Fort Clatsop Detachment Orders

On 31 December 1806, the men built a box to shelter a sentinel from the rain, next to the door to the orderly room. The captains immediately issued Detachment Orders containing important instructions. The orders clearly show the degree to which Lewis and Clark consistently maintained the spirit of Baron von Steuben‘s Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States.

The fort being now completed, the Commanding officers think proper to direct: that the guard shall as usual consist of one Sergeant and three privates, and that the same be regularly relieved each morning at sunrise. The post of the new guard shall be in the room of the Sergeants rispectivly commanding the same. the centinel shall be posted, both day and night, on the parade [ground] in front of the commanding offercers quarters; tho’ should he at any time think proper to remove himself to any other part of the fort, in order the better to inform himself of the desighns or approach of any party of savages, he is not only at liberty, but is hereby required to do so. It shall be the duty of the centinel also to announce the arrival of all parties of Indians to the Sergeant of the Guard, who shall immediately report the same to the Commanding officers.

The Commanding Officers require and charge the Garrison to treat the natives in a friendly manner; nor will they be permitted at any time, to abuse, assault or strike them; unless such abuse assault or stroke be first given by the natives. nevertheless it shall be right for any individual, in a peaceable manner, to refuse admittance to, or put out of his room, any native who may become troublesome to him; and should such native refuse to go when requested, or attempt to enter their rooms after being forbidden to do so; it shall be the duty of the Sergeant of the guard on information of the same, to put such native out of the fort and see that he is not again admitted during that day unless specially permitted; and the Sergeant of the guard may for this purpose imploy such coercive measures (not extending to the taking of life) as shall at his discretion be deemed necessary to effect the same.

When any native shall be detected in theft, the Sergt. of the guard shall immediately inform the Commanding offercers of the same, to the end that such measures may be pursued with rispect to the culprit as they shall think most expedient.

At sunset on each day, the Sergt. attended by the interpreter Charbono and two of his guard, will collect and put out of the fort, all Indians except such as may specially be permitted to remain by the Commanding offercers, nor shall they be again admitted untill the main gate be opened the ensuing morning.

At Sunset, or immediately after the Indians have been dismissed, both gates shall be shut, and secured, and the main gate locked and continue so untill sunrise the next morning: the water-gate may be used freely by the Garrison for the purpose of passing and repassing at all times, tho from sunset, untill sunrise, it shall be the duty of the centinel, to open the gate for, and shut it after all persons passing and repassing, suffering the same never to remain unfixed long[ger] then is absolutely necessary.

As far as Indian relations were concerned, it worked like a charm. Previously, some of the locals had taken advantage of the apparent informality of the Corps’ camp, to the point where, in mid-November, the password for any Clatsop Indian’s admittance to the fort was “No Chinook.” With a perimeter more clearly defined, Clark noticed immediately that the Indians were “much more reserved and better behaved to day than yesterday. The Sight of our Sentinal who walks on his post, has made this reform in those people who but yesterday was verry impertenant and disagreeable to all.”

The final set of instructions were directed towards the security of the meat house and orderly room:

[1 January 1806]

It shall be the duty of the Sergt. of the guard to keep the kee of the meat house, and to cause the guard to keep regular fires therein when the same may be necessary; and also once at least in 24 hours to visit the canoes and see that they are safely secured; and shall further on each morning after he is relieved, make his report verbally to the Commanding officers.

Each of the old guard will every morning after being relieved furnish two loads of wood . . . for the commanding offercers fire.

No man is to be particularly exempt from the duty of bringing meat from the woods, nor none except the Cooks and Interpreters from that of mounting guard.

Each mess being furnished with an ax, they are directed to deposit in the room of the commanding offercers all other public tools of which they are possessed; nor . . . shall the same at any time hereafter be taken from the said deposit without the knoledge and permission of the commanding officers; and any individual so borrowing the tools are strictly required to bring the same back the moment he has ceased to use them, and in no case shall they be permited to keep them out all night.

Any individual selling or disposing of any tool or iron or steel instrument, arms, accoutrements or ammunition, shall be deemed guilty of a breach of this order, and shall be tried and punished accordingly. The tools loaned to John Shields are excepted from the restrictions of this order.

Meriwether Lewis

Capt. 1st U. S. Regt.

Wm. Clark Capt. &c

The Corps’ supply of trade goods being almost entirely depleted, the captains evidently considered the orders in the last two paragraphs to be necessary in order to discourage any man from stealing guns, powder, or metal tools to sell to the Indians for personal gain.

These Detachment Orders are the final entries in the Orderly Book. They would have been read to the men “on parade” the following morning. They clearly indicate that Lewis and Clark maintained strict military discipline at least this far on the expedition. They may also have been calculated to keep the enlisted men mindful or their obligations as soldiers, thereby to mitigate the boredom they would suffer during the three-month winter confinement.

The Corps of Discovery being a military operation through and through, “we keep ourselves perfectly on our guard,” wrote Lewis (11 April 1806), whether danger was expected or not.