John Colter Archives - Lewis & Clark Research Database

John Colter: His Years in the Rocky Mountains

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 01:27:41 +0000

Harris traces the remarkable post-expedition career of John Colter, the private who received permission to leave the Corps of Discovery in 1806 to join a trapping party and subsequently became one of the first American mountain men. The article documents Colter’s solo winter journey of 1807-1808 through the Yellowstone region, during which he became the first known Euro-American to witness the geothermal wonders that his contemporaries derisively labeled “Colter’s Hell.” Harris provides a detailed reconstruction of Colter’s famous 1808 escape from the Blackfeet, in which he was stripped naked and forced to run for his life across the Montana prairie, eventually eluding his pursuers by hiding in a beaver dam on the Jefferson River. The article evaluates the various accounts of this episode and places Colter’s adventures in the context of the early Rocky Mountain fur trade that followed in the expedition’s wake.

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Clark: August 16, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:53 +0000

Friday 16th August 1806 a cool morning. Sent up Sergt. Pryor to the mandan
village, for Some Corn which they offered to give us. he informed that
they had more Corn collected for us than our Canoes Could Carry Six load
of which he brought down. I thanked the Chief for his kindness and
informed him that our Canoes would not Carry any more Corn than we had
already brought down. at 10 A. M the Chiefs of the different villages came
to See us and Smoke a pipe &c. as our Swivel Could no longer be
Serveceable to us as it could not be fireed on board the largest Perogue,
we Concluded to make a present of it to the Great Chief of the Menetaras
(the One Eye) with a view to ingratiate him more Strongly in our favour I
had the Swivel Charged and Collected the Chiefs in a circle around it and
adressed them with great ceremoney. told them I had listened with much
attention to what the One Eye had Said yesterday and beleived that he was
Sincere & Spoke from his heart. I reproached them very Severely for
not attending to what had been Said to them by us in Council in the fall
of 1804 and at different times in the winter of 1804 & 5, and told
them our backs were Scercely turned befor a party followed and killed the
pore defenceless snake indians whom we had taken by the hand & told
them not to be afraid that you would never Strike them again &c. also
mentioned the ricers &c. The little Cherry old Chief of the Menetarras
Spoke as follows Viz: “Father we wish to go down with you to See our Great
Father, but we know the nations below and are afraid of the Scioux who
will be on the river and will kill us on our return home. The Scioux has
Stolen our horses and killed 8 of our men Since you left us, and the
Ricaras have also Struck us. we Staid at home and listened to what you had
told us. we at length went to war against the Scioux and met with Ricaras
and killed two of them, they were on their way to Strike us. We will
attend to your word and not hurt any people all Shall be Welcom and we
Shall do as you direct-.” The One Eye Said his ears would always be open
to the word of his great father and Shut against bad Council &c. I
then a good deel of Ceremony made a preasent of the Swivel to the One Eye
Chief and told him when he fired this gun to remember the words of his
great father which we had given him. this gun had anounced the words of
his great father to all the nations which we had Seen &c. &c.
after the council was over the gun was fired & delivered, they Chief
appeared to be much pleased and conveyed it immediately to his village
&c. we Settled with and discharged Colter. in the evening I walked to
the village to See the little Crow and know when he would be ready, took
with me a flag intending to give him to leave at his lodge but to my
astonishment he informed me he had declined going down the reason of which
I found was through a jellousy between himself and the principal Chief he
refused a flag & we Sent for Mr. Jessomme and told him to use his
influn to provail on one of the Chiefs to acompany us and we would employ
him. he informed us soon after that the big white Chief would go if we
would take his wife & Son & Jessoms wife & 2 children we wer
obliged to agree to do

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Clark: August 15, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:53 +0000

