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ARCHIVED May 10 - May 11, 2003
To commemorate the anniversary of the departure of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the mouth of the Wood River on May 14, 2003, Camp River Dubois will host a number of costumed reenactors and activities portraying both the men of the Corps of Discovery as well as pioneer life of the time period. At the event is the newly formed "The Detatchment at Camp River DuBois", a group of reenactors who are based at the site. Led by site staff member Dennis Nichols, these men will demonstrate drill and inspection routines, shooting matches, fatigue duties, and daily camp life. In one demonstration Nichols explains the uniforms and equipment that the Corps wore during their time at Camp River DuBois. The Corps of Discovery was a military expedition and all the men except for George Drouillard who were part of the permanent party were expected to dress accordingly, although the type of dress varied (photos below.) The uniforms worn by the "Nine Young Men from Kentucky" were designed by Meriwether Lewis and they sported the round hats favored by men from the Kentucky region. Traditional army uniforms were worn by the volunteers from the army posts at Forts Massac and Kaskaskia, Illinois. The only headgear that the Army issued were dress hats that were used for official functions. The men didn’t wear these hats during day to day life and had to furnish their own, such as the fatigue caps that can be seen on the reenactors portraying the Illinois volunteers. During normal daily routines the men wore fatigue frocks to protect their uniforms.
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One
of the primary purposes of the Expedition was to map the Missouri River. Lewis
and Clark took along a number of surveying equipment and although they didn’t
survey the newly explored lands, they did take longitude and latitude
measurements at points along their journey. These measurements were later used
by mathematicians on the East Coast to create maps that were as accurate as
possible. Dwayne Weiss, of Sherman, Illinois, explains to visitors the tools
used by Lewis and Clark as well as the surveying techniques used during the time
period to map out states such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and the states of the
Louisiana Purchase. These techniques used the four pole chain which was 66 feet
long with 80 chains equaling a mile and the Jeffersonian system of creating
townships which were a square of land with 6 mile borders.
Knowledge
of herbs and plants was an essential part of colonial life. In a demonstration
in the Interpretive Center, the uses of typical plants and herbs are explained.
Catnip was used as a mosquito repellant, Dandelions were used as a salad green
and for making wine, and Basil Thyme, Dill, and Fennel were used for flavorings.