The rattlesnake remedy that delivered Lewis and Clark’s youngest explorer in 1805

Jean Baptiste Charbonneau’s Rattlesnake-Aided Birth at Fort Mandan

On a cold February day in 1805, Sacagawea went into a tough first labor at Fort Mandan. Meriwether Lewis helped with the birth while René Jusseaume gave her crushed rattlesnake rattles in water.

Soon after, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau was born, the youngest member of the Lewis and Clark team. Clark called him “Pomp” and later took him in.

The boy grew up to cross three continents, speak many tongues, and live as a mountain man, guide, and gold miner. Fort Mandan still stands in North Dakota where this amazing life story began.

Rattlesnake Remedy Helped Sacagawea During Fort Mandan Birth

Sacagawea started painful labor with her first child on February 11, 1805, at Fort Mandan in North Dakota. The young Shoshone woman struggled while Meriwether Lewis helped deliver the baby.

René Jusseaume, an interpreter, quickly mixed crushed rattlesnake rattles with water as folk medicine.

The remedy worked fast – within ten minutes of drinking it, Sacagawea gave birth to Jean Baptiste Charbonneau around 5 PM.

Lewis wrote about the tough delivery in his journal, while William Clark nicknamed the newborn “Pomp.”

Baby Pomp Traveled 4,000 Miles Before His First Birthday

At just two months old, Jean Baptiste joined his parents when the group left Fort Mandan in April 1805. The tiny baby rode in a wooden cradleboard on his mother’s back as they pushed toward the Pacific Ocean.

He went through freezing mountain passes, hot plains, and risky river crossings without fussing. The men grew fond of the tough infant who rarely cried during hard times.

Clark formed a special bond with the baby, often carrying him and showing him to Native tribes they met.

Clark Wanted To Raise “My Boy Pomp” As His Own

After the trip ended in 1806, Clark sent a letter to Toussaint Charbonneau about his son. He called Jean Baptiste “my boy Pomp” and asked to raise him in St.Louis.

Clark promised to give the child good schooling and chances he wouldn’t get on the frontier.

Sacagawea and Toussaint said no at first but changed their minds a few years later. This choice put Jean Baptiste on a path few Americans of his time could think of.

The Frontier Child Became A Classical Scholar

By 1811, Jean Baptiste lived with the Clark family in St. Louis.

The former wilderness baby now went to the top-rated St. Louis Academy.

He studied Latin, math, books, and several languages under Clark’s care. The young student picked up English and French while keeping his native Hidatsa language.

His mixed background and quick mind helped him move between different worlds easily, making him stand out from other students.

A German Duke Noticed Jean Baptiste’s Rare Talents

In 1823, eighteen-year-old Jean Baptiste worked at a trading post along the Kansas River. Duke Friedrich Paul Wilhelm of Württemberg stopped there during his American science trip.

The Duke saw how Jean Baptiste spoke many languages and knew both Native and European ways. He spotted potential in the young man and asked him to come to Europe as his helper.

Jean Baptiste quickly said yes to the chance for adventure across the ocean.

From Missouri Frontier To German Royal Court

Jean Baptiste got to the Duke’s palace in Württemberg in 1823, trading his frontier clothes for fancy European outfits. For six years, he stayed as a special guest in the German court.

He learned German and Spanish on top of his other languages.

The son of a Shoshone woman and French-Canadian trapper now ate with nobles, went to concerts, and studied European science. He fit into royal circles as easily as he once did in wilderness camps.

The Mountain Man Who Danced At Royal Balls

Jean Baptiste came back to America in 1829 after seeing Europe and North Africa with the Duke. He switched from palace life back to the American wilderness with amazing ease.

He joined the American Fur Company and became a respected mountain man and trapper in the Rockies. Other trappers loved his stories of African deserts and European palaces.

His unusual background made him useful as a guide who could talk to Native tribes, European traders, and American settlers.

War Brought Out The Scout In Pompey

During the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848, Jean Baptiste used his skills for the U.S. Army. He guided troops through the tough southwestern land he knew well.

His Spanish came in handy when talking with Mexican locals. Army officers counted on his knowledge of water spots, trails, and land features.

The son of Lewis and Clark’s famous helper now guided a new group of Americans moving west.

Gold Fever Caught Up With The Well-Traveled Guide

Jean Baptiste joined thousands of hopeful miners in the California Gold Rush of 1849. He worked claims across the goldfields, using his frontier skills to get by in the busy mining camps.

His leadership led to his job as alcalde (mayor) of Mission San Luis Rey.

He managed Native American workers at the mission and fixed fights among the mixed gold-seeking crowd. Even in his forties, he kept looking for new adventures and chances.

Pompey’s Final Trail Led To Oregon

In 1866, at age 61, Jean Baptiste left California for the Montana gold strikes.

The man who had crossed America as a baby and toured European palaces as a young man still wanted one more adventure. Sadly, he got sick with pneumonia during the hard journey.

On May 16, 1866, he died in eastern Oregon, far from both his Fort Mandan birthplace and his European palace days. His amazing life had gone from the Lewis and Clark era through the Civil War.

The Boy Born With Rattlesnake Medicine Lived Three Lives

Jean Baptiste Charbonneau packed three lifetimes into his 61 years.

From his dramatic birth aided by rattlesnake medicine to his final days on the Oregon trail, he crossed boundaries few others could. He lived as a wilderness child, European gentleman, and American frontiersman.

He spoke with Native chiefs, European royalty, and American presidents.

The baby who began life during a historic expedition ended it having made plenty of history himself.

Visiting Fort Mandan Historic Site, North Dakota

You can visit Fort Mandan Historic Site where Jean Baptiste Charbonneau was born during the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

The site is on McLean County Highway 17, two miles west of the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Washburn. Combined admission costs $8 per adult and includes both locations.

You can only visit with guided tours when weather allows. Buy tickets at the interpretive center.

There’s also a 1.1 mile nature trail and picnic shelters for $50 daily.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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