Meriwether Lewis, of course, could not carry out the
President’s wishes alone. He enlisted the aid of his friend, Captain
William Clark who put together an expeditionary group known as the Corps of Discovery.
In addition to Clark’s black slave, York, the party numbered over 45 men. Many (about 27) were young, unmarried soldiers. They would be gone a long time. Life, as they knew it, would be very different on the journey which began in St. Louis.
President Jefferson wanted to be sure the men had enough supplies. Lewis needed to purchase not just what he and his men would need. He also required "Indian Presents" to trade during the trip. While the expedition ran out of luxuries (like salt, liquor and pigtail tobacco), the Corps never exhausted their basic supplies of rifles, powder, ammunition, paper and ink.