# Meriwether Lewis to Major Amos Stoddard, Fort Pickering, Chickasaw Bluffs, 22 September 1809

CITATION: Reuben Gold Thwaites, ed., Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806 (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1904-05), vol. 7, Appendix, no. LXXIV, p. 368. Thwaites prints from the original manuscripts then in the possession of the Missouri Historical Society (Stoddard papers) and the Wisconsin Historical Society (Draper MSS).
URL fetched: https://archive.org/download/originaljournals07lewiuoft/originaljournals07lewiuoft_djvu.txt (Internet Archive item originaljournals07lewiuoft, University of Toronto scan of the 1905 printing)
DATE FETCHED: 2026-09-14
TRANSCRIPTION: OCR of the 1905 printed scholarly edition (Thwaites). OCR errors NOT corrected (e.g. 'i8th' = 18th, 'nth' = 11th, 'Grender', 'JeiFerson'); runs of spaces collapsed; bracketed numbers like [368] are the printed page numbers (page footers). Thwaites's own editorial remarks are in square brackets.

---- VERBATIM TEXT (OCR of the scan) ----

LEWIS AND CLARK JOURNALS 


LXXI V 


LEWIS TO MAJOR AMOS STODDARD 

[From original MS, in possession of Missouri Historical Society.] 

Fort Pickering Chickesaw Bluffs, 
September 22nd, 1809. 

Dear Majr: I must acknowledge myself remiss in not writing you 
in answer to several friendly epistles which I have received from you 
since my return from the Pacific Ocean, continued occupation in the 
immediate discharge of the duties of a public station will I trust in some 
measure plead my apology. 

I am now on my way to the city of Washington and had con- 
templated taking Fort Adams and Orlianes in my rout, but my indis- 
position has induced me to change my rout and shall now pass through 
Tennessee and Virginia, the protest of some bills which I have lately 
drawn on public account form the principal inducement for my going 
forward at this moment, an explanation is all that is necessary I am 
sensible to put all matters right, in the mean time the protest of a draught 
however just has drawn upon me at one moment all my private debts 
which have excessively embarrassed me. I hope you will therefore 
pardon me for asking you to remit as soon as is convenient the sum 
of ^200 which you have informed me you hold for me I calculated 
on having the pleasure to see you at Fort Adams as I passed, but am 
informed by Capt Russel the commanding officer of this place that you 
are stationed on the West side of the Mississippi. 

You will direct to me at the City of Washington untill the last of 
December after which I expect I shall be on my return to St. Louis. 
Your sincere friend, & 

Obt servant 

Meriwether Lewis. 

[Superscription :] **To Maj. Amos Stoddard. Fort. Adams. Readdressed to Washington City." 


[368]