Thursday August 15th 1806 Continued Mandans Vilg after assembling the
Chiefs and Smokeing one pipe, I informed them that I Still Spoke the Same
words which we had Spoken to them when we first arived in their Country in
the fall of 1804. we then envited them to visit their great father the
president of the U. States and to hear his own Councils and receive his
Gifts from his own hands as also See the population of a government which
Can at their pleasure protect and Secur you from all your enimies, and
chastize all those who will Shut their years to his Councils. we now offer
to take you at the expense of our Government and Send you back to your
Country again with a considerable present in merchendize which you will
recive of your great Father. I urged the necessity of their going on with
us as it would be the means of hastening those Supples of Merchindize
which would be Sent to their Country and exchanged as before mentioned for
a moderate price in Pelteries and furs &c. the great Chief of the
Menetaras Spoke, he Said he wished to go down and See his great father
very much, but that the Scioux were in the road and would most certainly
kill him or any others who Should go down they were bad people and would
not listen to any thing which was told them. when he Saw us last we told
him that we had made peace with all the nations below, Since that time the
Seioux had killed 8 of their people and Stole a number of their horses. he
Said that he had opened his ears and followed our Councils, he had made
peace with the Chyennes and rocky mountains indians, and repieted the same
objecctions as mentioned. that he went to war against none and was willing
to receive all nations as friends. he Said that the Ricaras had Stolen
from his people a number of horses at different times and his people had
killed 2 Ricaras. if the Sieoux were at peace with them and Could be
depended on he as also other Chiefs of the villages would be glad to go
and See their great father, but as they were all afraid of the Sieoux they
Should not go down &c.

The Black Cat Chief of the Mandans Village on the North Side of the
Missouri Sent over and requested me to go over to his village which
envertation I axceptd and crossed over to his village. he had a parcel of
Corn about 12 bushuls in a pile in his lodge. he told me that his people
had but little corn part of which they had given me. after takeing a Smoke
he informed me that as the Sieoux were very troublesom and the road to his
great father dangerous none of this village would go down with us. I told
the Cheifs and wariers of the village who were there present that we were
anxious that Some of the village Should go and See their great father and
hear his good words & recve his bountifull gifts &c. and told them
to pitch on Some Man on which they could rely on and Send him to See their
Great father, they made the Same objections which the Chief had done
before. a young man offered to go down, and they all agreeed for him to go
down the charector of this young man I knew as a bad one and made an
objection as to his age and Chareckter at this time Gibson who was with me
informed me that this young man had Stole his knife and had it then in his
possession, this I informed the Chief and directed him to give up the
knife he delivered the knife with a very faint apology for his haveing it
in his possession. I then reproached those people for wishing to Send Such
a man to See and hear the words of So great a man as their great father;
they hung their heads and Said nothing for Some time when the Cheif Spoke
and Said that they were afraid to Send any one for fear of their being
killed by the Sieux. after Smoking a pipe and relateing Some passages I
recrossed to our Camp-. being informed by one of our enterpreters that the
2d Chief of the Mandans Comonly Called the little Crow intended to
accompany us down, I took Charbono and walked to the Village to See this
Chief and talk with him on the Subject. he told me he had deturmined to go
down, but wished to have a council first with his people which would be in
the after part of the day. I smoked a pipe with the little Crow and
returned to the boat. Colter one of our men expressed a desire to join
Some trappers who offered to become Shearers with and furnish traps &c.
the offer a very advantagious one, to him, his Services Could be dispenced
with from this down and as we were disposed to be of Service to any one of
our party who had performed their duty as well as Colter had done, we
agreed to allow him the prvilage provided no one of the party would ask or
expect a Similar permission to which they all agreeed that they wished
Colter every Suckcess and that as we did not wish any of them to Seperate
untill we Should arive at St. Louis they would not apply or expect it
&c. The Maharha Chief brought us Some Corn, as did also the Chief of
the little village of the Menetarras on mules of which they have Several.
The evening is Cool and windy. great number of the nativs of the different
villages Came to view us and exchange robes with our men for their Skinswe
gave Jo Colter Some Small articles which we did not want and Some powder
& lead. the party also gave him Several articles which will be usefull
to him on his expedittion.This evening Charbono informed me that
our back was scercely turned before a war party from the two menetarry
villages followed on and attacked and killed the Snake Indians whome we
had Seen and in the engagement between them and the Snake indians they had
lost two men one of which was the Son of the principal Chief of the little
village of the menitarras. that they had also went to war from the
Menetarras and killed two Ricaras. he further informed me that a
missunderstanding had taken place between the Mandans & minetarras and
had verry nearly come to blows about a woman, the Menitarres at length
presented a pipe and a reconsilliation took place between them

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Lewis: August 12, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:53 +0000

