The death of Meriwether Lewis was a very confusing and peculiar death. Lewis was found dead in an inn while heading towards Washington D.C. He had two gunshot wounds, one to the head and one to the chest. Many theories were created for the reason of the death of Meriwether Lewis. Some say murder, but it the reason for the death was clearly suicide. While Lewis was making his way towards Washington D.C., he was acting very strange on the journey there. Based on what I read on “Captain Gilbert Russell Gives New Information,” it states that when Lewis and the ship crew arrived to Fort Pickering, the crew told him Lewis tried was very ill and tried to kill himself twice, almost succeeding in one of those attempts. Lewis has a problem with excessive drinking, but as soon as he went sober, his health began to improve. Lewis soon then left the Fort with Major Neelly and two servants. However, in the document “Major Neelly’s letter to Jefferson,” it states that Lewis seemed to be distraught at the fact that his papers could end up in British ends, as the U.S. was on the verge of war with England. It also states …show more content…
These could also be the reason of suicide of Meriwether Lewis. According to the packet “Theories and interpretations,” Paresis is a disorder characterized primarily by impaired mental function, caused by damage to the brain from untreated Syphilis. Lewis possibly could’ve contracted this disease from the expedition. However, he also could’ve contracted the disease Malaria. Many people near the Mississippi contracted this disease, as it was recurring at the time. Lewis spent much of his time in or near the Mississippi during the expedition. Victims of Malaria often try to kill themselves to relieve them of the pain. These diseases could explain the reason why Meriwether Lewis was acting so unusual during the course of the trip. It could also be the reason why Meriwether Lewis committed