ORLCTHF: September 1999 Newsletter : Vol. 1, No. 4

Oregon Chapter of the
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation

September 1999 Newsletter : Vol. 1, No. 4

Oregon Chapter Newsletter
Vol. 1, No. 4 September, 1999

President's Corner

By all accounts the annual meeting hosted by the North Dakota Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Foundation was a grand success, complete with beautiful weather, bountiful historic sites and excellent speakers.

The business meeting began with a discussion of the $2 million "trip and fall" liability insurance coverage for all foundation members. No watercraft coverage, however, is included. Executive Director Sammye Meadows stressed the need to obtain our E-mail addresses, up-dated rosters and the posting of newsletters on web-sites. The Foundation has a new "800" number - 888-701-3434. Use of the Foundation's IRS number must be cleared by the Foundation. Volunteer time sheets for cost share grants are available. A new GIS (landownership biodiversity, history, etc.) web-site for the Lewis & Clark Trail is being created with help of the US Geological Survey as well as 30 second PSA spots about Lewis & Clark bicentennial events. She suggested each chapter develop a "resource list" of chapter members knowledgeable in various areas of Lewis & Clark history and involve youth activities in chapter programs. Lewis & Clark, she stressed, is about the next 200 years.

David Borlaug, outgoing president of the Foundation, discussed implementation of the Lewis & Clark Trail Stewardship Project - "step lightly in the footsteps of Lewis & Clark." Official kickoff for the bicentennial will be January 18, 2003. Foundation membership is now 2,600 members. Current assets are $600,000 with $500,000 in an asset management account. Current annual revenue is $200,000 with a projected Y2K budget of $440,000. An official bicentennial logo has been designed and will be released soon (see page 2) .

OR Chapter members present (about 20) held a meeting Sunday evening (August 1). Topic's included:

Preparing a booklet on "Beyond the Continental Divide with Lewis & Clark", an historical perspective of the Expedition's impact on the future of the Pacific Northwest and the nation.
The development of a chapter program to get student's involved with Lewis & Clark history, 4th grade and up.
Teachers meeting in October. Larry McClure of NW Regional Educational Laboratory to spearhead effort.
Bouquet for Superintendent Cindy Orlando of Ft. Clatsop and her departure for new NPS position in Washington D.C.

Other News from the Foundation included:

1200 page booklet of the best articles in WPO.
Special issues of WPO to fill gaps and address historical personalities.
The William Clark letters will be published next year.
Eight new chapters so far this year - 24 total with 8 in Montana alone.
Each new chapter (including OR) received its official Foundation Charter.
Next meeting of the Foundation is scheduled at Dillion, MT, August 13-16, 2000.

Interesting field trips included visits to the Knife River Indian Villages, Fort Mandan, On-A-Slant Villages, Fort Abraham Lincoln and General Custer's house, and the N.D. Historical Museum. Fascinating lectures were presented on Elliott Coues and his editing of the journals; the lost letters of William Clark; the archeology of the Lewis & Clark Expedition; President Thomas Jefferson; and the life and travels of Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau. It was a very busy, fun-filled conference in the beautiful and historic Missouri River Valley.

Keith Hay

New Bicentennial Council Logo Revealed The National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council unveiled their new logo at the 31^st annual Foundation meeting in Bismarck, ND. This logo will be used to mark products and services that have been approved or recommended by the Council. So, be on the lookout for this symbol.

NLCBC Logo

Welcome To Our New Members!
With these additions we now boast a membership of 140 . . . and growing!

Susan Anderson	Holly Bard	Lawrence & Greta Debates
Jane Hartline	Joyce S. Hastings	Jim & Sue Kopp
Brian Krieg	Louise S. & Robert Livesay	Ana & Edwin Peterson
Irene Rawlings	John Sallak Family	David S. Strother
Champ Clark Vaughan	Peter L. Wasser	Les & Myrna Wierson
Robert & Joanna Wilson

Lewis & Clark : Question & Answer
By Mike Carrick

When Moulton's volumes of the Journal are on a bookshelf there is a pattern on the dust jackets that appears to be a meandering river. Is this a specific representation of some part of the Missouri River?

Answer

I asked Dr. Moulton that exact question after his lecture to our Chapter in Portland this June. His answer was that the pattern was a "figment of the graphic artist's imagination."

Is it true that William Clark was not a Captain, but only a Lieutenant during the expedition?

Answer

Yes, even though Lewis strongly requested that Clark be appointed as a Captain in the Army, and that they share command as equals, Clark received only an appointment as Second Lieutenant of Artillery. This rankled Clark. The following quotes are from a letter Clark wrote to Nicholas Biddle (Aug.15,1811) in response to Biddle's inquiry concerning Clark's military status during the expedition. "You express a desire to know the exact relation which I stood in Point of Rank, and Command with Captain Lewis-equal in every point of view-(I did not think myself very well treated as I did not get the appointment which was promised me. As I was not disposed to make any noise about the business have never mentioned the particulars to any one, and must request you not to mention my disapointment & the Cause to any one. "¹

He then explains how Lewis asked him to join the expedition "in every respect equal to himself, in rank pretentions &c. &c. On those Conditions I agreed...." While at winter camp at Wood River, "...I waited with some anxiety for the Commission which I had reasons to expect (Capt. of Indioneers) a fiew days before I set out, I receeved a Commission of 2nd Lieutenant of Artillerist. My feelings on this Occasion was a might be expected." He closes his letter to Biddle by writing, "I do not wish that any thing relative to this Comsn. or appointment should be inserted in my Book, or made known, for very perticular reasons, and I do assure you that I have never related as much on this subject to any person before."

