Pierre Cruzatte
Encyclopedia
Private Pierre Cruzatte was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
. He was of French
and Omaha tribe Indian heritage. He enlisted with Lewis and Clark on May 16, 1804, at St. Charles, Missouri. Cruzatte had formerly been a trader on the Missouri River
for the Chouteau fur interests. He could speak the Omaha language and was skilled in sign language
, so was of valuable assistance to the captains at the Indian councils and encounters with the tribes on the lower Missouri. He was a small man, wiry, and had one eye. Like the other enlisted men, he was awarded extra pay and a 320 acres (1.3 km²) land warrant after the expedition’s return.
In addition to possessing geographical knowledge, Cruzatte had spent several winters trading up the Missouri as far as the Platte River
. An expert riverman, he was assigned to the crucial position of bowman
in the keelboat
for his ability to spot the slack water eddies that would assist in advancing the boats upstream.
Even with his skills, Cruzatte’s vision problems were cause for a near-fatal accident during the Corps’ return journey, in August 1806. While elk
hunting, Cruzatte accidentally shot Lewis in the “left thye,” a harrowing event that caused the captain to believe Blackfeet
Indians were in their midst. Later, after the Corps found no evidence of the Indians’ presence, Cruzatte admitted his fault. Lewis graciously let the matter be. Clark treated and dressed the wounds with medicines that they carried. Lewis was made comfortable in the bottom of the white perogue, but he discontinued writing until reaching St. Louis, suffering a very painful healing process.
Cruzatte often entertained the explorers with his exuberant fiddle
-playing, keeping spirits high during non-work periods. In the winter of 1804-1805, while the Corps was camped at Fort Mandan
, Cruzatte’s fiddle warmed their simple holiday celebrations.
In early June 1805, Cruzatte was one of six men chosen to accompany Lewis on an exploration of the north fork of the Missouri River. The crew was to examine the course of the river in an attempt to learn if it was the main branch of the Missouri. Lewis, on June 6, 1805, after ascending the river 60 miles (96.6 km), wrote in his journal: “I now became well convinced that this branch of the Missouri had it’s direction too much to the North for our rout to the Pacific,” confirming that it was not the true Missouri or the correct path to follow westward.
Because of his frontier language skills, Cruzatte often played key roles in communications with the various Indian tribes that the Corps encountered. In late July 1804, just north of the confluence of the Platte River with the Missouri, Cruzatte and George Drouillard
were sent by the captains to scout out the villages of the Oto
and the Missouri tribe
, with whom Lewis and Clark sought to hold council. In September 1804, Cruzatte and François Labiche served as interpreters during talks with the Bois Brule Teton Sioux to gain access to the upper Missouri. This was especially critical when the Sioux captured one of the Corps’ pirogue
s, demanding that the Americans
either trade with them exclusively or surrender the pirogue as tribute. Cruzatte’s translations, along with donations of useful gifts, were key in helping the Americans recover the pirogue and gain peaceful entry to the upper Missouri.He had 1 eye
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
. He was of French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Omaha tribe Indian heritage. He enlisted with Lewis and Clark on May 16, 1804, at St. Charles, Missouri. Cruzatte had formerly been a trader on the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
for the Chouteau fur interests. He could speak the Omaha language and was skilled in sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
, so was of valuable assistance to the captains at the Indian councils and encounters with the tribes on the lower Missouri. He was a small man, wiry, and had one eye. Like the other enlisted men, he was awarded extra pay and a 320 acres (1.3 km²) land warrant after the expedition’s return.
In addition to possessing geographical knowledge, Cruzatte had spent several winters trading up the Missouri as far as the Platte River
Platte River
The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to...
. An expert riverman, he was assigned to the crucial position of bowman
Bowman
-Places:Antarctica* Bowman Island* Bowman PeninsulaAustralia* Bowman Park, South Australia* Division of Bowman, an electoral district in the Australian House of RepresentativesCanada* Bowman, Quebec* Bowman BayUnited States* Bowman, Chicot County, Arkansas...
in the keelboat
Keelboat
Keelboat has two distinct meanings related to two different types of boats: one a riverine cargo-capable working boat, and the other a classification for small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yachts.-Historical keel-boats:...
for his ability to spot the slack water eddies that would assist in advancing the boats upstream.
Even with his skills, Cruzatte’s vision problems were cause for a near-fatal accident during the Corps’ return journey, in August 1806. While elk
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
hunting, Cruzatte accidentally shot Lewis in the “left thye,” a harrowing event that caused the captain to believe Blackfeet
Blackfeet
The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of Native Americans of the Algonquian language family based in Montana, having lived in this area since around 6,500 BC. Many members of the tribe live as part of the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, with population centered in Browning...
Indians were in their midst. Later, after the Corps found no evidence of the Indians’ presence, Cruzatte admitted his fault. Lewis graciously let the matter be. Clark treated and dressed the wounds with medicines that they carried. Lewis was made comfortable in the bottom of the white perogue, but he discontinued writing until reaching St. Louis, suffering a very painful healing process.
Cruzatte often entertained the explorers with his exuberant fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
-playing, keeping spirits high during non-work periods. In the winter of 1804-1805, while the Corps was camped at Fort Mandan
Fort Mandan
Fort Mandan was the name of the encampment at which the Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered in 1804-1805. The encampment was located on the Missouri River approximately twelve miles from Washburn, North Dakota, though the precise location is not known for certain and may be under the nearby...
, Cruzatte’s fiddle warmed their simple holiday celebrations.
In early June 1805, Cruzatte was one of six men chosen to accompany Lewis on an exploration of the north fork of the Missouri River. The crew was to examine the course of the river in an attempt to learn if it was the main branch of the Missouri. Lewis, on June 6, 1805, after ascending the river 60 miles (96.6 km), wrote in his journal: “I now became well convinced that this branch of the Missouri had it’s direction too much to the North for our rout to the Pacific,” confirming that it was not the true Missouri or the correct path to follow westward.
Because of his frontier language skills, Cruzatte often played key roles in communications with the various Indian tribes that the Corps encountered. In late July 1804, just north of the confluence of the Platte River with the Missouri, Cruzatte and George Drouillard
George Drouillard
George Drouillard was a civilian interpreter for the Lewis and Clark's Voyage of Discovery.-Biography:George Drouillard was born in 1773 at the Detroit River region, son of Pierre Drouillard and a Shawnee woman of the Flat Head sept named Asoundechris...
were sent by the captains to scout out the villages of the Oto
Otoe tribe
The Otoe or Oto are a Native American people. The Otoe language, Chiwere, is part of the Siouan family and closely related to that of the related Iowa and Missouri tribes.-History:...
and the Missouri tribe
Missouri tribe
The Missouria or Missouri are a Native American tribe that originated in the Great Lakes region of United States before European contact. The tribe belongs to the Chiwere division of the Siouan language family, together with the Iowa and Otoe...
, with whom Lewis and Clark sought to hold council. In September 1804, Cruzatte and François Labiche served as interpreters during talks with the Bois Brule Teton Sioux to gain access to the upper Missouri. This was especially critical when the Sioux captured one of the Corps’ pirogue
Pirogue
A pirogue is a small, flat-bottomed boat of a design associated particularly with the Cajuns of the Louisiana marsh. In West Africa they were used as traditional fishing boats. These boats are not usually intended for overnight travel but are light and small enough to be easily taken onto land...
s, demanding that the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
either trade with them exclusively or surrender the pirogue as tribute. Cruzatte’s translations, along with donations of useful gifts, were key in helping the Americans recover the pirogue and gain peaceful entry to the upper Missouri.He had 1 eye