The Corps of Discovery
The Volunteer Recruits from Illinois

Recruits from Fort Kaskaskia
The following 11 men were recruited during Lewis and Clark's stay at Fort Kaskaskia from Captain Russell Bissel's company of the First Infantry Regiment and Captain Amos Stoddard's artillery company.

Sergeant Patrick Gass (1871-1870)
Recruited from Captain Bissel's infantry company
Entered on the muster roll on January 3, 1804 at Camp DuBois
Of Irish ancestry, Gass was a competent carpenter who joined the army in 1789. Bissell originally denied Gass’ request to join the expedition because he was an excellent craftsman, but Gass personally appealed to Lewis to join the expedition. Originally a private, Gass was elected by the men to the rank of sergeant after the death of Charles Floyd. Gass holds claim to popularizing the explorers’ "Corps of Discovery" name, featured boldly on the title page of his 1807 published journal.

Sergeant John Ordway (ca. 1775 - ca. 1817)
Recruited from Captain Bissel's infantry company
Entered on the muster roll on January 1, 1804 at Camp DuBois
Born in New Hampshire, Ordway was a young soldier and one of the few well-educated men recruited for the expedition. His experience as a sergeant in the regular Army probably accounted for his responsibility for issuing provisions, appointing guard duties, keeping all registers and records, and commanding the group during absences of Lewis and Clark. Ordway also kept a journal, and his descriptions about the Native American life provide a valuable historical account.

Private John Boley
Recruited from Captain Bissel's infantry company
Boley (sometimes referred to as "Boleye" in the records, was probably born in Pennsylvania and was living in Kaskaskia when he joined the army in 1803. Boley had some disciplinary problems at Camp River Dubois and was part of the return party from Fort Mandan. After his return Boley accompanied Zebulon Pike on expeditions through the upper Mississippi region and to the Rockies and Southwest. 

Private John Collins (? - 1823)
Possibly recruited from Captain Bissel's infantry company
Entered on the muster roll on January 1, 1804 at Camp DuBois
Born in Frederick County, Maryland, Collins was one of five chief hunters in the Corps and despite a number of disciplinary problems including stealing, drunkenness, and disobedience, Collins was selected as a member of the permanent party. Collins died in a battle with the Arikaras on a fur trapping venture to the upper Missouri River in 1823.

Private John Dame (1784 - ?)
Recruited from Captain Stoddard's artillery company
Dame was born in New Hampshire and joined the Army in 1801. Dame was part of the return party from Fort Mandan and was mentioned once in the journals for killing a pelican (August 8, 1804.)

Private John Robertson (ca. 1780 - ?)
Recruited from Captain Stoddard's artillery company

Private Ebenezer Tuttle
Recruited from Captain Stoddard's artillery company

Private Peter M. Weiser
Recruited from Captain Bissel's infantry company
Joined the expedition in November of 1803 at Kaskaskia, Illinois Territory
Born in 1781 in Pennsylvania, Weiser was one of the army men recruited for the expedition from Captain Russell Bissell's command at Kaskaskia.

Private Isaac White
Recruited from Captain Stoddard's artillery company

Private Richard Windsor
Recruited from Captain Bissel's infantry company
Nothing is known of Windsor’s date or place of birth, Windsor was an experienced woodsman and hunter.

Recruits from Fort Massac

Private John Newman

Private Joseph Whitehouse
Private - Joined the expedition in November of 1803 at Kaskaskia, Illinois Territory
Born in Fairfax County, Virginia, around 1775, Whitehouse moved with his family to Kentucky at the age of 9. He enlisted in the regular army in 1798, and was serving in Captain Russell Bissell’s company of the First Infantry at Kaskaskia, Illinois Territory when he was recruited by Lewis. Whitehouse was chosen as one of the Permanent Party.

Other Recruits

Robert Frazer
Private - Enlistment date unknown
Born in Augusta County, Frazer was listed continuously as a member of the "extra party" at Camp DuBois during the winter of 1803-1804. On October 8, 1804, Frazer was transferred to the "Permanent Party" replacing Private Moses Reed, who was dismissed for attempted desertion.

Silas Goodrich
Private - Enlisted on January 4, 1804 at Camp DuBois
Listed in the journals as having been born in Massachusetts. Generally assigned routine tasks, he was considered one of the expedition’s best fishermen.

Hugh Hall
Private
Born in Massachusetts around 1772, Hall was a regular army veteran, having originally enlisted in 1798. He had penchant for alcohol, which together with other army infractions resulted in court marshal penalties, but none severe enough for dismal from the expedition.

Thomas Proctor Howard
Private - Entered on the muster roll on January 1, 1804 at Camp DuBois
Born in Massachusetts around 1779, Howard enlisted in the army in Clark noted that "Howard never drinks water," but there is no record of his abusing the enlisted mens’ liquor allotment privileges.

Hugh McNeal
Private - Entered on the muster roll on April 1, 1804 at Camp DuBois
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, McNeal was an U.S. Army regular when he became a member of the Permanent Party.

John Potts
Private - Joined the expedition in November of 1803
A German immigrant and a miller by trade, Potts joined the U.S. Army in 1800 and was serving in Tennessee when ordered to join the exploring party.

Richard Windsor
Private - Recruited at Kaskaskia and joined the expedition on January 1, 1804 at Camp DuBois
Nothing is known of Windsor’s date or place of birth, Windsor was an experienced woodsman and hunter.