Thursday August 12th 1806. Being anxious to overtake Capt. Clark who from
the appearance of his camps could be at no great distance before me, we
set out early and proceeded with all possible expedition at 8 A.M. the
bowsman informed me that there was a canoe and a camp he beleived of
whitemen on the N. E. shore. I directed the perogue and canoes to come too
at this place and found it to be the camp of two hunters from the Illinois
by name Joseph Dickson and Forest Hancock. these men informed me that
Capt. C. had passed them about noon the day before. they also informed me
that they had left the Illinois in the summer 1804 since which time they
had been ascended the Missouri, hunting and traping beaver; that they had
been robed by the indians and the former wounded last winter by the Tetons
of the birnt woods; that they had hitherto been unsuccessfull in their
voyage having as yet caught but little beaver, but were still determined
to proceed. I gave them a short discription of the Missouri, a list of
distances to the most conspicuous streams and remarkable places on the
river above and pointed out to them the places where the beaver most
abounded. I also gave them a file and a couple of pounds of powder with
some lead. these were articles which they assured me they were in great
want of. I remained with these men an hour and a half when I took leave of
them and proceeded. while I halted with these men Colter and Collins who
seperated from us on the 3rd ist. rejoined us. they were well no accedent
having happened. they informed me that after proceeding the first day and
not overtaking us that they had concluded that we were behind and had
delayed several days in waiting for us and had thus been unable to join us
untill the present momet. my wounds felt very stiff and soar this morning
but gave me no considerable pain. there was much less inflamation than I
had reason to apprehend there would be. I had last evening applyed a
poltice of peruvian barks at 1 P.M. I overtook Capt. Clark and party and
had the pleasure of finding them all well. as wrighting in my present
situation is extreemly painfull to me I shall desist untill I recover and
leave to my frind Capt. C. the continuation of our journal. however I must
notice a singular Cherry which is found on the Missouri in the bottom
lands about the beaverbends and some little distance below the white earth
river. this production is not very abundant even in the small tract of
country to which it seems to be confined. the stem is compound erect and
subdivided or branching without any regular order it rises to the hight of
eight or ten feet seldom puting up more than one stem from the same root
not growing in cops as the Choke Cherry dose. the bark is smooth and of a
dark brown colour. the leaf is peteolate, oval accutely pointed at it’s
apex, from one and a 1/4 to 11/2 inches in length and from 1/2 to 3/4 of
an inch in width, finely or minutely serrate, pale green and free from
bubessence. the fruit is a globular berry about the size of a buck-shot of
a fine scarlet red; like the cherries cultivated in the U States each is
supported by a seperate celindric flexable branch peduncle which issue
from the extremities of the boughs the peduncle of this cherry swells as
it approahes the fruit being largest at the point of insertion. the pulp
of this fruit is of an agreeable ascid flavour and is now ripe. the style
and stigma are permanent. I have never seen it in blume.

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Lewis: August 9, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:52 +0000

Saturday August 9th 1806. The day proved fair and favourable for our
purposes. the men were all engaged dressing skins and making themselves
cloathes except R & J. Fields whom I sent this morning over the river
with orders to proceed to the entrance of the White earth river in surch
of Capt. C. and to hunt and kill Elk or buffaloe should they find any
convenient to the river. in the evening these men returned and informed me
that they saw no appearance of Capt. Clark or party. they found no game
nor was there a buffaloe.to be seen in the plains as far as the eye could
reach. nothing remarkable took place in the course of the day. Colter and
Collins have not yet overtaken us I fear some missfortune has happened
them for their previous fidelity and orderly deportment induces me to
beleive that they would not thus intentionally delay. the Perogue is not
yet sufficiently dry for reparing. we have no pitch and will therefore be
compelled to use coal and tallow.

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Lewis: August 7, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:51 +0000

