Why was Lewis & Clarks expedition not wiped out by tribes ? (History)

[Tnmountains]

Lewis and Clark were always vastly out numbered by the tribes they encountered along the way. It would have been easy for them to be over run. There was one item that saved them time after time. Here it is. If memory serves me correct they left from the Mandan villages where Larson lives and returned there as well.

 

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[chirper97]

That video is convincing. Puts an entirely different spin on their incredible journey.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Not to turn it political but it destroyed the belief the single shot musket was the most advanced weapon at the time the 2nd was written.

 

[Mark Todd]

Wow! What a story. I've read the book (and everyone ought to pick one up and read it if they haven't , or purchase Ken Burns' documentary of the exposition on DVD) but I always wondered the same thing. Perhaps they owed as much to that rifle for saving them from the Grizzlies that just got pi$$ed off by the first ball. Thanks for sharing the info..

 

[ivan salis]

hum if they used disposible or refillable type small air tanks in the buttstock (for speed of reloading the air pressure )--and made a modern version of say 45 caliber round balls ... that could kill deer effectively and quietly at 100 yards -- I think that there could be a "sporting market" for a 45 caliber fast reloading high powered air rifle --if it was "legal to hunt with during "antique / muzzleloader weapon" type hunts .. just think 20 shots before having to reload ..sweet

 

[uglymailman]

Peace through superior firepower.

 

[Tnmountains]

I wonder what the fps were on that round. Amazing power for such a large round. I do not even get that pressure with my large electric compressor. I would like to find a Lewis and Clark medallion if in that area. Talk about the ultimate trade good.

 

[RustyGold]

Excellent and interesting story about the Rifle of Peace!

 

[huntsman53]

I wonder what the fps were on that round. Amazing power for such a large round. I do not even get that pressure with my large electric compressor. I would like to find a Lewis and Clark medallion if in that area. Talk about the ultimate trade good.

The Lewis & Clark Girandoni Air Rifle

 

[Army of 1]

Thanks for the link Tnm , an amazing rifle , learnt something new today ..cheers Mick

 

[TheHarleyMan2]

Just think, if the north or south was smart in stocking up on those prior to the Civil War how it would have turned the tables very quickly?

 

[unclemac]

i am very familiar with the Chinook sites that they ended up at on the coast, as well as many sister sites too.

 

[L.C. BAKER]

I had never heard of the air rifle being with them. That was pretty cool stuff to watch and well worth the time, thanks for posting it!
Their connections at or very near present day Nebraska City, Nebraska, Freemasonry, Suicide (if you want to believe he reloaded his gun for the second shot) and even more so Clark's involvement with Andrew Jackson and Lewis Cass. Clark tried to maintain peaceful relations with indigenous nations and negotiated peace treaties but he was involved in President Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy. This included "his duty to oversee removal". He managed retaliation against Black Hawk and those allied with him in the Black Hawk War, when hostilities arose between them and the Americans. Clark issued "an extermination order", which he gave to Lewis Cass, a man who played a central role in Jackson's removal policy and mentor to J.Sterling Morton is all amzing stuff!

Nebraska City has a Lewis and Cass site that is very interesting to see. Lewis and Clark Missouri River Basin Visitors Center



L.C.

 

[Calgarychef]

Lewis and Clark what an interesting journey and what a great tourist bonanza. If credit was given where it's deserved people would realize that they were following on the coat tails of earlier explorers like Thompson. Lewis and Clark were in fact not much more than imposters ....sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Incredible story, I'd never heard that. Geez, and maybe my kinfolk wonder why I'm on this forum......

 

[Calgarychef]

Lol, what a rude post I made....note to self don't post after drinking scotch. That stuff makes me gruff.

 

[austin]

Believe that Sacajawea had a bit to do with their journey. If interested you can read the journals. Best part--how this rifle(I presume) handled grizzly bears...

 

[1shotwade]

I have read a lot on the expedition as well as this airgun.Napoleon Had the air rifle banned from combat as an inhuman weapon because it wasn't fair that it left no smoke to ID The position of the shooter.If I remember correctly it was a 42 cal. and it was capable of 30 rounds before reloading. The first to were good for 150 yards,the next ten - 125 yards and the last ten at 100 yards.The only downside was that it had to be pointed in the air to let gravity drop the next round into the chamber. If I remember correctly it took 3500 pumps to fill the compressed air chamber,but they had extra chambers to just swap out when needed.Quite ingenious!
Another very interesting fact about the exposition is that the weighed out 100 round of lead,then powder.They made a lead container to hold the amount of powder,filled it and sealed it with patches sealed in beeswax.When these were issued you put the patches in the patch box,powder in the powder horn,melted down the lead and poured into the mold and good to go.
There is a memorial in Sioux city for the only man to die on the expedition.

Wade

 

[pepperj]

Very interesting bit on the gun and when it was made. It must of been a real wonder to the natives to first see a smokeless gun or to anyone for that matter.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Kinda. They mostly were not killed because the natives they encountered had already fostered relations with the French/Canadian Voyageurs and had an established trade. The voyageurs trapped and traded but did not make any land grabs for farms or mining and got along great with the locals.

Sacagawea was married to a French/Quebecois trapper when L&C arrived. She probably did more being with them than the air rifle. War parties did not bring women along. They were more a curiosity to the locals than a threat.

With hindsight they would have wiped them out. A bow reloads faster than an air rifle and is even more silent.