The Death of Sergeant Charles Floyd

Sergeant Charles Floyd, one of the three sergeants of the expedition and the youngest at approximately 22 years old, died on August 20, 1804 — the only member of the Corps of Discovery to perish during the entire journey.

“Serjeant 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.'”

Floyd had been ill for several days with what modern physicians believe was acute appendicitis — a condition that would have been fatal even in the best hospitals of the era. He was buried atop a bluff overlooking the Missouri River near present-day Sioux City, Iowa.

Clark named the nearby river “Floyd’s River” in his honor. Patrick Gass was later elected by the men to replace Floyd as sergeant — a remarkable example of frontier democracy within a military unit.