Thursday August 7th 1806. It began to rain about midnight and continued
with but little intermission until 10 A.M. today. the air was cold and
extreemly unpleasant. we set out early resolving if possible to reach the
Yelowstone river today which was at the distance of 83 ms. from our
encampment of the last evening; the currant favoured our progress being
more rapid than yesterday, the men plyed their oars faithfully and we went
at a good rate. at 8 A.M. we passed the entrance of Marthy’s river which
has changed it’s entrance since we passed it last year, falling in at
preasent about a quarter of a mile lower down. at or just below the
entrance of this river we meet with the first appearance of Coal birnt
hills and pumicestone, these appearances seem to be coextensive. here it
is also that we find the first Elm and dwarf cedar on the bluffs, the ash
first appears in the instance of one solletary tree at the Ash rapid,
about the Elk rapid and from thence down we occasionly meet with it
scattered through the bottoms but it is generally small. from Marthy’s
river to Milk river on the N. E. side there is a most beautifull level
plain country; the soil is much more fertile here than above. we overtook
the Feildses at noon. they had killed 2 bear and seen 6 others, we saw and
fired on two from our perogue but killed neither of them. these bear
resort the river where they lie in wate at the crossing places of the game
for the Elk and weak cattle; when they procure a subject of either they
lie by the carcase and keep the wolves off untill they devour it. the bear
appear to be very abundant on this part of the river. we saw a number of
buffaloe Elk &c as we passed but did not detain to kill any of them.
we also saw an unusual flight of white gulls about the size of a pigeon
with the top of their heads black. at 4 P.M. we arrived at the entrance of
the Yellowstone river. I landed at the point and found that Capt. Clark
had been encamped at this place and from appearances had left it about 7
or 8 days. I found a paper on a pole at the point which mearly contained
my name in the hand wrighting of Capt. C. we also found the remnant of a
note which had been attatched to a peace of Elk’s horns in the camp; from
this fragment I learned that game was scarce at the point and musquetoes
troublesome which were the reasons given for his going on; I also learnt
that he intended halting a few miles below where he intended waiting my
arrival. I now wrote a note directed to Colter and Collins provided they
were behind, ordering them to come on without loss of time; this note I
wraped in leather and attatced onto the same pole which Capt. C. had
planted at the point; this being done I instantly reimbarked and decended
the river in the hope of reaching Capt. C’s camp before night. about 7
miles below the point on the S. W. shore I saw some meat that had been
lately fleased and hung on a pole; I directed Sergt. Ordway to go on shore
examine the place; on his return he reported that he saw the tracks of two
men which appeared so resent that he beleived they had been there today,
the fire he found at the plce was blaizing and appeared to have been
mended up afresh or within the course of an hour past. he found at this
place a part of a Chinnook hat which my men recognized as the hat of
Gibson; from these circumstances we included that Capt. C’s camp could not
be distant and pursued our rout untill dark with the hope of reaching his
camp in this however we were disappointed and night coming on compelled us
to encamp on the N. E. shore in the next bottom above our encampment of
the 23rd and 24th of April 1805. as we came too a herd of buffaloe
assembled on the shore of which we killed a fat cow.-

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Lewis: August 5, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:51 +0000

Tuesday August 5th 1806. Colter and Collins not having arrived induced me
to remain this morning for them. the hunters killed four deer this morning
near our encampment. I remained untill noon when I again reimbarked and
set out concluding that as Colter and Collins had not arrived by that time
that they had passed us after dark the night of the 3rd inst. as Sergt
Ordway informed me he should have done last evening had not the centinel
hailed him. we continued our rout untill late in the evening when I came
too and encamped on the South side about 10 miles below little dry river.
on our way we killed a fat cow and took as much of the flesh as was
necessary for us. The Feildses killed 2 large bear this evening one of
them measured nine feet from the extremity of the nose to that of his
tail, this is the largest bear except one that I have seen. we saw several
bear today as we passed but did not kill any of them. we also saw on our
way immence herds of buffaloe & Elk, many deer Antelopes, wolves,
geese Eagles &c. but few ducks or prarie hens. the geese cannot fly at
present; I saw a solitary Pillacon the other day in the same situation.
this happens from their sheding or casting the fathers of the wings at
this season.

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Lewis: August 4, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:50 +0000

