Historians dig themselves in deep

Tonight Gary Moulton put a new twist on the lives and legacy of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. If you don't give a hoot about Lewis and Clark, Gary Moulton will be of no consequence to you. I, however, have been steeped in the Journals of Lewis and Clark Expedition for years and Moulton is the editor of the 13 volumes that myself and hundreds, maybe thousands of would be historians, have studied over and over so I was very impressed to know he was within my reach so to speak.
Moulton spoke without belaboring the journals themselves yet intrigued us all with his psychological incites of the men - the captains - as they lived after the expedition. Those men have been analyzed, examined, and probed to death and he feels that we shouldn't judge them harshly. After all they were human beings.
It is fun - ironic really - to hear authors who make a handsome living from the captains' exploits caution us for judging when they are the ones who brought up circumstances that require judgements in the first place. The captains may have been on their own in the wilderness while on the journey with only their heritage and training to guide them. Their dedication, courage, and stamina, which is the whole of their heroism took them through some harrowing experiences. They were in total command of the outcome of the group and took the action required. When they returned to ‘civilization' they were in total command of nothing. They had to deal with government, physically a thousand miles away and out of touch through communication by weeks. They had enemies mostly from political jealousy that cut them with public words on their character and with bureaucratic rejects on their requests. Even President Jefferson tainted their lives because he was working his politics in a different place to save his own dreams.
I think Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were heroes. They accomplished awesome feats, overcame incredible odds, and maintained their curiosity throughout trying times. Of course they did not do these things single handedly. Two dozen others were involved. But their leadership shaped the voyage and the success. A slug of whiskey was passed around to encourage an evening of music and fun after the sweat of toil or the sores from cactus or the bites of incessant mosquitoes or the threat of starvation. And in the end, America was on its way to becoming a great nation.
Although we will have few journals and fewer historians to prove my theory, I think we have many such heroes among us. The quiet and dedicated who are secure within themselves persevere and things really are right with the world.
Naomi Sherer