Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson And The Opening Of The American West
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Last update: 02-02-2026
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- GraybeardRiveting!Author Stephen Ambrose masterfully tells the story of the 1804-1806 expedition commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, to explore, chart, and gather scientific data about the Louisiana Purchase territory and the Pacific Northwest. The book also shows the important support role played by the young Indian woman, Sacagawea. Sacagawea was only 15 or 16 years old and had just given birth when she joined the expedition. What an incredibly heroic figure - and to be so at such a young age! Amazing!
A small core group assembled at an initial staging area near Louisville, on the Ohio River, where they acquired boats and supplies. They took the river downstream to St. Louis, Missouri on the Mississippi River, which at that time was part of the western frontier of the young United States. There they made final preparations and took on provisions, ammunition, other supplies, and additional personnel for the expedition. The expedition formally began there in St. Louis. The party proceeded by canoe up the Mississippi River to its confluence with the Missouri River, then took the Missouri River upstream to its headwaters. The explorers made many camps along the way, established relations with the many Indian tribes they encountered, and received tons of assistance from them, better enabling the explorers to overcome the various and sundry challenges they confronted and seize whatever opportunities arose along the way.
Beyond the Missouri's headwaters, the expedition had to proceed overland. Thanks to helpful guidance from the Indians, the party found a broad, gentle, well-traveled Indian trail through a pass that took them safely across the Continental Divide, thereby sparing them from an arduous, dangerous climb up and down the rugged Rocky Mountains. When the intrepid explorers reached a river system on the western side of the Divide, they resumed the rest of their westward journey by canoe. This water route eventually took them to the Columbia River, which carried them to the Pacific coast.
In the return trip back east to St. Louis, the expedition partially retraced its westbound steps, but also explored new routes.
Round-trip, the expedition lasted 2 years and 4 months. During that time, the expedition faced and overcame massive challenges related to weather, terrain, sickness, food, shelter, clothing and their beasts of burden. The explorers encountered literally dozens of Indian tribes on the outbound and return treks, proactively established relations with them and dealt with the problems that sometimes arose in those situations. Overall, the information and assistance that friendly Indians provided the expedition far outweighed any trouble that arose during encounters with hostile Indians, and contributed to the success of the expedition.
The explorers also saw majestic views and nature's beauty, although one wonders whether the challenges they faced 24/7 enabled them to take much pleasure in those scenes.
If you like history, adventure, travel, and colorful, intelligent writing, you will love this book. I've listened to the audio version multiple times, masterfully read by Cotter Smith. - R ScheeseRiveting AccountJust finished "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose. Earlier this year, I had read "Golfing with Lewis and Clark" by Lex McMillan, and many who read my review recommended I take up Ambrose's account of the expedition.
"Undaunted Courage" is a riveting exploration of the Lewis and Clark expedition with a major emphasis on the life of Meriwether Lewis. Ambrose skillfully weaves historical facts with a compelling narrative, providing valuable insights into leadership, risk-taking, and resilience. The book is a captivating read that highlights the spirit of exploration and the discoveries and accomplishments of the remarkable cross-country journey. Some great inspiration for those tackling a major project or facing challenges. - Joseph E. DemartinoAnother fine book from AmbroseI had previously read and enjoyed Ambrose's "Band of Brothers", "D-Day" and "Citizens Soldiers", and I also have an interest in earlier American history, so I had to read "Undaunted Courage". I'm about half way through and am enjoying the book. Ambrose puts much emphasis Thomas Jefferson and his relationship with Lewis, so much so that Jefferson is almost as much of a character during the tale of the journey as the two Captains and the rest of the party. Ambrose is a more unabashed fan of Jefferson's than I am (I lean towards the John Adams side of that revolutionary split, while understanding the faults and flaws of both), but the TJ hosannas are muted enough not to be annoying. Ambrose was an effective popularizer of American history, and did a great service in bringing the past to life for readers who are not specialists or academics - despite the plagiarism scandals which rightly muddied his reputation among professional historians. And he was never the stylist that David McCullough is. (Though McCullough leans as far towards Adams as Ambrose did towards Jefferson.) But Ambrose writes clear prose, tells an interesting story and puts things in context - which puts him ahead of most popular historians and miles beyond most academics. (Who appear to regard the ability to write clear prose as some kind of personality disorder.)