Mouth Of The Floyd River L&C Traditional Geocache
geocachenut123: Construction
Mouth Of The Floyd River L&C
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The Lewis and Clark party camped overnight at the mouth of the Floyd River after the death of Sergeant Charles Floyd and named the river after him. On the morning of August 21 in 1804 they past this point as the informational sign explains. Cache is nano and near the sign. Follow the cement bike trail and no need to cross any fences.
On August 20, 1804, the Corps of Discovery, led by Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, found themselves near present day Sioux City, Iowa. The Corps was just over three months into their journey and had paddled, pushed and pulled their small flotilla of boats over 500 miles up the Missouri River.
It was on August 20, two hundred years ago today, that the Corps faced its first tragedy and only fatality, the death of Sergeant Charles Floyd. The first death of an American soldier west of the Mississippi River.
Sgt. Floyd was a 22-year-old Kentuckian whom Captain Clark called “a man of much merit”. He was a cousin of another expedition member, Sgt. Nathaniel Pryor. As was ordered of all of the Sergeants on the journey, Floyd had kept a daily journal of the trip until August 18, when he fell too ill to continue writing. He was complaining of extreme stomach pains and nothing Lewis did relieved the symptoms. On the 20th, Floyd died of what Lewis called “Biliose Chorlick”, what medical historians actually believe was a ruptured appendix. Clark recorded it in his journal of August 20-
“Sergeant Floyd much weaker and no better...Floyd as bad as he can be no pulse & nothing will stay a moment on his Stomach or bowels. Floyd Died with a great deal of Composure, before his death he Said to me, ‘I am going away I want you to write me a letter.’ We buried him on the top of the bluff. 1/2 Mile below [is] a Small river to which we Gave his name, He was buried with the Honors of War much lamented, a Seeder post with the Name Sergt. C. Floyd died here 20th of august 1804 was fixed at the head of his grave. This Man at all times gave us proofs of his firmness and Determined resolution to doe Service to his Countrey and honor to himself. after paying all the honor to our Decesed brother we camped in the Mouth of floyds River about 30 yards wide, a butiful evening”
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)