Montana Medicine Show: Lewis Encounters the Blackfeet

Welcome to the Montana Medicine Show. I'm Derrick strong. In July 18 06 Merryweather Lewis took part in what historian James Ronda called the most violent Indian encounter in Lewis and Clark expedition history. Lewis and three others had separated from Clark to pick up a cache of specimens left the previous year. It was a risky side trip through hostile Blackfeet territory. The men were as Lewis wrote much on guard both day and night. On July 20 7th the team saw a very unpleasant sight. Eight young Blackfeet Braves prepared to resist to the last extremity preferring death to that of being deprived of my papers instruments and gun. Louis offered to camp with the natives at dawn all hell broke loose. The Indians ran off with the men's weapons and horses. Lewis and Juilliard gave chase to get their guns back. Reuben field stabbed one of the boys to death Louis mortally wounded another. The brig fired at Louis but just missed the captain recalled. I

felt the wind of his bullet very distinctly. In rage Lewis pocketed beaded amulets from a band and shields as spoils of war and placed a peace medal on the dead Indian so that the Blackfeet might be informed who we were. Then Lewis and his men raced from the scene barely stopping for hundreds of miles before safely reuniting with Clark. Author James Crutchfield concluded scholars still debate whether the incident was responsible for the tribes fanatical hostility toward white men for years to come. From Kay GLT studios I'm Dirk strong. The Montana medicine show is supported by the greater Montana foundation on the web at greater Montana.