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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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