Lewis and Clark

In 1804,the U.S. concluded the Louisiana Purchase from France.President Jefferson sent his private secretary,Meriwether Lewis,who was also an active-duty officer in the U.S. Army,along with 20 some U.S. soldiers and co-leader William Clark,to explore this huge addition to the young nation.Little known is that Lewis suffered from depression,and was probably an alcoholic.After returning from the great trip to the Pacific and back,Lewis fell into debt,and on a journey to Washington to clear up questions about his finances,died under murky cicumstances in a Tennessee cabin where he stopped for the night.Eyewitness accounts say Lewis acted oddly before a pistol shot was heard in his cabin.He probably commited suicide.