WI: Lewis & Clark intercepted and killed?

One of my favorite books is "Undaunted Courage" by Stephan Ambrose, about the Lewis and Clark expedition. What if Vial or Melgares Spanish force intercepts Lewis and Clark, but instead of capturing them as intended, a firefight breaks out, and Lewis and Clark are killed?

What is the reaction by Jefferson and the American people? How would Jefferson respond? Does this butterfly the coming conflict with England, and instead Spain now becomes the "bad guy"?

Ric350
 
David Thompson's fame is somewhat greater forward because of his exploration to the Pacific.

Explorers die all the time. It would suck, but I don't think it would lead to war.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
What is the reaction by Jefferson and the American people? How would Jefferson respond? Does this butterfly the coming conflict with England, and instead Spain now becomes the "bad guy"?

Very likely they wouldn't find out. They would simply assume the members of the expedition had been killed by Native Americans or died in some other way. They nearly all starved to death crossing the Bitterroot Mountains, for example.
 
I don't think it would have been shrugged off so easily. These weren't some scruffy trappers that went missing.

First this expedition was under the direction of the US president (Jefferson). He was very interested in its progress as it was finding a path to the pacific. Jefferson knew the Spanish were very nervous about the implications of a US presence on the Pacific coast. So saying they just disappeared wasn't going to fly.

Second the expedition was betrayed to the Spanish by the American General James Wilkinson (he was a paid Spanish agent). So a US expedition betrayed by an American, and resulting in American deaths at Spanish hands was going to come to light.

Also the Spanish soldiers are in a tough spot. If they captured the expedition, Spain could use it to embarrass Jefferson' and warn him off further attempts. However can they now let any of the Americans live to tell the tale, now that Lewis and Clark are dead? Perhaps they kill them all, and let a story spread that Indians were to blame.

No matter what, Jefferson is going to want to know what the hell, and why!?

Ric350
 
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I'd think that Jefferson or his successor would send another, larger, expedition... it was important to map the route and know what was out there in the newly acquired territories. The facts of Lewis and Clark's demise might not come to light immediately, but I can't see it being hidden forever... it might pop up a decade or two later...
 
why were L and C bee lining to the west coast, when that region was not part of the purchase? it's rhetorical, because we all know why, and that's to stake a claim to Oregon/Washington, which Spain had been put on hold on ever since Nootka (edit: Nootka kept Spain from claiming the entire west coast, but Spain still held hopes for establishing their sovereignty, even though they weren't actively pushing any agenda to settle it, which they needed to do to claim it). Spain, rightfully didn't recognize the purchase (at first, and were treading water - but mostly losing - in Oregon/Washington). IMO, Spain would have been well within their rights to thwart the L and C expedition. Killing them off probably starts a war, if they're caught at it. stopping/detaining L and C probably leads to a standoff which ends up with Spain backing off, as they had been doing for a couple decades. A confrontation would very likely lead Britain to assert rights to Oregon/Washington or be a little more aggressive in telling the US that area isn't part of the purchase. At the time, Britain and the US were butting heads, too. Sadly for Spain, they were at odds with Britain, and under the thumb of Napoleon, so they have no room to make friendly with Britain, and aren't really in any position to oppose US on their own.
 
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