Mountain Man : John Colter, the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and the call of the American West

Title:

Author:

Marshall, David Weston author.

ISBN:

9781682680483

Personal Author:

Marshall, David Weston author.

Physical Description:

xii, 238 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm.

Series:

American grit

American grit.

Abstract:

In 1804, John Colter set out with Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on the first U.S. expedition to traverse the North American continent. During the twenty-eight month ordeal, Colter served as a hunter and scout, and honed his survival skills on the western frontier. But when the journey was over, Colter stayed behind, spending four more years trekking alone through dangerous and unfamiliar territory. Along the way, he charted some of the West's most treasured landmarks. Historian David W. Marshall crafts this history from Colter's primary sources, and has retraced Colter's steps. By seeing what Colter saw, hearing what he heard, and experiencing firsthand how he and his contemporaries survived in the wilderness (how they pitched a shelter, built a fire, followed a trail, and forded a stream), Marshall immerses you in Colter's frontier world.

Contents:

Discovery -- Traveling light -- Going native -- A winter trek and a race for life -- A beautiful, hostile land -- Home to the Shady Bluff.

Subject Term:

Explorers -- West (U.S.) -- Biography.

Trappers -- West (U.S.) -- Biography.

Discoveries in geography. (OCoLC)fst00894950

Explorers. (OCoLC)fst00918556

Trappers. (OCoLC)fst01155496

BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Adventurers & Explorers.

HISTORY / Native American.

HISTORY / United States / 19th Century.

HISTORY / United States / State & Local / West (AK, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, UT, WY)

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Library	Material Type	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
Searching... Sugar Grove - Todd Library	Book	F592.7 .C65 M37 2017	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

In 1804, John Colter set out with Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on the first U.S. expedition to traverse the North American continent. During the twenty-eight month ordeal, Colter served as a hunter and scout, and honed his survival skills on the western frontier. But when the journey was over, Colter stayed behind, spending two more years trekking alone through dangerous and unfamiliar territory. Along the way, he charted some of the West's most treasured landmarks.

Historian David W. Marshall crafts this captivating history from Colter's primary sources, and has retraced Colter's steps--seeing what he saw, hearing what he heard, and experiencing firsthand how he and his contemporaries survived in the wilderness (how they pitched a shelter, built a fire, followed a trail, and forded a stream)--adding a powerful layer of authority and detail.

The American Grit series brings you true tales of endurance, survival, and ingenuity from the annals of American history. These books focus on the trials of remarkable individuals with an emphasis on rich primary source material and artwork.

Reviews (1)

Library Journal Review

Historian Marshall offers an overview of the life of John Colter (1774-1813), who is described as the first mountain man. As a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-06, Colter crossed the Louisiana Territory. After two years, when the Corps of Discovery reached the Mississippi River, Colter decided to travel back into the lands of the Upper Missouri to trap furs. Many adventurers would follow him. Colter left no written records so reconstructing his life is a challenge; Marshall relies upon written records from other such well-known frontiersmen as Jedediah Smith. The book's five chapters depict elements of a mountain man's life, for example clothing, pack essentials, and interactions with Native tribes. The author also includes a chapter about Colter's 1807-08 routes along with the information he provided to adventurer William Clark, who prepared an up-to-date map of the West. Marshall's text includes quotes from a variety of primary sources, which is a highlight. Notes and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources will interest those readers who wish to do additional research. Verdict A volume in the "American Grit" series that will be of interest to general readers.-Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community Coll., Mt. Carmel © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Preface	p. ix
Author's Note	p. xi
Maps	p. xiv
Chapter 1 Discovery	p. 1
Chapter 2 Traveling Light	p. 37
Chapter 3 Going Native	p. 65
Chapter 4 A Winter Trek and a Race for Life	p. 89
Chapter 5 A Beautiful, Hostile Land	p. 144
Epilogue: Home to the Shady Bluff	p. 167
Works Cited	p. 173
Appendix	p. 183
Notes	p. 187
Acknowledgments	p. 226
Index	p. 227

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Reviews (1)

Library Journal Review

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