Uncovering the Untold Story of Sacagawea: A Heroine Beyond Her Time

Embarking on a quest of epic proportions in 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led a party of men into the wild of the American West. Joining them was an unexpected guide: Sacagawea, a Shoshone woman carrying her infant son. 

Sacagawea’s early life is shrouded in myth and mystery, but historians do know that she was born into the Lemhi Shoshone tribe in 1788, living in Idaho’s Lemhi County surrounded by the towering peaks of the Rockies. 

From “Sacagawea” to “Sacajawea” to “Sakakawea”, the name of the legendary woman has been spelled in various ways throughout history. It’s Lewis and Clark who gave us most of the knowledge we have of Sacagawea, yet often, the two explorers used different spellings for her name. 

At just 12 years old, Sacagawea’s life was thrown into turmoil. The Lemhi Shoshone, her people, were no match for the Hidatsas, who had guns from white traders giving them a powerful advantage. This bitter rivalry saw Sacagawea experience a traumatic event, one of many unknowns that surround her life. 

As Autumn swept across the landscape in the year 1800, Sacagawea ventured with a party of Shoshone to hunt buffalo along the Salmon River in Idaho. Little did she know that her life would be changed forever in that moment. Out of nowhere, a group of Hidatsa attacked the Shoshone and Sacagawea was taken captive. 

Sacagawea’s life took a drastic turn when her Hidatsa captors sold or lost her in a round of gambling to a man named Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian trapper in his 30s or 40s. This abrupt change meant that the teenage Sacagawea found herself being transferred from one captor to another. 

Toussaint Charbonneau had adopted a Hidatsa custom of polygamy when he decided to take Sacagawea, who was between 13 and 15 years old, as his second wife. Charbonneau was already married to another woman, and the trio settled in a Hidatsa village called Metaharta.

Sacagawea’s life changed dramatically when she became the wife of French-Canadian fur trader, Toussaint Charbonneau. Little did she know, this fateful union would bring about her introduction to two of the most famous explorers in history: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. 

In early winter of 1804, the intrepid explorers Lewis and Clark set out for a place called Fort Mandan in North Dakota, home to the Hidatsa people. Here, they encountered a French-Canadian trapper named Charbonneau, who was accompanied by his wife Sacagawea. 

When Lewis and Clark first encountered the French-Canadian trapper, Jacques Charbonneau, they were unimpressed. Little did they know that Charbonneau’s knowledge of the Hidatsa language and his Shoshone wife would prove invaluable for their expedition across the uncharted American territories. 

Exploring the uncharted West was no easy feat for the Corps of Discovery. Communicating with the many tribes they encountered, a complex web of translation was necessary. Pierre Cruzatte and Francois Labiche, who had Native American mothers and French fathers, could bridge the gap between English and French for expedition leader Charbonneau. 

On April 7th, 1805, Sacagawea set off on an epic journey with the expedition group and her newborn son, Jean Baptiste. Despite only having given birth eight weeks prior, Sacagawea strapped her son to her back and fearlessly embarked upon the treacherous voyage across the uncharted terrain of North Dakota up the Missouri River towards the Pacific coast. 

From the very start of their journey, the expedition was indebted to Sacagawea for her immense value to the team. She was a fountain of knowledge, able to recognize edible plants, roots, and fruits in the wild and provide sustenance that stretched their meager supplies. 

Sacagawea was a warrior-mother on an epic journey with Clark and Lewis, carrying her two-month-old baby, Jean Baptiste, in tow. Despite the difficulties of the expedition, baby Jean Baptiste was healthy and well-cared for, thanks to Sacagawea’s incredible strength and the doctor who provided care for her throughout the whole journey – none other than the leader of the expedition. 

When Sacagawea went into labor, Meriwether Lewis stood in as a de facto midwife. The pain was intense, but Lewis was ready with a natural remedy to subdue it. He crushed a rattlesnake’s rattle, mixed it with water, and gave it to Sacagawea to drink. 

As the expedition paddled up the river in their pirogues, Sacagawea and Jean Baptiste shared a canoe with Charbonneau as their pilot. Lewis described him as “perhaps the most timid waterman in the world”. His timid demeanor would soon be put to the test. 

When Charbonneau’s pirogue was hit by an unexpected gust of wind, it seemed like all was lost. Crucial items like medicines, instruments, and travel journals were thrown into the river. Luckily, Sacagawea was there to take charge. 

As Lewis and Clark made their way through the Rocky Mountains, they encountered a band of Shoshone people. What happened next was nothing short of remarkable – amidst the strangers, Sacagawea suddenly recognized someone she’d known for years! 

Sacagawea’s conversation with the Shoshone took a wild turn when she discovered that the leader of the group was none other than her long-lost brother, Cameahwait. She had not seen or heard from him since her abduction by the Hidatsa years ago. 

As Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery made their way across America, they had a unique asset on their team: Sacagawea, the only female and Jean Baptiste, the only child. This powerful one-two punch gave the expedition an incredible advantage. 

Having a Shoshone woman and her child with them on the Lewis and Clark Expedition proved to be invaluable. Sacagawea’s presence made a huge difference when it came to building trust with the various Native American tribes they encountered. 

