This article provides a detailed examination of the life and career of Toussaint Charbonneau, the French-Canadian fur trader and interpreter who joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition at Fort Mandan in the winter of 1804-1805. Anderson traces Charbonneau’s origins in the Canadian fur trade, his marriages to Native women including Sacagawea, and his role as interpreter during the expedition. The article examines Charbonneau’s often-criticized performance during the journey, including the pirogue incident of May 1805, while also acknowledging his essential linguistic contributions as part of the translation chain between the captains and various tribal nations. Anderson follows Charbonneau’s post-expedition career as a trader and government interpreter on the upper Missouri, his relationship with William Clark, and his involvement in the fur trade until his death around 1843.
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