DEPARTURE OF THE PIONEERS.--APRIL 7, 1847.
Arrival of Parley P. Pratt and John Taylor at Winter
Quarters.--Organization of the Pioneers.--Manner of Forming
Camp.--Horse Feed Enroute.--Pawnee Indians.--A Practical
Joke.--Crossing Loup Fork.
On the outskirts of civilization, near the banks of the Missouri River,
on the 7th day of April, 1847, might have been seen a large body of
men and women anxiously gazing on a band of pioneers just taking their
departure from wives and children, friends and neighbors, and setting
out upon a perilous journey in quest of a resting place in the Rocky
Mountains. In the hearts of wives and friends there was a strange
mixture of fear and faith. What the outcome would be, none could
foresee; and the probabilities of danger from the hostile red man were
only mitigated by the fervent faith which had served them well in the
trying ordeal of other troublous times through which the Church had
passed. The pioneers were missionaries whose trust in the direction and
care of an over-ruling Providence was uppermost in their minds.
Just to the west of Winter Quarters, there arises one of those rolling,
undulating ridges which skirt the Missouri for many miles. When the
top of this elevation was reached, Elder Woodruff took a parting view
of the city, and through his field glasses he could see his wife and
children whose lingering gaze followed the pioneers as long as they
could be seen.
The first day's journey covered a distance of seven miles from Winter
Quarters. Naturally enough, many things necessary for such a journey
had been forgotten; some needed counsel had been overlooked; some
words of caution had not been spoken. The leaders of the pioneers not
only faced the uncertainties of a long and tedious journey, but they
left behind them a large number of brethren and sisters whose welfare
and unity might be greatly disturbed in the absence of those trusted
leaders, whose counsels had been their watchword and whose leadership
seemed necessary for their safety. Under these circumstances a few days
passed before the company was well on its way.
{263} In the meantime, Parley P. Pratt had just arrived from his
mission to Great Britain, and the tidings which this prince of
missionaries had brought from a foreign land were a matter of supreme
importance to the Prophet Brigham Young who returned to Winter Quarters
to greet the newly arrived missionary. During this time, Wilford
Woodruff was exploring the neighboring country. The delay of President
Young led him likewise to return to Winter Quarters. He was within a
half mile of his home when he met the Twelve returning to the camp of
the pioneers. With characteristic submission to order and discipline,
he turned about without seeing his family and joined the brethren on
their return.
The camp had scarcely been set in motion when news of the arrival of
John Taylor from Great Britain caused the Twelve to return again to
Winter Quarters. This time they were accompanied by Wilford Woodruff
who succeeded in adding to his equipment another horse for the
journey. These reunions in the midst of troublous times were heartfelt
demonstrations of brotherly love and mutual good will. The importance
of Elder Taylor's return was enhanced by the fact that he had brought
with him two sextants, two barometers, two artificial horizons, one
circle of reflection, and one telescope, which were highly valuable for
the acquisition of important data along the journey. The next return
of the leaders to the camp of the pioneers was final and the journey
was taken up with renewed enthusiasm and a determination to move on
unremittingly to the goal of their undertaking.
The first week of the journey was passed in reaching and crossing the
Elk Horn River which flows into the Platte whose banks were soon to be,
for most of the distance, the guide of the pioneers. It is a stream
whose small tributaries were to give the Saints considerable trouble
in their efforts to get their wagons and teams over the treacherous
quicksands that were common along the banks of the Platte in eastern
Nebraska.
It was during these early days that Jesse C. Little returned from
the Eastern States mission. He brought with him presents for the
Twelve from friends in the East. "Col. Kane had sent me a patent
life preserver and a stop compass." Brothers Little, {264} Rockwood,
and Reading returned to Winter Quarters next morning (April 16), and
the company continued four miles up the Platte. "Before we left this
morning, the camp came together and was organized as a military body
into companies of hundreds, fifties, and tens. Stephen Markham and A.
P. Rockwood were appointed captains of hundreds." Of this organization
Brigham Young was Lieutenant General and Wilford Woodruff was appointed
captain of the first ten, an appointment which characterized the man.
