MacGregor examines the publication history and significance of Patrick Gass’s journal, which appeared in 1807 as the first published account of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, preceding the official journals by several years. The article traces how Gass, promoted to sergeant after Charles Floyd’s death, maintained a journal throughout the expedition that offered a distinctive enlisted man’s perspective on events. MacGregor discusses the role of David McKeehan, a Pittsburgh schoolteacher who edited and substantially rewrote Gass’s original text for publication, raising questions about the relationship between the published version and Gass’s actual observations. The article evaluates Gass’s journal as a historical source, noting its particular value for details about daily camp life, construction projects, and the physical demands of the journey that the captains often omitted from their own accounts.
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