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PATRICK GASS - FORT BUILDER OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION
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The Lewis and Clark Expedition spent three winters on the trail. One at
Camp Dubois in present day Illinois, the next on the icy plains of North
Dakota, and the third next to the Coast of Oregon. Each fort had unique
characteristics that helped keep the men protected from the elements and
safe from possible attack. What each of these forts had in common was
that each was designed by the same man, Patrick Gass.
Patrick Gass was a Sergeant with the Corps of Discovery and had a
background in carpentry.
When Captain Lewis was looking for good strong men to
join the journey to the Pacific, Patrick Gass went directly to Lewis to
apply. Later in life Patrick Gass said that his strength and enthusiasm
got him a position with the Expedition.
When Sergeant Floyd died early in the journey, the men of the corps
voted on his replacement. The nod went to Patrick Gass. Gass was given
the rank of Sergeant and a squad of men. Having the men vote for their
new Sergeant went against military protocol.
Sergeants were chosen by company
commanders, and in this case that would have been Captain Lewis and
Captain Clark. The Captains thought that having the men vote for the new
Sergeant would help build espirit de corps, and it worked.
Sergeant Gass was a carpenter and a valuable member of the Corps of
Discovery. He was constantly being called upon to use his talent to
build winter quarters, dugout canoes, and simple wagons for the portage
at the Great Falls. His observations on how the Indians built their
earthen lodges gave new insight to Native American construction
techniques. Patrick Gass was also a leader. He was chosen by Lewis and
Clark to head a group of men, when the Corps
split into three groups
on
the return trip from Fort Clatsop.
Sergeant Gass was the first to put together a book about the travels of
the Corps of Discovery. His book was edited by David McKeehan and
published in 1807. He was also the one to coin the phrase “Corps of
Discovery”. He was also the last member of the Corps to die. Patrick
Gass died on April 2, 1870 at age 99 and is buried in the Brooke County
Cemetery at Wellsburg, West Virginia.
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THESE ARE THE FORTS
THAT GASS BUILT |
Camp Dubois - Wood River, Illinois:
Encampment Dates, December 13, 1803 - May 14, 1804
Fort Mandan - Washburn, North Dakota:
Encampment Dates, November 13, 1804 - April 7, 1805
Fort Clatsop-
Astoria, Oregon:
Encampment Dates, December 7, 1805 - March 23, 1806
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