The fate of the corps : what became of the Lewis and Clark explorers after the expedition /

The journey of Clark and Lewis has fascinated Americans from its beginnings in May 1804. This is only proper: the 34-member band (excluding temporary joiners) traversed enormous mountain ranges, navigated tremendous and dangerous rivers, crossed the lands of numerous Native peoples, collected valuable scientific data, and yet lost but one man, Kentuckian Charles Floyd, who died near present-day Sioux City, Iowa, in August 1804. Small wonder, then, that the nation was thrilled, President Thomas Jefferson was pleased, and generations since have been enthralled by the exploits of the intrepid band. But what happened to the 33 men and the lone female, the famous Sacagawea? Morris tells the stories of all in what can only be described as a wonderful book. The writing is superb; the information relayed is fascinating; the research is impressive; the clarity is noteworthy; and the book is timely. Further enhancing the work is an excellent chronology, 18 illustrations, and three appendixes. Morris's work ranks among the best books in the crowded world of Lewis and Clark hagiography; it deserves strong sales and many readers. ^BSumming Up: Essential. All levels and libraries. C. L. Egan formerly, University of Houston

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 2004 Booklist

Morris (chair, genealogy committee, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation) here relates the final stories of those who served with the Lewis and Clark expedition. Some became legends during their lifetimes, especially John Colter with his race to escape from Blackfoot Indians. Others received their wages for expedition service and faded into anonymity. Of the 33 corps members, eight died violent deaths at least one by his own hands. Of note are the three appendixes, which list all expedition members' biographical information, discuss the Sacajawea controversy, and present the primary documents detailing Lewis's death. Morris also refutes the belief that the black man-servant York traveled west and resided with the Crow nation, instead providing evidence that points to York's death in Tennessee in 1822. This well-researched, well-written book deserves a spot in Lewis and Clark collections in all libraries. Margaret Atwater-Singer, Univ. of Evansville Libs., IN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.