Monday August 4th 1806. Set out at 4 A.M. this morning. permited Willard
and Sergt. Ordway to exchange with the Feildses and take their small canoe
to hunt to-day. at 1/2 after eleven O’Ck. passed the entrance of big dry
river; found the water in this river about 60 yds. wide tho shallow. it
runs with a boald even currant. at 3 P.M. we arrived at the entrance of
Milk river where we halted a few minutes. this stream is full at present
and it’s water is much the colour of that of the Missouri; it affords as
much water at present as Maria’s river and I have no doubt extends itself
to a considerable distance North. during our halt we killed a very large
rattlesnake of the speceis common to our country. it had 176 scuta on the
abdomen and 25 on the tail, it’s length 5 feet. the scutae on the tail
fully formed. after passing this river we saw several large herds of
buffaloe and Elk we killed one of each of these animals and took as much
of the flesh as we wished. we encamped this evening two miles below the
gulph on the N. E. side of the river. Tonight for the first time this
season I heard the small whippoorwill or goatsucker of the Missouri cry.
Colter and Collins have not yet overtaken us. Ordway and Willard delayed
so much time in hunting today that they did not overtake us untill about
midnight. they killed one bear and 2 deer. in passing a bend just below
the gulph it being dark they were drawn by the currant in among a parsel
of sawyers, under one of which the canoe was driven and throwed Willard
who was steering overboard; he caught the sawyer and held by it; Ordway
with the canoe drifted down about half a mile among the sawyers under a
falling bank, the canoe struck frequently but did not overset; he at
length gained the shore and returned by land to learn the fate of Willard
whom he found was yet on the sawyer; it was impossible for him to take the
canoe to his relief Willard at length tied a couple of sticks together
which had lodged against the sawyer on which he was and set himself a
drift among the sawyers which he fortunately escaped and was taken up
about a mile below by Ordway with the canoe; they sustained no loss on
this occasion. it was fortunate for Willard that he could swim tolerably
well.

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Lewis: August 3, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:50 +0000

Saturday August 3rd 1806. I arrose early this morning and had the perogue
and canoes loaded and set out at half after 6 A.M. we soon passed the
canoe of Colter and Collins who were on shore hunting, the men hailed them
but received no answer we proceeded, and shortly after overtook J. and R.
Fields who had killed 25 deer since they left us yesterday; deer are very
abundant in the timbered bottoms of the river and extreemly gentle. we did
not halt today to cook and dine as usual having directed that in future
the party should cook as much meat in the evening after encamping as would
be sufficient to serve them the next day; by this means we forward our
journey at least 12 or 15 miles Pr. day. we saw but few buffaloe in the
course of this day, tho a great number of Elk, deer, wolves, some bear,
beaver, geese a few ducks, the party coloured covus, one Callamet Eagle, a
number of bald Eagles, redheaded woodpeckers &c. we encamped this
evening on N. E. side of the river 2 ms. above our encampment of the 12th
of May 1805 soon after we encamp Drewyer killed a fat doe. the Fieldses
arrived at dark with the flesh of two fine bucks, besides which they had
killed two does since we passed them making in all 29 deer since yesterday
morning. Collins and Colter did not overtake us this evening.

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Lewis: July 29, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:48 +0000

Tuesday July 29th 1806. Shortly after dark last evening a violent storm
came on from N. W. attended with rain hail Thunder and lightning which
continued the greater part of the night. no having the means of making a
shelter I lay in the water all night. the rain continued with but little
intermission all day. I intend halting as soon as the weather proves fair
in order to dry our baggage which much wants it. I placed the two Fieldses
and Colter and Collins in the two smallest canoes with orderes to hunt,
and kill meat for the party and obtain as many Elkskins as are necessary
to cover our canoes and furnish us with shelters from the rain. we set out
early and the currant being strong we proceeded with great rapidity. at 11
A.M. we passed that very interesting part of the Missouri where the
natural walls appear, particularly discribed in my outward bound journey.
we continued our rout untill late in the evening and encamped on the N. E.
side of the river at the same place we had encamped on the 29th of May
1805. on our way today we killed 9 bighorns of which I preserved the skins
and skeletons of 2 females and one male; the flesh of this aninmal is
extreemly delicate tender and well flavored, they are now in fine order.
their flesh both in colour and flavor much resembles mutton though it is
not so strong as our mutton. the eye is large and prominant, the puple of
a pale sea green and iris of a light yellowish brown colour. these animals
abound in this quarter keeping themselves principally confined to the
steep clifts and bluffs of the river. we saw immence hirds of buffaloe in
the high plains today on either hand of the river. saw but few Elk. the
brown Curloo has left the plains I presume it has raised it’s young and
retired to some other climate and country. as I have been very particular
in my discription of the country as I ascended this river I presume it is
unnecesssesary here to add any-thing further on that subject. the river is
now nearly as high as it has been this season and is so thick with mud and
sand that it is with difficulty I can drink it. every little rivulet now
discharges a torrant of water bringing down immece boddies of mud sand and
filth from the plains and broken bluffs.-

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