Dividing the Camp

Journal 2006 07 01
Dividing the Camp

“I now called for the volunteers to accompany me on this rout, many turned out, from whom I scelected Drewyer the two Feildses, Werner, Frazier and Sergt Gass accompanied me    the other part of the men are to proceed with Capt Clark to the head of Jefferson's river where we deposited sundry articles and left our canoes.  from hence Sergt Ordway with a party of 9 men are to decend the river with the canoes; Capt C. with the remaining ten including Charbono and York will proceed to the Yellowstone river at it's nearest approach to the three forks of the missouri, here he will build a canoe and decend the Yellowstone river with Charbono the indian woman, his servant York and five others to the missouri where should he arrive first he will wait my arrival.”

Captain Lewis records that he and Captain Clark had “…consurted the following plan…” That plan was to divide the Corps of Discovery with the goal of discovering if Maria’s River crossed the 50th parallel. If it did, it would help President Jefferson lay claim to more of the North American continent. Especially since the navigable waterway connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans didn’t exist and would later be found and built as the Panama Canal.

Meriwether Lewis must also have been concerned that he bring home more than the disappointing report that, in spite of his many and great discoveries, there was no water passage to fuel commerce and westward expansion. History would prove that fear to be needless!

Once more, the Captains agree and the men follow. Historians will debate forever the wisdom and value of this decision to split into two parties. Even seven finely armed and experienced soldiers are vulnerable to relatively small bands of hostile warriors. Clark’s troop would be slightly more formidable and enjoyed the presence of the Indian mother and her baby which portrayed their mission as something other than a war party. I’ll weigh in with my opinion on this decision another day. What surprises and impresses me this day is the obvious willingness of the men to follow these Captains. The degree of respect earned must have been huge.

The Captains short record hints that they had spent a fair amount of time throughout their long wet winter contemplating their “march” home. The Yellowstone River held great curiosity for several good reasons. One being it was rumored not to require a portage to navigate it.

“For I know the purposes which I am purposing for you, says Jehovah; purposes of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 MKJV  

Do we trust God enough to volunteer like the men chosen by Captain Lewis to accompany him? Do we believe He has good plans and purposes resulting in a future and a hope? If these wilderness hardened men could trust their mortal leaders to a good end certainly we can trust God to lead us to even better ends because He has proven He loves us with an everlasting love and will never leave us or abandon us. Can we say we’ve placed our trust in Him to the point that we will raise our hands and step forward to volunteer for the journey?

Proceed On.