Jean Baptiste Charbonneau – After the Corps of Discovery

Striking out with his mother Sacagawea and the Corps of Discovery, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau played a unique role in the Lewis and Clark expedition. Having a child along with the expedition served as a form of diplomacy, as potentially hostile Native Americans welcomed the expedition upon realizing the corps had a child in tow (Anderson). Adopted by Clark shortly after the expedition, Jean Baptiste was educated in St. Louis. Charbonneau left for Germany in 1823 to work for Prince Paul of Wurttemberg. Charbonneau became a polyglot, adding English, French, Spanish, and German to several native languages that he spoke (Colby). Charbonneau returned to the U.S. in 1829 (Courchane) and entered the service of the American Fur Company (Historical Society, Utah State).

There is scant evidence of Charbonneau’s whereabouts in the years following his return from Europe. According to Reading, Charbonneau evidently helped find some lost horses for an employee of the American Fur Company. By the fall of 1830, he and his party became lost around American Falls, ID. He set out to find water and spent 11 days trying to relocate his party, only to find that they had been rescued by a Hudson Bay Company employee that came upon them (Historical Society, Utah State). Later, he helped Joseph Meek deliver a dispatch to St. Louis. According to Nathaniel Wyeth, Charbonneau was with Jim Bridger in 1832 (Reading). Jim Bridger was a noted mountain man, trapper, Army scout, and later owner of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. Later that year, Charbonneau traveled to Blackfoot country to trap beaver. William Smith wrote that a “Mr. Shabenare” traveled down the Platte River carrying pelts to St. Louis in 1839-40 (Reading). From 1842 to 1845, Charbonneau served at Bent’s Fort in St. Louis (Reading).

R. B. Sage, a 19th century American writer and journalist, commented on the man Charbonneau. He wrote that Charbonneau “proved to be a gentleman of superior information.” Commenting on his intelligence and multilingualism, Sage continued:

His mind, also, was well stored with choice reading, and enriched by extensive travel and observation. Having visited most of the important places, both in England, France, and Germany, he knew how to turn his experience to good advantage. There was a quaint humor and shrewdness in his conversation, so garbed with intelligence and perspicuity, that he at once insinuated himself into the good graces of listeners, and commanded their admiration and respect (Historical Society, Utah State).

One notable assignment was as a guide for the Mormon Battalion, in 1846, during the Mexican-American War. President Polk then instructed Secretary of War William Marcy to prepare the orders for the formation of a battalion of volunteers from among the Mormons in Iowa. The President hoped to “attach them to our country and prevent them from taking part against us” (Polk). The battalion set out in July of that year.

Route of the Mormon Battalion. Map courtesy of Kevin Henson.

In August 1846, the battalion mustered under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James Allen. However, Allen would not go with the battalion, for he passed away from congestive fever on August 31, 1846 (Missouri Republican). Lieutenant Colonel Cooke later assumed command of the march in New Mexico. Shortly thereafter, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau joined the battalion as a guide on their journey to San Diego, California. On December 9, 1846, the Mormon Battalion crossed the San Pedro River in what is now Cochise County, Arizona.

Marker erected by Boy Scouts commemorating spot of Mormon Battalion crossing the San Pedro River. The San Pedro River is in the background. Located at 31° 22.515′ N, 110° 6.826′ W.

Several days later, the Mormon Battalion arrived at another spot along the San Pedro River. Charbonneau would have been with the battalion during the only battle that the Mormon Battalion faced. During one event on December 12, 1846, the marchers came upon a herd of wild bulls. Sergeant Tyler described the events, which later came to be known as the Battle of the Bulls:

One small lead mule in a team was thrown on the horns of a bull over its mate on the near side, and the near mule, now on the off side and next to the bull, was gored. . .. One or two pack-mules were also killed. The end-gates of one or two wagons were stove in, and the sick, who were riding in them, were of course frightened. Some of the men climbed upon the wheels of the wagons and poured deadly fire into the enemy’s ranks. Some threw themselves down and allowed the beasts to run over them; others fired and dodged behind mezquit [sic] brush to re-load their guns, while the beasts kept them dodging to keep out of the way. Others, still, climbed up in small trees, there being now and then one available.

Brother Amos Cox was thrown about ten feet into the air, while a gore from three or four inches in length and about two or three in depth was cut in the inside of his thigh near its junction with the body. Sanderson sewed up the wound. Cox was an invalid for a long time, but finally recovered (Porter).

Erected by the Boy Scouts, a current marker sits near the spot of the Battle of the Bulls near the San Pedro River.

