In all my perusing of Jackson’s Letters I could not find any reference to Lewis having rifles made or purchasing any rifles in Lancaster, other than the Jefferson letter to Paul Allen written in 1813, ten years after the time Lewis was in Lancaster preparing for the expedition. Specifically, I read #57 which is a Summary of Purchases in Philadelphia. I also read #55 which is a list of each purchase and the payment for them and to the firm or person. No mention of any rifles or muskets are made in either document.
Lewis wrote to Jefferson from Harper’s Ferry when he arrived there July 8, 1803. He reported having made the arrangements for shipping his purchases from there to Pittsburgh. He also said that he shot his rifles and examined the other equipment made there. They were all well executed.
I did, however, find Stephen Ambrose wrote in Undaunted Courage in 1995, that Lewis purchased additional rifles in Lancaster while he was there working with Ellicott. He did not cite any reference.
Over the last twenty years here has been considerable research and discussion trying to determine exactly what guns were used on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Included are discussions on what the military men brought with them, pistols and who had any, rifles vs muskets, what model rifles and muskets were used, air gun and who made it, etc., etc. But I have not heard of nor have I read any considerations of any weapons being purchased or manufactured in Lancaster for the expedition beyond Barbour’s article written in 1964.
As a result of the research I have done, and finding no supporting documentation other than a passage in a letter written ten years after the fact, I must conclude Lewis did not purchase any rifles at Lancaster. Since there is no evidence to prove he did not, but all the evidence points that way, I leave it open in the event that at some future day more evidence is found. But until such time I am satisfied he procured all his rifles at Harper’s Ferry.
I suspect that when Jefferson wrote his letter to Paul Allen he was confused, or just misspoke himself due to the passage of time and about what he took as an insignificant detail. Jackson wrote in a footnote to that letter pointing to another error Jefferson made. He said that Lewis and Clark arrived in Washington DC in the middle of February when Congress was in session. Jackson corrected that to show Lewis got there in December and Clark arrived several weeks later.
I think further, that Cutright did not complete his research in 1966, possibly because the documents we now have available in Jackson’s Letters were not known to him. As a result, he took Jefferson at face value.
Lewis wrote to Jefferson from Harper’s Ferry when he arrived there July 8, 1803. He reported having made the arrangements for shipping his purchases from there to Pittsburgh. He also said that he shot his rifles and examined the other equipment made there. They were all well executed.
I did, however, find Stephen Ambrose wrote in Undaunted Courage in 1995, that Lewis purchased additional rifles in Lancaster while he was there working with Ellicott. He did not cite any reference.
Over the last twenty years here has been considerable research and discussion trying to determine exactly what guns were used on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Included are discussions on what the military men brought with them, pistols and who had any, rifles vs muskets, what model rifles and muskets were used, air gun and who made it, etc., etc. But I have not heard of nor have I read any considerations of any weapons being purchased or manufactured in Lancaster for the expedition beyond Barbour’s article written in 1964.
As a result of the research I have done, and finding no supporting documentation other than a passage in a letter written ten years after the fact, I must conclude Lewis did not purchase any rifles at Lancaster. Since there is no evidence to prove he did not, but all the evidence points that way, I leave it open in the event that at some future day more evidence is found. But until such time I am satisfied he procured all his rifles at Harper’s Ferry.
I suspect that when Jefferson wrote his letter to Paul Allen he was confused, or just misspoke himself due to the passage of time and about what he took as an insignificant detail. Jackson wrote in a footnote to that letter pointing to another error Jefferson made. He said that Lewis and Clark arrived in Washington DC in the middle of February when Congress was in session. Jackson corrected that to show Lewis got there in December and Clark arrived several weeks later.
I think further, that Cutright did not complete his research in 1966, possibly because the documents we now have available in Jackson’s Letters were not known to him. As a result, he took Jefferson at face value.
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