21To Thomas Jefferson from Meriwether Lewis, 19 December 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
On my arrival at Kaskaskias, I made a selection of a sufficient number of men from the troops of that place to complete my party, and made a requisition on the Contractor to cause immediately an adequate deposit of provisions to be made at Cahokia subject to further orders or other destination should circumstances render it necessary—This done, it became important to learn as early as possible...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Meriwether Lewis, 20 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
With a view to forward as much as possible the preparations which must necessarily be made in the Western country previous to my final departure, as also to prevent the delay, which would attatch to their being made after my arrival in that quarter, I have taken the following measures, which I hope will meet your approbation; they appear to me to be as complete as my present view of the...
23To Thomas Jefferson from William Clark and Meriwether Lewis, 18 May 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
The following is a list of Articles forwarded you by Mr. Peter Chouteau . Minerals . No. 1. A specimen of Silver Oar from Mexico No. 2. ditto of lead, supposed to contain a considerable quantity of Silver, from Mexico. } These were presented me by Mr. Peter Chouteau, who received them from the Osage Indians—They having collected them in some of Their War excursions into that Country No. 3. An...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Meriwether Lewis, 28 December 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
On my arrival at St. Louis, the first object to which, I called my attention, was that of collecting such information as might be in some measure serviceable to you in forming your opinions, or shaping your arrangements to effect a certain point of policy, which you expressed to me while with you at Washington last Summer; I mean that of a wish you then entertained, if possible to induce the...
25To Thomas Jefferson from Meriwether Lewis, 7 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Herewith inclosed you will receive an invoice of certain articles, which I have forwarded to you from this place. among other articles, you will observe by reference to the invoice, 67. specimens of earths, salts and minerals; and 60 specimens of plants: these are accompanyed by their rispective labels expressing the days on which obtained, places where found, and also their virtues and...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Meriwether Lewis, 26 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you herewith inclosed, some slips of the Osages Plums , and Apples . I fear the season is too far advanced for their success. had I earlyer learnt that these fruits were in the neighbourhood, they would have been forwarded at a more proper time. I would thank you to send a part of them to Messrs. John Mason, & William Hamilton. should they not succeed, Mr. Charles Gratiot, a gentleman...
27To Thomas Jefferson from Meriwether Lewis, 26 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved as yet no answer from Mr. Clark; in the event of Mr. Clark’s declining to accompany me Lieut Hooke of this place has engaged to do so, if permitted; and I think from his disposition and qualifications that I might safely calculate on being as ably assisted by him in the execution of the objects of my mission, as I could wish, or would be, by any other officer in the Army. Lieut...
28To Thomas Jefferson from Meriwether Lewis, 15 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
In consequence of the measures which were taken last spring in relation to the Osage nations they were reduced in the course of a few months to a state of perfect submission without bloodshed; this has in my opinion very fairly proven the superiority which the policy of withholding merchandize from the Indians has over the chastizement of the swoard, when their local situations are such as...
29To Thomas Jefferson from Meriwether Lewis, 8 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
It was not untill 7 O’Clock on the morning of the 31st. Utmo. that my boat was completed, she was instantly loaded, and at 10. A.M. on the same day I left Pittsburgh, where I had been moste shamefully detained by the unpardonable negligence of my boat-builder. On my arrival at Pittsburgh, my calculation was that the boat would be in readiness by the 5th. of August; this term however elapsed...
30Levi Lincoln’s Opinion on the Betsy Cathcart, [3 July 1801] (Jefferson Papers)
The prize Ship Betsy Cathcart, in June 1796, with a British cargo on board, in her passage from one British port to another, being captured by a French privateer duly commissioned, was in distress brought into an American port. liberty to sell on repeated applications, by the captors, was refused on the part of the U.S. For the purpose of necessary repairs the cargo was permitted to be...