would be better that you should not enter the Missouri till the spring; yet not absolutely controuling your own judgment formed on the spot. we...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 4 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
In the journey which you are about to undertake for the discovery of the course and source of the Missisipi, and of the most convenient water communication from thence to the Pacific ocean, your party being small, it is to be expected that you will encounter considerable dangers from the Indian inhabitants. should you escape those dangers and reach the Pacific ocean, you may find it imprudent...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 30 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I think we spoke together of your carrying some steel or cast iron corn mills to give to the Indians or to trade with them, as well as for your own use. lest however I should be mistaken, I mention them now. I make no doubt you have consulted with mr Ellicot as to the best instruments to carry. I would wish that nothing which passed between us here should prevent your following his advice,...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 16 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have not written to you since the 11th. & 15th. of July, since which yours of July 15. 22. 25. Sep. 8. 13. & Oct. 3. have been recieved. the present has been long delayed by an expectation daily of getting the inclosed ‘account of Louisiana’ through the press. the materials are recieved from different persons, of good authority. I inclose you also copies of the Treaties for Louisiana, the...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 24 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter of Aug. 21. being gone to the post office, I write this as a supplement which will be in time to go by the same post. Isham Lewis arrived here last night and tells me he was with you at St. Louis about the 2d. week in July, and consequently after your letter of the 1st. of that month, that 4. Iowas had been delivered up to you as guilty of the murder which had been charged to the...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 31 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been in hopes you would arrive here in time, with me, to make a little excursion to Albemarle, where I supposed it would be as agreeable to you to see your friends, as necessary to me to make some arrangements for my final removal hither. I shall stay there till the 29th. & then return. the time of your arrival here therefore, & your own inclinations will decide whether you follow me...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 23 February 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
The appointment to the Presidency of the US. has rendered it necessary for me to have a private secretary, and in selecting one I have thought it important to respect not only his capacity to aid in the private concerns of the houshold, but also to contribute to the mass of information which it is interesting for the administration to acquire. your knolege of the Western country, of the army...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 8 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just now recieved from the Secretary at War a letter to him from the Secretary of the territory of Louisiana, requesting him to tender to the President of the US. the services of the members of the military school of the Mine á Burton, as a volunteer corps under the late act of Congress authorising the acceptance of the serving of volunteer corps. as you are now proceeding to take upon...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 27 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 20th from Lancaster was recieved the night before last. not having heard from you since the time of my leaving Washington, I had written to you on the 23d. and lodged it in Philadelphia. you will therefore probably recieve that & this together. I inclose you a copy of the rough draught of instructions I have prepared for you, that you may have time to consider them, & to propose...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 11 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you your pocket book left here. if the dirk will appear passable by post, that shall also be sent, when recieved. your bridle, left by the inattention of Joseph in packing your saddle, is too bulky to go in that way. we have not recieved a word from Europe since you left us. be so good as to keep me always advised how to direct to you. accept my affectionate salutations &...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 21 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter to Genl. Dearborne of July 1. was not recieved at the War office till a few days ago, was forwarded to me, & after perusal sent on to Genl. Dearborne at present in Maine. as his official answer will be late in getting to you, I have thought it best in the mean time to communicate to yourself directly ideas in conformity with those I have expressed to him, and with the principles on...