William Clark, Appointment to Indian Agent

Oil paining of William Clark

This painting of William Clark was believed to have been created in about 1810 by John Wesley Jarvis. It is a part of the collection of the Missouri Historical Society.

It was on March 9, 1807, just five months after the return of the Corps of Discovery, when President Jefferson appointed William Clark brigadier general of militia and principal agent of Indian affairs for the Louisiana Territory.

Clark was almost immediately faced with problems in his role as Indian agent caused primarily by the sudden influx of newcomers to the territory and contention between ambitious government officials and scheming businessmen.

One of his biggest challenges was the administration of the Indian department, which had to deal with the control of trade with the Native peoples. Unscrupulous traders attempted to cheat both the Indians and the government in their attempt to make handsome profits for themselves. Clark was successful in controlling this trade, implementing a consistent policy for the next 30 years.

Visit the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail website for more stories related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Primary Source: “William Clark and the Shaping of the West,” by Landon Jones

Lewis and Clark NHT Visitor Centers and Museums

This map shows a range of features associated with the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, which commemorates the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition. The trail spans a large portion of the North American continent, from the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. The trail is comprised of the historic route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, an auto tour route, high potential historic sites (shown in black), visitor centers (shown in orange), and pivotal places (shown in green). These features can be selected on the map to reveal additional information. Also shown is a base map displaying state boundaries, cities, rivers, and highways. The map conveys how a significant area of the North American continent was traversed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition and indicates the many places where visitors can learn about their journey and experience the landscape through which they traveled.