Historical marker for the Battle of the Bulls. The date of the marker is wrong. The ‘battle’ occurred on December 11, 1846. Located at 31° 37.577′ N, 110° 10.439′ W

Facing SE from Battle of the Bulls marker. San Pedro River in background

Facing north from Battle of the Bulls marker

After guiding the Mormon Battalion to their destination in San Diego, California, Charbonneau held a number of jobs. For a short time in 1847 to 1848, he was mayor of San Luis Rey, north of San Diego. Because he refused to enforce the same harsh policies toward Native Americans than his predecessors did, Charbonneau grew frustrated and resigned his position (Historical Society, Utah State). In 1866, he joined the rush to mine gold in Montana. However, he died en route and was buried at Inskip Station, Oregon. Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, through a life of adventure during westward expansion across North America, left an indelible mark on American history.

References

• Anderson, Irving W. "Sacajawea, Sacagawea, Sakakawea?." South Dakota History 8.4 (1978): 303-311.
• Colby, Susan M. Sacagawea’s Child: The Life and Times of Jean-Baptiste (Pomp) Charbonneau. University of Oklahoma Press, 2014.
• Courchane, Chalk. “Toussaint Charbonneau in the Pacific North in 1805.” Retrieved from http://www.oregonpioneers.com/bios/ToussaintCharbonneau.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj4-rrtjlP3AhX2KEQIHdPKABcQFnoECAQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3j3dzoY1_yayzV3-_1u3Fi
• Daily Missouri Republican (Saint Louis, Mo.: 1837) Daily Missouri Republican. St. Louis, Mo.: Charles & Paschall, 1837-1869. Vol. 15, no. 1168 (Mar. 14, 1837)-v. 47, no. 13 (Jan. 14, 1869).
• Polk, James Knox. The diary of James K. Polk during his presidency, 1845 to 1849. Vol. 6. Kraus Reprint, 1910.
• Porter, Larry C. “The Church and the Mexican-American War." Nineteenth Century Saints at War, edited by Robert C. Freeman, Religious Studies Center, BYU, 2006, 41-76.
• Reading, June. “Jean Baptiste Charbonneau." The Journal of San Diego History. vol. 11, no. 2, (1965). Retrieved from https://sandiegohistory.org/journal/1965/march/charbonneau/
• Ritter, Michael Lance. Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, Man of Two Worlds. CreateSpace Publishing, 2004.
• Sorensen, Stephen B. (2008) "History May Be Searched in Vain: A Military History of the Mormon Battalion by Sherman L. Fleek," BYU Studies Quarterly, vol. 47, no. 2, article 12, 161-66. (Book review by Sherman Fleek)
• Historical Society, Utah State. Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. February 11, 1805 – May 16, 1866. Number 428. Idaho Commission for Libraries: Boise, ID. (2008). Retrieved from https://utah-primoprod.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid =digcoll_icl_ 39p16293coll3%2F5562&context=L&vid=MWDL&lang=en_US& search_scope=mw &adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any ,contains,Jean%20Baptiste%20Charbonneau&offset=0

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—

Speech for Yellowstone Indians Children. The Great Spirit has given a fair
and bright day for us to meet together in his View that he may inspect us
in this all we say and do.

Children I take you all by the hand as the children of your Great father
the President of the U. States of America who is the great chief of all
the white people towards the riseing sun.

Children This Great Chief who is Benevolent, just, wise & bountifull
has sent me and one other of his chiefs (who is at this time in the
country of the Blackfoot Indians) to all his read children on the
Missourei and its waters quite to the great lake of the West where the
land ends and the sun sets on the face of the great water, to know their
wants and inform him of them on our return.

Children We have been to the great lake of the west and are now on our
return to my country. I have seen all my read children quite to that great
lake and talked with them, and taken them by the hand in the name of their
great father the Great Chief of all the white people.

Children We did not see the ____ or the nations to the North. I have come
across over high mountains and bad road to this river to see the ____
Natn. I have come down the river from the foot of the great snowey
mountain to see you, and have looked in every detection for you, without
seeing you untill now

Children I heard from some of your people ____ nights past by my horses
who complained to me of your people haveing taken 24 of their cummerads.

Children The object of my comeing to see you is not to do you injurey but
to do you good the Great Chief of all the white people who has more goods
at his command than could be piled up in the circle of your camp, wishing
that all his read children should be happy has sent me here to know your
wants that he may supply them.

