By His Own Hand? The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis.

• Author: Kreyche, Gerald F.
• Position: Book review

BY HIS OWN HAND? The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis

EDITED BY JOHN D.W. GUICE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS 2007, 178 PAGES, $14.95

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark returned to the St. Louis area from their epic journey to the Pacific Coast on Sept. 23, 1806. They successfully had traveled 7,000 miles through unknown territory, collected specimens of animals and plants, and wrote extensive journals of the trials and hardships of their Corps of Discovery. Given a hero's welcome, the future for both looked bright. Indeed, it was for Clark, who lived to be 68 years old, but not for Lewis. The latter died at age 35, apparently by his own hand.

Upon the explorers' return, Pres. Thomas Jefferson, who fathered the idea of this odyssey, rewarded Lewis with the governorship of the Louisiana Territory (a position turned down by our French ally the Marquis de Lafayette, who also was a U.S. soldier while holding dual citizenship) and Clark with promotion to Brigadier General and Chief Indian Agent for the territory. Each was feted extensively. Clark married after a short time and took on the job he was given, while Lewis stayed out East luxuriating in the well-deserved glory that was his. He also got started on arrangements for publication of the expedition's journals. Procrastination got the better of him, though, much to the disgust of the President, and he dilly-dallied for a year before taking on his post as governor, Territory Secretary, Frederick Bates holding down the fort for him.

The post was fraught with myriad problems and Lewis only added to them. A virtual alcoholic, he accumulated various debts, was unhappy at not being able to find a suitable wife, and was not well-served by Bates. Lewis petitioned the War Department to cash a $500 voucher for expenses occurred in having a Mandan Indian chief visit Washington and was refused payment. (A new Administration with James Madison as president now was in place.) In danger of losing his job, Lewis set out for Washington to get things straightened out. The standard story of that death journey follows.

Lewis boarded a vessel on the Mississippi River intending to take an all-water route to the nation's capital. On that boat, he twice tried to commit suicide and then recuperated at Ft. Pickering...