If ever there were two men who worked together as one, it was Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Lewis had served under Clark during the Northwest Campaigns in the 1790's in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio where their friendship began. When Thomas Jefferson sought leadership for his proposed expedition to the Pacific, he immediately tapped Lewis, who in turn highly recommended Clark. Ironically, Jefferson had previously asked Clark’s brother, Revolutionary War hero George Rogers Clark, to lead a trip west. While both men were quite different from each other–Clark was effervescent and quick to laugh, Lewis mercurial and moody–they had an understanding of each other’s strengths and weakness that combined to provide leadership of the highest caliber. Even when they had disagreements, there was no rancor and always a great deal of support. Both considered the other their closest friend and when Lewis died in 1809, it was a severe blow to Clark.
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