Though the popular narrative typically portrays Sacagawea and her husband Charbonneau as guides for the Lewis & Clark expedition, this was not the case. In reality, they were hired for their language skills, not their outdoor expertise. 

On their return journey eastwards from the Pacific Northwest, Sacagawea led the Corps of Discovery on an adventure through the Bozeman Pass, located south of the Yellowstone River. In July 1806, Captain Clark wrote in his journal expressing his gratitude for the invaluable service provided by this remarkable woman as a guide and pilot. 

Sacagawea’s incredible 16-month trek across America with the Lewis and Clark expedition was a feat of courage and strength, especially considering she had a young child in tow. Yet, despite her invaluable contributions to the expedition, she wasn’t paid a single cent for her efforts. 

When it came to rewarding Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau for his work as an interpreter, the US Government didn’t forget about his mother, Sacagawea. Along with the 320-acre parcel of land her son received, William Clark also made sure to thank her in another way, paying for her son’s education. 

Sacagawea was a true trailblazer and a remarkable figure in American history. Despite being unpaid, she was treated as an equal to her male counterparts and was an invaluable asset for Lewis and Clark. 

On their journey to the Pacific in November 1805, Lewis and Clark were astounded to discover that Sacagawea had an equal say in the vote of where to build the winter camp. Her superior knowledge of the area they were exploring was invaluable, and they were thankful to be guided by her wisdom. 

After an incredible expedition with Lewis and Clark, Sacagawea, along with her husband Charbonneau and son Jean Baptiste, returned to the Hidatsa territory where they had first lived. After three years of settling in, Charbonneau decided to take advantage of the 320 acres of land he had earned for his participation in the expedition.

When Charbonneau and Sacagawea moved to St. Louis, Missouri to pursue a new life of farming, it didn’t quite pan out for them. Charbonneau, who was used to the wild life of a fur trapper, couldn’t settle into the confines of a farming life. To reclaim his adventurous spirit, Charbonneau joined a fur-trapping team in 1811, and the couple left their farm for good. 

William Clark and Sacagawea’s relationship has been the subject of much speculation and debate. During the expedition, Clark and Sacagawea’s son Jean Baptiste developed an affectionate bond, so much so that Clark even gave the young boy the nickname “Pomp.” 

William Clark’s life changed when he met Sacagawea and her son, Jean Baptiste. Clark developed a special bond with the boy, writing in a letter to Jean Baptiste’s parents, “As to your little son (my boy Pomp) you well know my fondness for him and my anxiety to take and raise him as my own child.” 

At 18, Jean Baptiste’s life changed drastically. Clark had adopted him and promised to pay for his education at the St. Louis Academy. When the aristocratic Duke Friedrich Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg came to explore the upper reaches of the Missouri, where he met Jean Baptiste. 

Jean Baptiste Charbonneau lived a life of luxury and opulence in Europe, where he added German and Spanish to the languages of Shoshone, Hidatsa, English, and French he already knew. Returning to America in 1829, he followed in the footsteps of his biological and adopted fathers and devoted his life to exploring and trapping. 

In 2000, the U.S. Mint released the Sacagawea Golden Dollar, featuring a unique outer coating of manganese brass that gave it a golden hue, despite its lack of gold. Although it failed to gain traction in the States, it quickly became a hit in one nation in particular.

Ecuadorians have welcomed the Sacagawea Golden Dollar with open arms, as the official currency of the country is the U.S. dollar. This is due to the suspicion that the typical American greenbacks are vulnerable to counterfeiting. The solidity of the Golden Dollar has instilled confidence in Ecuadorians, just as it did for Lewis and Clark during their journey. 

From statues to U.S. Navy vessels, Sacagawea’s legacy lives on in beautiful tributes that honor her courage and spirit. According to the U.S. National Park Service, she is the only American woman to have more statues dedicated to her than any other. Not only that, but three U.S. Navy vessels have also been named in her honor. 

 The U.S. Postal Service paid tribute to Sacagawea in 1994 with a 29-cent commemorative stamp, although nobody knows exactly what she looked like. The North Dakota Heritage Center’s bronze statue of Sacagawea is believed to be the closest likeness, modeled after her own granddaughter, Mink Woman. Despite Sacagawea’s achievements, it is still difficult to find any reliable information about her life and death.

Sacagawea’s essential contributions to the famous expedition are undeniable. However, the circumstances of her death remain a mystery, shrouded in rumors. Most researchers believe that Sacagawea passed away in late 1812, likely due to typhus. 

For many years, the accepted account of Sacagawea’s death was that she passed away in 1812 at Fort Manuel. Documentary evidence from the time appears to confirm this. However, other theories have been put forward, with one of the most persistent being that Sacagawea had changed her name to Porivo and was still living in 1884 when she would have been almost 100 years old! 

For over a century, historians have been working hard to uncover the true story of Sacagawea. The best source of evidence for her life and times are the journals of Lewis and Clark, written during their famous expedition. 

In 1902, Eva Emery Dye published her novel, The Conquest: The True Story of Lewis and Clark, which captivated the imagination of the American public with the tale of Sacagawea. Dye wrote in her journal, “Out of a few dry bones I found in the old tales of the trip, I created Sacagawea.”