The question arises, Why was he not appointed Captain? Some scholars suggest that President Jefferson had a hand in this. He appointed Lewis to command this expedition. To share a military command was against all military tactics and tradition. There should exist a definite Chain of Command, and everyone should know who is the ultimate leader. The fact that the Commission did not arrive until just before they were ready to proceed upriver leads one to think that the notice of lower rank was delayed until it would be too late for Clark or Lewis to do anything about it.

I have done some research into the organization of the United States Army of the period. Perhaps the true reason for the unusual (Artillery??) commission was that there were no slots available for Captain. Clark says he expected to be appointed Captain of "Indioneers" which I translate to be "Engineers."

I have found a chart in Heitman² entitled "Organization of the Army under the act of March 16, 1802." There were only 42 positions in the entire Army for Captain: Engineers 2, Artillery 20, First Regiment of Infantry 10, and Second Regiment of Infantry 10. The same layout applied to First Lieutenant and Second Lieutenant. Is it possible that the only open slot for an officer was Second Lieutenant of Artillery? And since President Jefferson was not in favor of a shared command, he did not force the issue?

There is an effort underway now to appeal to Congress to commission William Clark as Captain. We will report progress as we learn of it.

¹ Donald Jackson, ed. Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents 1783-1854. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, Second Edition, 1978, Volume 2, page 571

² Francis R. Heitman. Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, From its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903. Washington: Govt. Printing Office, 1903. Volume 2, page 569.

Send your L&C Q&A questions to:

Michael Carrick
671 Lamplighter Circle
Salem, OR 97302
toll-free fax: 1-888-394-7798
e-mail: mcarrick@teleport.com

Oregon Chapter Receives Its Official Charter

Above, Chapter President Keith Hay accepts the official charter document for the Oregon Chapter from the Foundation's Executive Director Sammye Meadows in a ceremony held during the 31^st annual Foundation meeting in Bismarck, ND.

Farewell to Cindy Orlando
Cindy Orlando, Superintendent of Fort Clatsop National Memorial, President of the National Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation and Oregon Chapter member has accepted a new position with the National Park Service that will require her to relocate from Oregon to the Washington DC area by the end of September. Cindy said it was the toughest career choice she ever had to make.

At the Annual Meeting in Bismarck, ND, Oregon Chapter President Keith Hay presented Cindy with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the Oregon Chapter for her contributions toward improving Lewis & Clark cultural sites within Oregon. Luckily, Cindy was able to bring home her beautiful bouquet without losing a single petal.

Cindy responded to the chapter with the following letter:

8/8/99

My dear friends,

Thank you so much for your very special tribute and gifts to me at the LCTHF annual meeting. It was quite emotional and humbling for me and I am reminded continually that the accomplishments at Ft. Clatsop could only have been achieved with your support. Our team extends beyond the park boundary, and I am extremely grateful for all of your assistance and willingness to participate.

As I experience the other end of the trail I will think of you all often. Please let me know if I can do anything for you-and, I will see you in Dillion I hope! I'm still the president from Oregon.

Love,

Cindy O

September 18 Chapter Meeting
Bonneville Lock & Dam
Chapter member Don Dinsmore of the US Army Corps of Engineers will be our host at Bonneville Dam. Plans are for the meeting to begin at 1:00 p.m. in the auditorium and to feature a slide show, a musical demonstration and a tour of the dam during the height of the salmon migration.

Bonneville Lock & Dam is located about 40 miles east of downtown Portland (I-84 Exit 40). The visitor center is located 1 mile from the exit. Go past the flagpole, cross over the navigation lock swing bridge, drive across the powerhouse and proceed up the hill to the top. At the top, make a hard U-turn to the right and park in front of the Bradford Island Visitor Center.

The meeting will take place in the 3rd floor main theater starting at 1:00 p.m. We will begin with a business meeting that will include election of new officers and directors. Per our chapter bylaws, officers serve a period of one year and directors serve for three years. The Nomination Committee, composed of Dr. Robert Holcomb, H. John Montague and Dwight Garrison, has recommended the following slate for your consideration:

President	Keith Hay
Vice President	Jay Rasmussen
Secretary	Mike Carrick
Treasurer	Dick Hohnbaum

In addition, they propose adding Larry McClure and Roger Wendlick as directors, to join existing directors: H. John Montague, Doug Erickson and Dick Hohnbaum. Members unable to attend this meeting may vote by proxy by submitting their votes to:

Jay Rasmussen, Secretary
1190 NE Birchaire Lane
Hillsboro, OR 97124

The business meeting will be followed by an audio-visual presentation and demonstration by Don Dinsmore of the US Army Corps of Engineers. This will then be followed by a guided tour of the fish ladder and powerhouse. We should be able to see quite a few steelhead and Chinook salmon migrating up the ladder at this time of the year.

