From Booklist
What Meriwether Lewis and William Clark did after vaulting into history is sacred text to Lewis and Clark fans, but they are likely less certain about what happened to the other 32 members of the Corps of Discovery. Morris' exhaustively researched provision of this information seemingly includes every footnotable fact. The commitment to completeness might overwhelm the casual reader, but it does establish a one-stop shop for anyone interested in any member of the corps. Instead of using a biographical framework, the author arranges the material chronologically, starting with the first man to be released from service (John Colter, who turned into a mountain man) and proceeding to the last one to die (Patrick Gass, in 1870). This approach uses separate events to collect the expedition figures, such as unfinished business from the expedition itself--returning a Mandan chief and Sacagawea to the upper Missouri and publishing the expedition's journals. Similarly, the fur trade, farming, the 1811-12 earthquakes, and the War of 1812 centralize the biographies of the members they affected. A systematic study for large collections. Gilbert Taylor
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John Marshall, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"A fascinating afterword to the expedition. . . . demands inclusion in the canon of essential Lewis and Clark books."
Jim Levy, Santa Fe New Mexican
". . . succinct, clear style . . . The diverse fates of the members of the expedition . . . give the feel of a Greek epic."
Fred Slater, St. Joseph News-Press (Missouri)
". . . combines adventure, mystery, and tragedy. . . . a 'Who's Who' of explorers who opened the pathway for an ocean-to-ocean America."
Bob Gilluly, Great Falls Tribune (Montana)
". . . a 'must read' for Lewis and Clark buffs this summer."
Book Description
The story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition has been told many times. But what became of the thirty-three members of the Corps of Discovery once the expedition was over? The expedition ended in 1806, and the final member of the Corps passed away in 1870. In the intervening decades, members of the Corps witnessed the momentous events of the nation they helped to form-from the War of 1812 to the Civil War and the opening of the transcontinental railroad. Some of the expedition members went on to hold public office; two were charged with murder. Many of the explorers could not resist the call of the wild, and continued to adventure forth into America's western frontier. Engagingly written and based on exhaustive research, The Fate of the Corps chronicles the lives of the fascinating men (and one woman) who opened the American West.
From the Back Cover
"This very readable book is a welcome addition to the history of the American West and nineteenth-century American history. It is also an important and timely addition to the Lewis and Clark field." - James J. Holmberg, editor of Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark
About the Author
Larry E. Morris is a writer and editor with the Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts at Brigham Young University and chairman of the genealogy committee for the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation.
The Fate of the Corps: What Became of the Lewis and Clark Explorers after the Expedition FROM THE PUBLISHER
"The story of the Lewis and Clark expedition has been told many times. But what became of the thirty-three members of the Corps of Discovery once the expedition was over?" "The expedition ended in 1806, and the final member of the Corps passed away in 1870. In the intervening decades, members of the Corps witnessed the momentous events of the nation they helped to form - from the War of 1812 to the Civil War and the opening of the transcontinental railroad. Some of the expedition members went on to hold public office : two were charged with murder. Many of the explorers could not resist the call of the wild and continued to adventure forth into America's western frontier." The Fate of the Corps chronicles the lives of the men and one woman who opened the American West.
SYNOPSIS
"This very readable book is a welcome addition to the history of the American West and nineteenth-century American history. It is also animportant and timely addition to the Lewis and Clark field." - James J. Holmberg, editor of Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark
Author Biography: Larry E. Morris is a writer and editor with the Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts at Brigham Young University and chairman of the genealogy committee for the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
Morris (chair, genealogy committee, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation) here relates the final stories of those who served with the Lewis and Clark expedition. Some became legends during their lifetimes, especially John Colter with his race to escape from Blackfoot Indians. Others received their wages for expedition service and faded into anonymity. Of the 33 corps members, eight died violent deaths at least one by his own hands. Of note are the three appendixes, which list all expedition members' biographical information, discuss the Sacajawea controversy, and present the primary documents detailing Lewis's death. Morris also refutes the belief that the black man-servant York traveled west and resided with the Crow nation, instead providing evidence that points to York's death in Tennessee in 1822. This well-researched, well-written book deserves a spot in Lewis and Clark collections in all libraries. Margaret Atwater-Singer, Univ. of Evansville Libs., IN Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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