Sacagawea | Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

There are clearly days that the men of the Corps would never forget. May 14, 1805, when would for sure be one. 

All of the journal writers included it in their daily log; Captain Lewis wrote in great detail using over 625 words. Here’s how Captain Clark summarized it: “about 6 oClock a Squawl of wind Struck our Sale broad Side and turned the perogue nearly over, and in this Situation the Perogue remained untill the Sale was Cut down in which time She nearly filed with water— the articles which floated out was nearly all caught by the Squar who was in the rear. This accident had like to have cost us deerly; for in this perogue were embarked our papers, Instruments, books, medicine, a great proportion of our merchandize, and in short almost every article indispensibly necessary to further the views, or insure the success of the enterprize in which, we are now launched to the distance of 2,200 miles.”

The ”Squar” was, of course, Sacagawea – calm, cool, and collected.

It seems a strong storm struck the Expedition with little warning. Unfortunately, Charbonneau, whom Clark said was “perhaps the most timid waterman in the world,” was at the helm of the white pirogue. The sail had been raised and the French trader panicked, turning the boat with the wind, instead of into it. He lost control and the boat capsized, spilling all the valuable contents into the turbulent waters.

The Captains, who were walking along the shore, watched in horror, unable to assist or direct Charbonneau to correct his error before the boat tipped.

Yet, as Lewis wrote two days later, “…the Indian woman to whom I ascribe equal fortitude and resolution, with any person onboard at the time of the accedent, caught and preserved most of the light articles which were washed overboard…”

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact location of this event. But we do know it took place about 10 days (or 200 miles) after the Expedition passed the mouth of today’s Poplar River, which would put the May 14 location somewhere under today’s Fort Peck Lake in northeastern Montana. This statue stands in Cascade Locks Marine Park in Oregon, along the Columbia River.

There’s more to this near-disastrous story, which we’ll share in future posts.