First Time U.S. Democracy Crosses the Mississippi River
N 42° 41.012 W 096° 41.551
14T E 689045 N 4728254
Sgt. Patrick Gass, elected to replace Sgt. Floyd, of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery, by the first election by United States citizens west of the Mississippi River in the newly added Louisiana Territory.
Waymark Code: WM152W
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 01/17/2007
Views: 23
The Lewis and Clark expedition camped here on 22 August 1804, and conducted an election to replace Sgt. Floyd, who had died a couple days earlier near Sioux City, IA.
This election, the first recorded election in the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase, was a distinct break from military custom.
With victory in the War of Independence barely twenty (20) years old, democratic zeal was strong among the expedition's cadre of independent backwoodsmen and its leaders.
FIRST - Classification Variable: Item or Event
Date of FIRST: 08/22/1804
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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