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Courageous Ventures Into The Unknown
Captain Meriwether Lewis and 2nd Lieutenant William Clark led an expeditionary group to explore the far reaches of the wild country of the North American continent. In this quest, they became the first white people to cross what is now the Western portion of the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803, they were to map the area and note the resources in the newly acquired land known as the Louisiana Purchase. They were also to find a practical route across the western half of the continent, to stake America’s claim to the west before Britain or other European powers could claim it. A big part of their travels was keeping a journal of daily life, with notes about the study of and sketches of the flora and fauna discovered, and to establish trade with the local native tribes as they traveled.
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Lewis & Clark Become Well Known
By 1806, Lewis and Clark returned to Washington with journals and sketches in hand. At that time, they weren’t well known to the public, but became famous later when the public became aware of the things they had done to help the United States expansion across the western territory. Schoolchildren were taught for years about their Expedition and their names became household words for a time. Even today the names Lewis and Clark always bring to mind the intrepid explorers. But one thing people rarely mention is the mysterious death of Meriwether Lewis.
In 1807, Lewis returned to St. Louis, Missouri and for a while got involved in politics, and was appointed governor of the upper peninsula of Louisiana. On September 3, 1809 he set out for Washington to conduct some business, but never made it to his destination.
Lewis took the Natchez Trace route, a notorious trail of the time for nefarious activities. However, there were many inns and trading posts along the way known as “stands,” which made it the more favorable route. He stopped for the night on October 10 at Grinder’s Stand. The Innkeeper’s wife Priscilla said he acted strangely that night, seeming to be nervous or upset, pacing the dining area. Shortly after dinner, he retired to his room.

An original section of the Natchez Trace still remains after all these years.
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Tragedy and Maybe Treachery?
In the early hours of October 11, in one of her three different stories, Priscilla said she heard gunshots, and then watched as Lewis dragged himself out of his room, bleeding, pleading for help. In historical references, there is no record of her rendering aid. There is also no mention of the woman being closely questioned, as the police would do today. However, servants found Lewis on the floor with a gunshot wound to his head and one to his abdomen. He suffered until he died a few moments after sunrise that morning at the age of 35.
Many believed Lewis committed suicide because he was known to have financial problems. Most of those problems stemmed from the fact that he was undermined by the territorial secretary Frederick Bates. Bates, an ambitious man, wanted the governorship for himself. With the mail slow to be delivered in those days, it began to seem that Lewis was not keeping in contact with President Jefferson, and it was easy for Bates to make unfounded accusations against Lewis. The President decided to hold up payment for his duties until the truth could be determined. When Lewis’ creditors heard this, they forced him to pay up immediately. This caused him to have to liquidate all his holdings. The trip to Washington through the Natchez Trace was to defend himself against Bates’ accusations and be reimbursed the money he was owed.
So what are the facts? Was it a suicide as it was deemed then or is there more to the story?
- The Innkeeper’s wife Priscilla told conflicting stories about the evening of Lewis’ death.
- There are many people who did not believe it was suicide because there were TWO bullet wounds.
- Guns in those days were not easy to reload, certainly not on the part of a man already wounded.
- It’s possible that the envious Bates set up the murder, to prevent Lewis from redeeming himself with the President.
- Lewis did have financial troubles, but would he have killed himself on the way to his vindication?
Burial and Monument
Meriwether Lewis’ burial place was marked only with a post fence from 1810 until 1848. That year the Great State of Tennessee erected a monument shown as a broken column, marking his life cut short at the age of 35. He is buried alongside the Natchez Trace Parkway at Mile Post 389.5, near the site of Grinder’s Stand, where he died. On the monument is an inscription in Latin attributed to Thomas Jefferson which reads: “Immaturus obi: sed tu felicior annos Vive meos, Bona Republica! Viva tuos ( Translation: “I died young: but thou, O Good Republic, live out my years for me with better fortune.”)
For more information on Meriwether Lewis, his gravesite and monument in Natchez Trace, TN, go to the National Park Service link here or better yet visit in person.
Will we ever know what killed Meriwether Lewis? It’s doubtful and it seems it’s another American mystery that will never be solved. There is much speculation and more information about the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the books below.
I have always believed he was murdered. A gut shot and a head shot? For one, in those days people died a terrible death from a gut shot. Lewis would have known this, so it makes no sense that he would shoot himself in the abdomen. Secondly, which shot was fired first, the head or abdomen? In those days forensics would not have been able to determine. Finally, I don’t see how he could have reloaded, no matter what shot came first. After the first shot, someone would have had time to run to him, while he was supposedly reloading.
You are right in your estimation Gloria, he had to have been murdered, and history since then has often shown that forensics ability of the current day would have found the same result. 🙂
We have had the good fortune to drive the entire Natchez Trace when we were still living full time in our RV and heard about this story there. I agree that it sounds like murder. Very interesting story. And we loved the Trace but wish we’d started in Nashville and ended in Natchez. Nashville was serious culture shock after Natchez and the Trace. 🙂
Karen, what a great trip, happy for you that you had the opportunity. Yes I believe it was murder too, and most history scholars believe it as well. I’m sure Nashville was a shock after Natchez and the Trace. We don’t realize sometimes, how different our lives are from what they were then, until it smacks us in the face! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. 🙂
Interesting part of history. I would say it was murder not suicide, but who knows.
I think it was murder also, Candy. What a shame for his family to have to bear that shameful badge for so many years, before people began to realize there were so many reasons it couldn’t have been suicide. Thanks for your visit and comment my friend. 🙂