On this day in Lewis & Clark history...
Clark, Gass, and others are away on a long hunting trip. Lewis writes that the Missouri war axes that they are making for the Indians are not an effective weapon. He writes that the French style is even worse.
From the journals...
5th February Tuesday 1805.—
visited by many of the natives who brought a considerable quanty of corn in payment for the work which the blacksmith had done for them— they are pecuarly attatched to a battle ax formed in a very inconvenient manner in my opinion.
French espontoon style war axe

Tuesday 5th Feby. 1805.
the Coal being ready for the blacksmith to work the Savages bring corn to have their war axes made & to get Scrapers to dress their buffaloe Robes with &.C.—
Missouri war axe
