TWO MEDICINE FIGHT SITE - Lewis and Clark Trail on Waymarking.com

Two Medicine Fight Site was the scene of the only violence of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. On July 26, 1806, Meriwether Lewis, George Drouillard and the Field brothers, Joseph and Reubin, left Camp Disappointment and traveled down the Marias River. There they encountered eight members of a Blackfeet tribe known as the Piegans and made camp for the night. Lewis asked the Piegans about trade in the area and discovered that a British post was six days away. There one could "obtain arm's amunition,speritous liquor, blankets in exchange for wolves and some beaver skins". Unworried by news of an established British trade post, Lewis told the Indians of the advantages of having the Americans on the plains. He also explained that he had mediated peace between warring Indian nations on either side of the mountains. This was upsetting news to the Blackfeet Indians. Lewis had just informed them that not only did he organize the worst enemies of the Blackfeet,the Nez Perce, the Shoshones and others,he intended to supply them with weapons. The Blackfeet monopoly on guns would end if the explorers succeeded. Lewis and his men, unaware of the Piegans fear of their plans, settled down to sleep.

The next morning Lewis awoke to the shouts of his men. The Piegans were stealing their weapons. Drouillard and Lewis quickly chased the Indians and recovered their guns, but Reubin Field, in his struggle, stabbed and killed one of the Piegans. The Indians then tried to take the explorers' horses. This struggle also ended in the death of a Piegan at the hands of Lewis, who was almost shot. He commented, "being bearheaded I felt the wind of his bullet very distinctly". The Piegans fled and the explorers broke camp and hurriedly continued down the river.

This struggle on July 27, 1806, was the only violent conflict between the Corps of Discovery and American Indians and resulted in the only two Indian casualties of the Expedition. Furthermore,it marks the first meeting and conflict between any representative of the American government and the Blackfeet Indians.

"Must Sees"at this location": RUINS OF CUT BANK,TO THE NORTH,BALCKFEET MUSEUM NORTHWESTERLY AND THE LEWIS AND CLARK MONUMENT ABOUT 19 MILES NORTH. Date Waymark Created: 11/15/2006 Do they allow dogs at this location?: Yes Rate this waymark as to importance:

Visit Instructions:
Visits only will be logged if there is a picture of the individual at the location, with their GPS in hand submitted as proof of the visit or not having a camera, the person making the find must submit a reasonable "proof" of having visited the site. Examples include: Two or three sentence quote from historical/interpretive signage at the location; adequate descriptive language about the location that provides evidence of a visit; verification by another party present at the find; e-mail sent from the location of the waymark.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   11/15/2006 GEO*Trailblazer 1 visited it

View all visits/logs