Sacagawea’s death has become a topic of controversy.Clark’s journals and Luttig’s journals both add up to Sacagawea dying in 1812, or at least before the year 1825, when Clark wrote that Sacagawea was dead in his journals.Although he was wrong about others, Clark was close to Charbonneau and Sacagawea, so we assume his journal is correct.
April 9th, 1884?
Many have argued that she died April 9th, 1884 and that Luttig’s journal was referring to Charbonneau’s other wife.Some believe that Sacagawea ran off during the journey with Luttig back to the Shoshone village and died there. Sacagawea has a burial grave in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, with 1884 as her death date (Howard, 1967).