Note that there are no eating facilities at the dam, so you should plan on eating something before you arrive. The closest eating facilities are at Cascade Locks, OR, which is 4 miles east of the dam (Exit 44 off of I-84). This is also the location of the Bridge of the Gods which allows access to and from the Washington side of the Columbia River.

There is also a new live exhibit at the Bonneville fish hatchery, who goes by the name of Herman. He is a 400 pound, 10 foot white sturgeon. He is estimated to be about 65 years old. He has been placed in a new outdoor facility at the hatchery and can be viewed from under water. This new attraction can be seen on your own time. The hatchery stays open until dusk.

Willamette Valley Regional Meeting
On Sunday, October 10, 1999 at 2:00 p.m. in the second floor meeting room of the Benton County Museum (1011 Main Street, Philomath, OR) a Willamette Valley Regional meeting will be held. All chapter members are welcomed. Mike Henley from Jordan Valley will tell about Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau's gravesite; Mike Carrick will have his armament display; Keith Hay will give a bicentennial update and Bob Holcomb will discuss the "Lewis & Clark Expedition Through Western Artists". Call Bob Holcomb for further details (541) 745-5560.

Old News Young & Minns published the New England Palladium newspaper in Boston. The issue dated November 25, 1803 contains an article that mentions Captain Lewis' pet project, the Iron Boat.

FROM A KENTUCKY PAPER.
LOUISVILLE, OCT. 29.

Capt. Clark and Mr. Lewis left this place on Wednesday last, on their expedition to the Westward. We have not been enabled to ascertain to what length this rout will extend, as when it was first set on foot by the President, the Louisiana country was not ceded to the U. S. and it is now likely it will be considerably extended -- they are to receive further instructions at Kahokia. It is, however, certain that they will ascend the main branch of the Missisippi as far as possible; and it is probable they will then direct their course to the Missouri, and ascend it. They have the iron frame of a boat, intended to be covered with skins, which can, by screws, be formed into one or four, as may best suit their purposes. About 60 men will compose the party.

July 17^th Meeting Report Oregon, Washington, Idaho Chapter Tripartite Meeting
Columbia Gorge Interpretative Center, Stevenson, WA

Approximately 40 people from three states attended the Oregon, Washington, Idaho Chapter Tripartite Meeting. The purpose was to focus on understanding the role and mission of state chapters in relation to other local and national Lewis & Clark organizations.

Barb Kubik (President-Elect LCTHF) opened the program with an overview of various Lewis & Clark organizations, their origins and roles. Steve Wang (WA Department of Parks) described the state agencies involved in Washington's Lewis & Clark programs. He then described (with handout maps and a listing of high priority sites) the location and estimated costs of some 126 projects for the "Washington Lewis & Clark Interpretive and Tourism Plan."

Keith Hay, (OR Chapter President) described the roles of the various Lewis & Clark organizations in Oregon. He also discussed the programs and plans for the Oregon Chapter including meetings, field trips, LCBO's 56 projects, Lewis & Clark Columbia River Water Trail, WEB site and Lewis & Clark in Oregon slide presentation.

Steve Lee (ID Chapter President) graphically illustrated the two separated trail segments of the Lewis & Clark Trail in Idaho and the small communities in these locations.

Murray Hayes (WA Chapter President) discussed some of the plans and programs for the Washington Chapter and the development of the "Washington Lewis & Clark Interpretive and Tourism Plan."

Other comments and suggestions were:

Re-establish the tri-state symposiums on Lewis & Clark in the Northwest. These were well-attended events in the 1970's.
Develop a "Lewis & Clark in the Pacific Northwest" publication for visitors.
Increased efforts should be made to involve Native American participation.
The visiting scholars program (e.g. Moulton lectures) for the Northwest should be enhanced as many new Lewis & Clark scholars are now available.
Oregon Chapter's early 1970s brochure on Lewis & Clark in Oregon should be revisited for possible reprinting.
Collaboration and the development of lasting legacies should be the hallmark of all bicentennial activities.
Efforts should be made to coordinate our Lewis & Clark grant proposals to the various northwest foundations.
State Lewis & Clark chapters are the official, permanent organizations to: interface with local citizens; implement the goals of the National Foundation; encourage, support and undertake projects (individually or in cooperation with others) that stimulate and advance public knowledge and awareness of the historical, social and cultural significance of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

(From Meeting Minutes submitted by Keith Hay.)

For information on joining the National Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation click here.

For information on joining the Oregon State Chapter click here.

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Updated: February 7, 2000

Send Questions, Comments and Corrections to Jay Rasmussen

Oregon Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation

September 1999 Newsletter : Vol. 1, No. 4

Oregon Chapter of the
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation