WBritain
Master Sergeant
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2005
- Messages
- 1,251
Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774 and joined the United States Army in 1795 at the age of 20 as an ensign, equivalent to a modern-day second lieutenant. By 1800 he had risen to the rank of captain, but his service in the army ended in 1801 when he was appointed as Secretary to the President by President Thomas Jefferson. As Secretary to the President, Lewis resided in the presidential mansion, and frequently was in the company of various prominent figures in politics, the arts and other circles. When Jefferson began to plan for an expedition across the continent, he chose Lewis to lead the expedition. In 1803, Meriwether Lewis recruited William Clark, a former commanding officer, to share command of the expedition. William Clark was born on August 1, 1770 and at 22 years of age was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Legion of the United States on March 6, 1792, and in September of that year he was assigned to the 4th Sub-Legion. In 1794 at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Clark commanded a company of riflemen who drove back the enemy on the left flank, killing a number of Native Americans and Canadians. William Clark resigned his commission on July 4, 1796, and retired due to poor health, although he was only 26 years old.
Their mission as commanders of the Corps of Discovery, was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, establish trade with, and sovereignty over the natives near the Missouri River, and claim the Pacific Northwest and Oregon Country for the United States. They also collected scientific data, and information on indigenous nations.
Although many people picture Lewis and Clark dressed in buckskins, they both were commissioned officers in the United States Army and they took their uniforms with them when the departed on their trek westward. During the first part of the journey there were occasions when these uniforms were worn for formal meetings with Native leaders, but by journeys end they had been given away piecemeal as trade items. I wanted to feature these little represented U.S. Army uniforms so they could be used with our Village Green civilians, before we designed them wearing their “trail worn” clothing.
These two figures will be offered later this summer.
10130 Captain Meriwether Lewis 1803
10131 Second Lieutenant William Clark 1803
Their mission as commanders of the Corps of Discovery, was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, establish trade with, and sovereignty over the natives near the Missouri River, and claim the Pacific Northwest and Oregon Country for the United States. They also collected scientific data, and information on indigenous nations.
Although many people picture Lewis and Clark dressed in buckskins, they both were commissioned officers in the United States Army and they took their uniforms with them when the departed on their trek westward. During the first part of the journey there were occasions when these uniforms were worn for formal meetings with Native leaders, but by journeys end they had been given away piecemeal as trade items. I wanted to feature these little represented U.S. Army uniforms so they could be used with our Village Green civilians, before we designed them wearing their “trail worn” clothing.
These two figures will be offered later this summer.
10130 Captain Meriwether Lewis 1803
10131 Second Lieutenant William Clark 1803