Children Your great father the Chief of the white people intends to build
a house and fill it with such things as you may want and exchange with you
for your skins & furs at a very low price. & has derected me to
enquire of you, at what place would be most convenient for to build this
house. and what articles you are in want of that he might send them
imediately on my return

Children The people in my country is like the grass in your plains
noumerous they are also rich and bountifull. and love their read brethren
who inhabit the waters of the Missoure

Children I have been out from my country two winters, I am pore necked and
nothing to keep of the rain. when I set out from my country I had a plenty
but have given it all to my read children whome I have seen on my way to
the Great Lake of the West. and have now nothing.

Children Your Great father will be very sorry to here of the ____ stealing
the horses of his Chiefs warrors whome he sent out to do good to his red
children on the waters of Missoure.

_____ their ears to his good counsels he will shut them and not let any
goods & guns be brought to the red people. but to those who open their
Ears to his counsels he will send every thing they want into their
country. and build a house where they may come to and be supplyed whenever
they wish.

Children Your Great father the Chief of all the white people has derected
me to inform his red children to be at peace with each other, and the
white people who may come into your country under the protection of the
Flag of your great father which you. those people who may visit you under
the protection of that flag are good people and will do you no harm

Children Your great father has detected me to tell you not to suffer your
young and thoughtless men to take the horses or property of your
neighbours or the white people, but to trade with them fairly and
honestly, as those of his red children below.

Children The red children of your great father who live near him and have
opened their ears to his counsels are rich and hapy have plenty of horses
cows & Hogs fowls bread &c.&c. live in good houses, and sleep
sound. and all those of his red children who inhabit the waters of the
Missouri who open their ears to what I say and follow the counsels of
their great father the President of the United States, will in a fiew
years be as hapy as those mentioned &c.

Children It is the wish of your Great father the Chief of all the white
people that some 2 of the principal Chiefs of this ____ Nation should
Visit him at his great city and receive from his own mouth. his good
counsels, and from his own hands his abundant gifts, Those of his red
children who visit him do not return with empty hands, he send them to
their nation loaded with presents

Children If any one two or 3 of your great chiefs wishes to visit your
great father and will go with me, he will send you back next Summer loaded
with presents and some goods for the nation. You will then see with your
own eyes and here with your own years what the white people can do for
you. they do not speak with two tongues nor promis what they can’t perform

Children Consult together and give me an answer as soon as possible your
great father is anxious to here from (& see his red children who wish
to visit him) I cannot stay but must proceed on & inform him &c.

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Among the Grasses of this Country I observe a large Species which grows in
moist Situations; it rises to the hight of Eight or ten feet, the Culm is
jointed, hollow, Smooth, as large as a goose quill, and more firm than
ordinary grass; the leaf is linner broad and rough; it has much the
appearance of the Meadin Cain as it is Called in the Southern parts of the
U States, and retains it’s virdue untill late in the fall. this grass
propegates principally by the Root which is horozontal and perennial.-. a
Second Species grows in tussucks and rises to the hight of Six or Eight
feet; it Seams to delight in the Soil of the river bottoms which possess
agreater mixture of Sand than the hills in this neighbourhood. this is
also a harsh Course grass; it appears to be the Same which is Called the
Corn grass in the Southern States, and the Foxtail in Virginia. a third
Species resembles the cheet, tho the horses feed on it very freely. a
fouth and most prevalent Species is a grass which appears to be the Same
Called the blue Grass common to maney parts of the United States; it is
common to the bottoms as well as the uplands, is now Seeding and is from 9
inches to 2 feet high; it affords an excellent paterage for horses and
appears to bear the frost and Snow better than any grass in our Country; I
therefore regrete very much that the Seed will not be ripe before our
probable departure. this is a fine Soft grass and would no doubt make
excellent hay if cultivated. I do not find the Green Sword here which we
met with on the lower part of the Columbia. There are also Several Species
of the wild Rye to be met with in the praries. among the plants and Shrubs
common to our Country I observe here the Seven bark, Wild rose, vineing
honey suckle, Sweet willow, red willow, long leafed pine, Cattail or
Coopers Flag. Lambs quarter, Strawberries, Raspberries, Goose berries,
tongue grass, Mustard, tanzy, Sinquefield, horse mint, water penerial,
elder, Coalts foot, Green Plantin, canser weed, Shoemate, and Several of
the pea blume flowering plants.-. Frazier who had permission to visit the
Twisted Hairs Lodge at the distance of ten or twelve miles did not return
this evening-. The river falls in course of the day and rises Some at
night as will be Seen by the remarks in the Diary of the weather. this
most probably is the melding of the Snows dureing the day &c.

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