Lindy in Knox County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Reunited with Shannon!
Lewis and Clark National History Trail
— George Shannon Trail —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 2021
1. Reunited with Shannon! Marker
George Shannon was reunited with the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the group traveled onward to present-day North Dakota. Private John Newman was caught speaking in mutinous tones — an attempt to subvert the discipline and loyalty of other members of the expedition and a two-hour court martial was held. George Shannon served as one of the eight jurors. Newman received 75 lashes and hard labor as punishment and was forced to return to St. Louis in the spring.
Life was not always so grim. Until the liquor supply ran out, a gill (4 oz.) of rum was issued to each man every evening — this made for much joviality and joshing. Cruzatte and Gibson often brought out their fiddles while others played jaw harps and tambourines. Shannon sang with his fine tenor voice and they danced despite the rigors of the day.
An Evening of Singing and Dancing
”I walked down and joined the party at their encampment…; found them all in good health, and much pleased at having arrived at this long wished for spot, and in order to add in some measure to the general pleasure which seemed to pervade our little community, we ordered a dram to be issued to each person; this soon produced the fiddle, and they spent the evening with much hilarity, singing & dancing, and seemed as perfectly to forget their past toils…”
Meriwether
this page online
April 26, 1805
Erected by Farmers and Merchants State Bank; and National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Law Enforcement. In addition, it is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 26, 1805.
Location. 42° 44.056′ N, 97° 44.469′ W. Marker is in Lindy, Nebraska, in Knox County. Marker is on Main Street, 0.1 miles west of 539 Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located in front of Z's Lindy Country Club, the local saloon. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bloomfield NE 68718, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Lewis and Clark Campsite (here, next to this marker); Replica First Schoolhouse (approx. 10.1 miles away in South Dakota); First School in Dakota Territory Monument (approx. 10.1 miles away in South Dakota); Lewis and Clark / Springfield (approx. 11.1 miles away in South Dakota); Springfield Veterans Memorial (approx. 11.1 miles away in South Dakota); Graves of Ogden Marsh and Addie L. Marsh (approx. 11.2 miles away in South Dakota); Veteran's Memorial Plaza (approx. 11.4 miles away in South Dakota); Tabor (approx. 13 miles away in South Dakota).
by Matt Kriege, © 2004, George Shannon Trail
2. Marker detail: You Are Here
Also see . . .
1. George Shannon. George Shannon, youngest enlisted man of the permanent party, suffers from an exaggerated reputation as a fool who was always getting lost and losing things. Yes, he was separated from the men twice — the first of these setting the Corps' record for number of days alone — but the second time he did nothing wrong, and both times he made reasonable efforts not only for his own survival but also to rejoin the command. (Submitted on September 15, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. 'Peg-Leg' Shannon: 'Lost Boy' of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. The members of the expedition had given up on ever seeing Shannon alive again. In his journal, William Clark wrote scornfully of Shannon, “nearly starving in a land of plenty,” in spite of also noting that he had no ammunition. Later events would show that Clark was developing something of a “big brother” affection for Shannon, so that may have been the sort of relief tinged with anger reaction people often have when an unwise decision nearly causes the loss of a family member. (Submitted on September 15, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Courts Martial on the Trail. At high noon on 13 October 1804 the captains convened a court martial for the trial of John Newman, charging him with "having uttered repeated expressions of a highly criminal and mutinous nature;
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 2021
3. Reunited with Shannon! Marker
4. Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, 10/13/1804. [Clark] "Some rain thus evening, we formed a Court Martial of 7 of our party to Try Newmon, they Senteenced him 75 Lashes and banishment from the party" (Submitted on September 15, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 2021
4. Reunited with Shannon! Marker
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 2021
5. George Shannon Trail Poster
Credits. This page was last revised on September 15, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 15, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 243 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 15, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
