CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

The death of Meriwether Lewis is one steeped in mystery. Out of this mystery come two opposing viewpoints, and explanations of his death. On one side there are those who believe Lewis killed him self while suffering from sickness and depression. And on the other side are those who believe he was beyond a doubt, murdered.
To the suicide theory there are only two pieces of evidence. The first is a letter to Thomas Jefferson by James Neelly, the newly appointed Indian agent to the Chickasaws. In this letter Neelly describes the incident as given by Mrs. Grinder; owner of the inn where Lewis died. The letter is as follows:

Sir:
It is with extreme pain that I have to inform you of the death of His Excellency Meriwether Lewis, Governor of upper Louisiana who died on the morning of the 11th Instant and I am sorry to say by Suicide.

I arrived at the Chickasaw Bluffs [Fort Pickering on the Mississippi River] on or about the 18th of September, where I found the governor (who had reached there two days before me from St. Louis) in very bad health. It appears that his first intention was to go around by water to the City of Washington; but his thinking a war with England probable, & that his valuable papers might be in dainger of falling into the hands of the British, he was thereby induced to Change his route, and to come through the Chickasaw nation by land; I furnished him with a horse to pack his trunks &c. on, and a man to attend to them; have recovered his health in some digree at the Chickasaw Bluffs, we set out together. And on our arrival at the Chickasaw nation I discovered that he appeared at times deranged in mind. We rested there two days & came on. One days Journey after crossing Tennessee River & where we encamped we lost two of our horses. I remained behind to hunt them & the governor proceeded on, with a promise to wait for me at the first houses he came to that was inhabited by white people; he reached the house of a Mr. Grinder about sun set, the man of the house being from home, and no person there but a woman who discovering the governor to be deranged, gave him up the house & slept herself in one near it. His servant [John Pernier] and mine slept in the stable loft some instance from the other houses. The woman reports that about three o'Clock she heard two pistols fire off in the Governors Room: the servants being awakined by her, came in but too late to save him. He had shot himself in the head with one pistol & a little below the Breast with the other-when his servant came in he says; I have done the business my good Servant give me some water. He gave him water, he survived but a short time. I came up sometime after, and had him as decently Buried as I could in that place-if there is any thing wished by his friends to be done to his grave I will attend to their Instructions.

I have got in my possession his two trunks of papers (amongst which is said to be his travels to The pacific Ocean) and probably some Vouchers for expenditures of Public Money for a Bill which he said had been protested by the Secy. Of War; and of which act to his death, he repeatedly complained. I have also in my Care his Rifle, Silver watch, Brace of Pistols, dirk & tomahawk; one of the Governors horses was lost in the wilderness which I will endeavour to regain, the other I have sent on by his servant who expressed a desire to go to the governors Mothers & to Monticello [President Jefferson's home]: I have furnished him with fifteen Dollars to Defray his expences to Charlottsville; Some days previous to the Governors death he requested of me in case any accident happen to him, to send his trunks with the papers therein to the President, but I think very probable he meant to you. [Edit: Madison was at this time president.] I wish to be informed what arrangements may be considered best in sending on his trunks &c. I have the honor to be with Great respect Yr. Ob. Sert.

James Neelly
U. S. agent to the Chickasaw Nation

Since it is a brief second hand account taken from Mrs. Grinder, many look at it as poor evidence. Much later, Thomas Jefferson received a letter from Capt. Gilbert Russell, commander of Fort Pickering from which Lewis and his party departed for their trip along the Trace. In Russell’s letter Lewis is described as being sick, and suicidal, claiming he tried at least twice to kill himself, either with a pistol or by jumping over board while en-route by way of river boat. The Capt. Goes on to say: “all symptoms of derangement disappeared and he was completely in his senses and this continued for ten to twelve days.â€

These statements written much latter in a short biography Jefferson did of Lewis, put all thought of murder out of many people’s minds. There are some who believe this was a deliberate attempt to finally put an end to the idea of murder. Jefferson by the way was not even remotely considered to be attached with Lewis’s death. He was no longer president, and had nothing to gain from it; or did he? Jefferson too was tied to General Wilkinson in one way or another. During the Burr trial Jefferson effectively got Wilkinson off the hook for his testimony against then vice president Aaron Burr. Wilkinson suffered in no way for his treachery, and never even had to give his testimony in court. Of the affair it is said by Doug Linder: “Wilkinson (who never testified in the trial) remained a controversial figure throughout. Only Thomas Jefferson was unwavering in his support of the general. Prosecutor Hay reported, "My confidence in [Wilkinson] is shaken if not destroyed." John Randolph described Wilkinson as "the most finished scoundrel that ever lived." Historian Frederick Jackson Turner concurred in Randolph's judgment, calling Wilkinson "the most consummate artist of treason that the nation ever possessed.â€