THE FATE OF THE CORPS What Became of the Lewis and Clark Explorers after the Expedition Larry E. Morris Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut, 2004. Illustrations, map. appendixes, notes, bibliography, index, xviii + 272 pp. $30.00 cloth.

Engagingly written and thoroughly researched, The Fate of the Corps takes on the daunting task of exploring the post-expedition lives of the thirty-three members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition permanent party who made the trek to the Pacific Ocean and back. Morris's vivid portraits contrast the experiences of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with those of the enlisted personnel, men for whom, once the initial flush of success wore off, there were no celebratory dinners in Washington, no courtships by politicians, no appointments to government office.

Morris puts a face on George Gibson, John Collins, Peter Weiser, François Labiche, William Bratton, and others who are often lost in the shadows of the more-celebrated expedition members. These men become more than names on a roster, reminding us that what we casually refer to as the Lewis and Clark Expedition was, in fact, thirty-three individuals who all worked to make the endeavor a success. Historian Charles G. Clarke addressed this issue thirty years ago in The Men of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but while Clarke's work included biographies of the entire Corps of Discovery, it lacked detail in its descriptions of their postexpedition lives, concentrating mainly on their service under the captains. Chairman of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation genealogy committee, Morris used his research talents well, combing public, private, and family papers for missing details. He demonstrates an impressive ability to flesh out the obscure information that gives body to his narrative.

Morris's carefully researched book describes lives that were neither unique nor mundane. Coincidence abounds as Morris relates how George Shannon served as a juror in George Drouillard's 1808 murder trial. Joseph Field has the distinction of being the first member to die after the expedition's return. Morris speculates that Field was killed in 1807 while accompanying Lewis and Clark alumni Nathamal Pryor, George Gibson, and George Shannon on a military expedition to return Mandan chief Sheheke to his home at the Knife River villages. This ill-fated attempt resulted in the death of several men under Pryor's command and forced the survivors to retreat downriver. Morris also documents the last days of Meriwether Lewis, but his description does not provide support for either the suicide or the murder theories. Instead, he poses pointed questions for proponents of both. If nothing else, Morris's research reveals the harsh reality of nineteenth-century life on the frontiers of an expanding nation.

One can only hope that Morris's efforts will encourage academics, buffs, and interested readers alike to view the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the context of its times and to broaden the scope of inquiry regarding the history of western expansion.

Rich Aarstad

Montana Historical Society, Helena

Copyright Montana Historical Society Summer 2005
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved