Two Unsung Heroes from the Lewis & Clark Expedition

By Rolf Lindgren

It was July of 1804, and Sergeant Charles Floyd was not feeling well. The Lewis & Clark Expedition had left the St. Louis area on May 14, only a couple of months prior, and Sergeant Floyd was the Quartermaster. A Quartermaster is basically in charge of supplies. On July 31, Floyd wrote in his journal:

“I am very sick and have been for some time but have recovered my health again.”

But unfortunately, Sergeant Floyd did not get better. He died on August 20, 1804, near what is now Sioux City, Iowa, probably from an appendicitis. He was only 22 years old. His last words, spoken to William Clark were “I am going away. Please write me a letter.”

Sergeant Charles Floyd was buried on a bluff, named Floyd’s Bluff, and a monument stands there today to honor his life. The Floyd River flows into the Missouri River nearby. He was the only member of the Expedition to die before it returned to the eastern US in 1806.

Note – Everyone on the Lewis & Clark Expedition had stuff named after them as there were more things to name than people on the expedition to name things after.

Sergeant Floyd is important historically because he is one of only six members to keep an extant journal of what happened. Interestingly, Floyd’s 55-page journal disappeared after Floyd’s death, but was found in 1894 in the Wisconsin Historical Society!

After Floyd’s death, an election was held to replace him. Patrick Gass, a carpenter, was elected the new Sergeant.

Sergeant Gass served faithfully throughout the remainder of the expedition which went all the way up the Missouri River and down the Colombia River to the Pacific Ocean, and back. Gass helped carve out canoes from tree trunks and built winter lodging quarters.

Sergeant Gass also kept a journal. The others who kept extant journals besides Gass and Floyd were Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, Sergeant John Ordway, and Private Joseph Whitehouse. Gass later served in the War of 1812 and at the age of 91 he tried to enlist for the North in the Civil War. Patrick Gass died on April 2, 1870 at the age of 99 years old. He was the last surviving member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

Amazingly, Patrick Gass outlived Charles Floyd by almost 66 years! Incredible!