His nervous energy, his untiring effort, his prompt and ready action
naturally fitted him for the leading captain.
"The camp consisted of seventy-three wagons, one hundred and
forty-three men, three women, and two children, making in all one
hundred and forty-eight souls. The general orders from Brigham Young
for the camp were as follows: 'The whole regiment was to journey in
a compact body as they were in an Indian country, and every man was
to carry his gun loaded. The caplocks were to be shut on a piece of
buckskin with the caps ready to slip on in an instant in case of
attacks; for flint-locks, guncotton or tow was to be put in the pan
and the powder flask kept handy to prime without delay. Every man was
to walk by the side of his wagon and not to leave it except sent away
by order.' The object of all this caution was to prevent accident,
for strict discipline was necessary while traveling through a hostile
Indian country.
"On Saturday, the 17th," continues Wilford Woodruff, "some traders came
down from the Pawnees and camped with us over night; they had plenty of
buffalo meat dried, and gave us what we needed, and informed us that we
were in two days' drive of a large band of Pawnees.
"On the following morning President Young called the captains together
and gave the following instructions: 'We were to start in the morning,
two wagons abreast. All who were not driving teams were to carry their
guns and walk beside the wagons, and no man was to go hunting or get
out of sight of the wagons. In the morning the bugle was to be blown at
five o'clock and the pioneers were to arise and pray, cook, eat, and
feed the horses and start at the call of the bugle at seven o'clock.
In the evening the bugle was to be blown at half past eight when all
were to go to prayers in their several wagons and retire by {265} nine
o'clock. Each Saturday night we were to pitch what tents we had and
prepare our camps for rest on the Sabbath.'
"On the morning of the 19th of April, Prof. Pratt took an observation
and found the latitude to be 41 degrees 27 minutes and 5 seconds. The
point of observation was on the north bend of the Platte, 10 1/2 miles
north of where the Saints had crossed the river. It was while camping
at this place that Elder Little overtook the Saints on his return
from the Eastern States mission. On the evening of that day we camped
near a grove of timber on the banks of the Platte where we formed a
semi-circle. The river on one side was our defense, and one of the four
wheels of each wagon was driven up to the back wheel of the wagon ahead
of it, and all the horses and cattle were taken into the corral thus
formed so that we might be secure against the Indians. There was a hard
wind during the night and the morning was fair with a strong southwest
wind which covered our wagons with sand dust."
At this season of the year, the grass was not sufficiently high and
matured for suitable feed for the horses; and during the early part of
the journey cottonwood trees were cut down in order that the horses
might gnaw off the bark and browse from the limbs, a kind of food which
the horses at this season of the year seemed to enjoy. The ration of
corn for each horse was two quarts per day.
On Tuesday, the 20th, three islands in the Platte River were reached,
the largest of which, including an area of about ten acres, was covered
with timber. Thereafter for miles along the river there continued a
chain of islands.
It was about this time that they approached the inhabited territory of
the Pawnee Indians who were somewhat given to petty thefts, but not
so dangerous as the Sioux. Here and there individual Indians of the
Pawnee tribe would approach in concealment in the grass the horses of
the pioneers and a few were stolen, presumably by the Indians. What
caused the Pawness to gather in villages about 150 miles from the
Missouri River was doubtless the presence of large herds of buffaloes,
and the further fact that they were far removed from the outposts of
civilization on that great river.
The question of food was, of course, an important consideration; {266}
and the existence of game at this stage of the journey gave rise to
the appointment of a body of men to be known as the hunters. Among the
names given, that of Wilford Woodruff does not appear, and yet he was
a skilled hunter and fisher all his subsequent life, and the part he
took in the buffalo chases indicates that he was an excellent hunter in
fact, if not so named.
In the spring of the year, the rain and the wind produced a sort of raw
weather which created a chilly sensation and consequent discomfort.
In consequence of the rains, the streams were often swollen and means
for crossing them had to be improvised. It was necessary, therefore,
to send men in advance of the pioneers for the purpose of constructing
bridges or selecting fords and making general observations respecting
the lay of the country. On the 20th they crossed a small stream called
Shell Creek. From this point Elders Woodruff and Pratt went ahead for
the purpose of taking observations. That night they cut down cottonwood
trees from the barks of which their horses fed.
