Craig Fehrman's 'This Vast Enterprise' Reexamines Lewis and Clark Expedition

In 'This Vast Enterprise' (Avid Reader Press), Craig Fehrman presents a comprehensive history of the Lewis and Clark expedition (1804-1806) through the lenses of up to ten participants' journals. Beyond focusing on Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, Fehrman highlights the experiences of York, an enslaved Black man accompanying Clark, and Sacagawea, a Shoshone woman held by Toussaint Charbonneau. The narrative explores York's significance as a body servant and his appeal for freedom, which Clark denied for another decade. Sacagawea's vital role as an interpreter and guide is emphasized, along with the expedition's disciplinary measures, including court-martials. Notably, Lewis and Clark were preceded by Alexander Mackenzie, who crossed the continent in 1793. Lewis struggled with depression and writer's block, leading to the posthumous editing of the journals by Nicholas Biddle in 1814. The expedition ultimately resulted in the surrender of 419 million acres of Native land due to Clark's later federal role.