Military Document
Court Martial Proceedings of the Expedition
Records of court martial proceedings held during the early months of the expedition, primarily for infractions of military discipline. The most notable cases involved Private John Collins for drunkenness and Private Moses Reed for desertion — the latter being the most serious disciplinary event of the expedition.
Military discipline was essential to the expedition’s survival, and Lewis and Clark maintained a formal court martial system throughout the journey. Private Moses Reed was found guilty of desertion in August 1804 and was “run through the gauntlet” four times and discharged from the permanent party. Private John Newman was court-martialed for mutinous expression and similarly punished. Several soldiers were disciplined for drunkenness, sleeping on guard duty, and insubordination. These proceedings demonstrate the military structure that undergirded the expedition.
