How Meriwether Lewis Forged the Corps of Discovery: Preparing for the Lewis and Clark Expedition

This is the tale of how Captain Meriwether Lewis forged the Corps of Discovery and prepared for the grand expedition he and William Clark led across the American West to explore the Louisiana Purchase. It is a tale of studying the natural world with President Thomas Jefferson in Monticello, studying everything from naturalism to medicine in the salons and parlors of Philadelphia, painstakingly selecting the perfect equipment—including his famous lead powder cannisters and variation of the Model 1792 Rifle—and then selecting William Clark as his co-captain.

 

This is also the tale of whom Lewis and Clark selected for the Corps of Discovery, primarily in terms of what characteristics they selected for when choosing their companions.  From the special talents of some of the bold adventurers to the general skills needed for exploring the frontier, this is the tale of how they were selected so that Jefferson's vision of exploring the route to the Pacific could be fullfilled