The Fate of the Corps: What Became of the Lewis and Clark Explorers After the Expedition [Hardcover]

Larry E. Morris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2004

The story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition has been told many times. But what became of the thirty-three members of the Corps of Discovery once the expedition was over? The expedition ended in 1806, and the final member of the corps passed away in 1870. In the intervening decades, members of the corps witnessed the momentous events of the nation they helped to form - from the War of 1812 to the Civil War and the opening of the transcontinental railroad. Some of the expedition members went on to hold public office; two were charged with murder. Many of the explorers could not resist the call of the wild, and continued to adventure forth into America's western frontier. Engagingly written and based on exhaustive research, The Fate of the Corps chronicles the lives of the fascinating men (and one woman) who opened the American West.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

What Meriwether Lewis and William Clark did after vaulting into history is sacred text to Lewis and Clark fans, but they are likely less certain about what happened to the other 32 members of the Corps of Discovery. Morris' exhaustively researched provision of this information seemingly includes every footnotable fact. The commitment to completeness might overwhelm the casual reader, but it does establish a one-stop shop for anyone interested in any member of the corps. Instead of using a biographical framework, the author arranges the material chronologically, starting with the first man to be released from service (John Colter, who turned into a mountain man) and proceeding to the last one to die (Patrick Gass, in 1870). This approach uses separate events to collect the expedition figures, such as unfinished business from the expedition itself--returning a Mandan chief and Sacagawea to the upper Missouri and publishing the expedition's journals. Similarly, the fur trade, farming, the 1811-12 earthquakes, and the War of 1812 centralize the biographies of the members they affected. A systematic study for large collections. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

". . . a 'must read' for Lewis and Clark buffs this summer." -- Bob Gilluly, Great Falls Tribune (Montana)

". . . combines adventure, mystery, and tragedy. . . . a 'Who's Who' of explorers who opened the pathway for an ocean-to-ocean America." -- Fred Slater, St. Joseph News-Press (Missouri)

". . . succinct, clear style . . . The diverse fates of the members of the expedition . . . give the feel of a Greek epic." -- Jim Levy, Santa Fe New Mexican

"A fascinating afterword to the expedition. . . . demands inclusion in the canon of essential Lewis and Clark books." -- John Marshall, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (June 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300102658
• ISBN-13: 978-0300102659
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #588,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Post Corps History of the Explorers, December 11, 2005

By 

Daniel Hurley (Chesapeake, VA.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Fate of the Corps: What Became of the Lewis and Clark Explorers After the Expedition (Paperback)

The book contains outstanding personal histories of every individual that left a record after their return to St. Louis. Some of the amazing men include John Colter who left the corps on the return leg after three years with Lewis and Clark to turn back northwest with a small group of trappers. Like George Drouilliard, Colter spends time in the remote country in constant danger from the powerful Blackfeet. Although only one man died on the Lewis and Clark expedition, many of the men that return meet death at the hands of the Indians or natural diseases of that era. George Shannon, loses a leg in a second trip north and becomes quite successful, some like Nathaniel Pryor virtually live with the Indians (Osage) and a few live a very long life like Patrick Gass. Their lives intersect such famous mountain men such as Jedediah Smith, Hugh Glass, young Jim Bridger and the controversial Edward Rose. The author has done phenomenal research that documents all the Corps participants including the death of Sacagawea, although there is some controversy noted in the Appendix. Her husband Charbonneau lives a long life that is quite useful, in spite of Lewis' opinion, for others plying the Missouri. Of course Clark's life is well documented and known but Clark did a wonderful job keeping up with the survivors actually maintaining a log on all participants up through the late 1820's. Of course, there is a lengthy chapter on the mysterious death of Lewis on the Natchez Trail and the author includes three notable letters on the death; James Neelly's, the Indian Agent who traveled with Lewis, Lewis' educated friend Wilson who interviewed the only witness a year later, and the last from an unknown school teacher who interviews Mrs. Grinder one last time many years after. Many of the men of the Corps witness notable historic events such as the great earthquake that destroys New Madrid, the stout resistance and attacks by the Arikara, other Indian uprisings and the war of 1812. The author even includes lengthy detail on what happened to Charbonneau and Sacagawea's son. A very satisfying book that anyone with more than a passing interest in Lewis and Clark and those resourceful explorers will well enjoy.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discusses the ultimate fate of the thirty-plus members, March 6, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fate of the Corps: What Became of the Lewis and Clark Explorers After the Expedition (Hardcover)

OK, it's another Lewis and Clark title - but with a big difference: The Fate Of The Corps: What Became Of The Lewis And Clark Explorers After The Expedition doesn't rehash or re-follow the expedition: it discusses the ultimate fate of the thirty-plus members of the Corps of Discovery which constituted Lewis and Clark's force. Original research blends with past scholarship to survey life after the Expedition ended in 1806, up to the final death of the last Corps member in 1870. Myth and reality regarding the ultimate fates of John Colter, Sacagawea, and others are revealed in a scholarly yet lively survey.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get to know the people of the expedition, August 16, 2004

By 

P. Nipper "Pat Decker Nipper, author" (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fate of the Corps: What Became of the Lewis and Clark Explorers After the Expedition (Hardcover)

Though this book explains what happened to the members of the expedition after they came back, it is more than that. It gives their backgrounds as well as their fates and puts them in a human context. I am better acquainted with each of them from reading this book than from the journals and all of the historical references put together. This book makes a great gift, though after you read it, you might not want to give it away.