Journal
Sergeant Floyd’s Journal
The journal of Sergeant Charles Floyd covers the first three months of the expedition, from the departure at Camp Dubois to just two days before his death on August 20, 1804. Though brief, it provides a valuable firsthand account of the early expedition including the journey up the Missouri River and early encounters with Native peoples.
Floyd’s journal is the shortest of the expedition journals, ending abruptly as his illness worsened. His entries record the daily progress up the Missouri, encounters with the Oto and Missouri peoples, and the challenges of navigating the river. His final entry, written on August 18, notes that he was “taken verry bad” with what is now believed to have been appendicitis. The journal was preserved by his family and eventually donated to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
