Buffalo Bull Charges Camp — Seaman Sounds the Alarm

In the predawn darkness along the Missouri River, a large buffalo bull stampeded directly through the expedition’s camp, nearly trampling the sleeping men. The bull came within inches of the heads of several men before charging over the pirogue and crashing through the camp. Lewis credited Seaman with sounding the alarm that prevented what could have been a catastrophic incident.

Lewis recorded that Seaman “was very attentive and barked at the buffalo” as it approached, rousing the men from sleep just in time. The dog then chased the bull away from the camp, preventing it from circling back through the sleeping men a second time. Without Seaman’s warning, men could have been killed or seriously injured by the massive animal.

This was perhaps Seaman’s most important contribution to the expedition’s survival. The incident demonstrated why a large, alert guard dog was an invaluable asset on the frontier, where dangerous wildlife encounters were a constant threat. Lewis noted this was not the first time Seaman had served as a sentinel, but it was the most dramatic example of the dog earning his keep.