François Rivet’s Role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition (Corps of Discovery) -- PART II

 

PART II

François Rivet Sr. (1754–1852), the long-lived voyageur and mountain man from the Rivet-Cusson lineage, played a supporting but memorable part as one of the French-Canadian engagés (hired boatmen) during the early stages of the 1804–1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition. His involvement highlights the critical reliance of the Corps on experienced French-Canadian and Métis river men for navigating the Missouri River and handling watercraft.

Hiring and Early Service (1804)

The expedition, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, departed from near St. Louis on May 14, 1804. To crew the keelboat and pirogues, they hired skilled boatmen familiar with the Missouri River’s currents, sandbars, and challenges.

• François Rivet was hired in the St. Louis / St. Charles area (some records note connections to Kaskaskia). He joined as part of a group of French-Canadian voyageurs engaged by St. Louis entrepreneurs like Auguste Chouteau to support the military contingent.
• He helped paddle one of the cargo pirogues (large, sturdy boats). The French boatmen provided essential muscle and expertise for upstream travel against the powerful Missouri current.

Rivet and the other engagés were not permanent members of the military Corps but temporary hires—contracted for specific legs of the journey. Many were experienced in the fur trade, bringing practical skills in boating, camping, and interacting with Indigenous nations.

Journey to the Mandan Villages and Discharge (Late 1804)

The Corps pushed up the Missouri through the summer and fall of 1804. By November, they reached the Mandan/Hidatsa villages in present-day North Dakota, where they built Fort Mandan for the winter.

• Rivet agreed only to travel as far as the Mandans. In November 1804, he and three others (DeChamps/Degie, Malboeuf, and Carson) were discharged at Fort Mandan.
• After discharge, Rivet and his companions built their own hut near Fort Mandan. They wintered there under the protection of the expedition while the Corps prepared for the push westward in spring 1805.

This arrangement was common: short-term voyageurs provided labor for the initial river ascent, then returned to their trading networks or stayed in the Upper Missouri region for fur trade opportunities.

Notable Personal Detail

Journals and accounts describe Rivet as a lively character. One record notes him as the man who “danced on his head” at Mandan parties—adding entertainment and helping build rapport with the Indigenous hosts during the winter.

Post-Discharge Contributions and Path Forward

• In spring 1805, Rivet and Philippe Degie (who had lent a dugout canoe to the expedition) built their own canoe and descended part of the Missouri with a return party.
• He continued working in the Upper Missouri fur trade, later traveling farther west, joining brigades, trapping, and interpreting for companies like the North West Company and Hudson’s Bay Company. He eventually settled in Oregon, living a remarkable life until 1852.

Significance of His Role

Rivet was not a core “permanent” member like the soldiers or key interpreters (e.g., Toussaint Charbonneau or George Drouillard), but he belonged to the vital French contingent whose boating skills enabled the expedition’s progress. The Corps depended on these voyageurs for the heavy labor of propelling heavily laden boats upstream—often singing traditional voyageur songs to maintain rhythm and morale. 

His story connects the Rivet family’s earlier Great Lakes voyageur heritage (Detroit and Michilimackinac) to the 19th-century western expansion. As a bridge between New France fur trade traditions and the American exploration era, François embodied the enduring mobility and adaptability of these river men.

His participation, though brief, placed him in one of the most famous expeditions in U.S. history, and his long subsequent career as a mountain man and settler extended that legacy into the Pacific Northwest. This chapter richly illustrates the family’s broader contributions to North American exploration and the fur trade.

Thank you Grok xAI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy