Day-by-Day / September 11, 1804

September 11, 1804

Shannon found!

While moving up the Missouri, they come across Pvt. Shannon who has been missing for 22 days. Wearing a red shirt, Sgt. Ordway has a close encounter with a bison bull, and the rain wets his powder. They camp near present Rush Creek, South Dakota.

Ordway’s Red Shirt

by Michael Haynes

A large buffalo stares down a hunter

© Michael Haynes, https://www.mhaynesart.com. Used with permission.

Shannon Found

George Shannon who had been absent with the horses 16 days joined the boat about one oclock. his bullets he Shot all away & he was with out any thing to eat for about 12 days except a fiew Grapes . . . . He Shot a rabit with Sticks which he cut & put in his gun after his Balls were gone.
—John Ordway

Related: Hares and Jackrabbits | Hunters Lost and Found

Ordway’s Red Shirt

I went around the gang of Buffaloe, crept near them as they were feeding, with their heads towards me as I was a watching them to get one side ways   one of them discovered me I kept Still   had on a red Shirt   he looked at me, & walked up near to me. I was obledged to Shoot, at his head . . . . rained So hard my gun got wet loading,
—John Ordway

Related: The American Bison

 

Discover More

  • The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.

This page was funded in part by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, U.S. National Park Service.

This site is provided as a public service by the
Logo: Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
with cooperation and funding from the following organizations:

Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).