est, because the West was itself
becoming more and more an important integral portion of the Union. The
work of exploring these new lands fell, not to the wild hunters and
trappers, such as those who had first explored Kentucky and Tennessee,
but to officers of the United States army, leading parties of United
States soldiers, in pursuance of the command of the Government or of its
representatives. The earliest and most important expeditions of
Americans into the unknown country which the nation had just purchased
were led by young officers of the regular army.

Jefferson Entitled to the Credit.

The first of these expeditions was planned by Jefferson himself and
authorised by Congress. Nominally its purpose was in part to find out
the most advantageous places for the establishment of trading stations
with the Indian tribes over which our government had acquired the
titular suzerainty; but in reality it was purely a voyage of
exploration, planned with intent to ascend the Missouri to its head, and
thence to cross the continent to the Pacific. The explorers were
carefully instructed to report upon the geography, physical
characteristics, and zoology of the region traversed, as well as upon
its wild human denizens. Jefferson was fond of science, and in
appreciation of the desirability of non-remunerative scientific
observation and investigation he stood honorably distinguished among
the public men of the day. To him justly belongs the credit of
originating this first exploring expedition ever undertaken by the
United States Government.

Lewis and Clark Chosen.

The two officers chosen to carry through the work belonged to families
already honorably distinguished for service on the Western border. One
was Captain Meriwether Lewis, representatives of whose family had served
so prominently in Dunmore's war; the other was Lieutenant (by courtesy
Captain) William Clark, a younger brother of George Rogers Clark.
[Footnote: He had already served as captain in the army; see Coues'
edition of the "History of the Expedition," lxxi.] Clark had served with
credit through Wayne's campaigns, and had taken part in the victory of
the Fallen Timbers. [Footnote: See his letters, quoted in Chap. II.
There is a good deal of hitherto unused material about him in the Draper
MSS.] Lewis had seen his first service when he enlisted as a private in
the forces which were marshalled to put down the whisky insurrection.
Later he served u