The following day the ox-teams started at 7 o'clock, an hour in advance
of the horses, and in the course of the journey an Indian made his
appearance on a mound about five miles distant. He was mounted on a
pony. He soon disappeared but in a short time again came in sight at a
full gallop. As he approached the camp he was met by the brethren who
shook hands with him in a friendly manner and with the seven others
who had accompanied him. They were escorted through the camp that they
might learn that there were no hostile intentions among the pioneers.
"At 12:30 we came in sight of seventy horses and mules, and soon in
sight of a large Pawnee village on the north side of Loup Fork, and
also one on the south side of it. We drove on by the village, and
soon they began to sally out to meet us. We camped in the form of a
half-moon, the bank of the river forming a parallel line in front. The
Indians, numbering about two hundred on the south side of the river,
came down to the shore. Some waded over and about seventy-five came
into camp, including the grand chief of the nation, with many war
chiefs. We met them and made them presents of four pounds of tobacco,
fifteen pounds of lead, powder, fish-hooks, beads, flour, salt, etc.,
but still they {267} were not satisfied; considering our numbers, they
thought they ought to have more. When we left the ground, the Indians
appeared very dissatisfied, but we harnessed up our horses and drove
on to Looking-glass Creek and camped at its mouth for the night on the
bank of the Loup Fork.
"After our horses were turned out, we were called together; and in
consequence of the dissatisfaction of the Indians, a guard of one
hundred men was called for. The Quorum of the Twelve with nearly the
whole camp volunteered to stand guard, one-half of them the fore part
of the night, and a half the other part. We also had a picket guard of
five men with their mules at each watch.
"I was one of the picket guards. We had a hard wind with rain in the
afternoon which continued a portion of the time that I was on guard. I
rolled myself up in my buffalo robe and let the wind and rain beat on
me. We were released at about one o'clock and went to rest. No Indians
appeared during the night.
"Looking-glass Creek was crossed fifteen minutes before nine on the day
following, April 22nd, and a westerly course continued and Beaver Creek
reached at noon. Prof. O. Pratt took the meridian observation of the
sun by the sextant for the latitude which was found to be 41 degrees 25
minutes and 13 seconds. He also made other observations.
"We crossed Beaver Creek at half past two o'clock and traveled seven
miles and came to the Pawnee missionary station and camped for the
night. The bluff was skirted with oaks on the north side of the road in
the hills. We kept out a guard through the night as we were in danger
of the Sioux on the one side and the Pawnees on the other.
"While watering the horses at the creek at the station this evening,
Brother George A. Smith's horse mired, pitched forward, and jumped on
him, treading upon his feet and breast, and holding him fast in the mud
until I caught the horse by the bit and backed him off. I was fearful
that Brother Smith was badly injured, but found that he was not."
On the morning of the 23rd, the camp enjoyed some diversion in one of
those practical jokes which characterize men traveling under similar
circumstances. Some of the guards during the {268} night had fallen
asleep, and when awakened, found their guns taken. Col. Markham had
lost his hat. Fatigue from their duties and arduous labors made it
difficult for men to remain awake when nature so persistently demanded
sleep.
As the company made its way along Loup Fork River, a fording place was
sought, as the purpose of the pioneers was to follow up the Platte into
which Loup Fork emptied. In the evening a Pawnee missionary station was
reached--a station which had been abandoned. There were several good
log houses and considerable land under cultivation. Here they found
large lots of old and new iron, all apparently left to ruin. A quarter
of a mile below the missionary village was a government station where
Father Chase had been employed as a government farmer at a salary of
$300 a year. When, however, Major Harvey learned that Father Chase
had joined the Mormons, he was dismissed from service. The Sioux had
burned the government station houses and blacksmith shop, but had
spared the missionary village. Some of the hay and fodder was used by
the pioneers, but none of it was carried away. Some of the plows were
taken on an account which Father Chase held against the government for
arrears in wages, but a strict report to the government was ordered and
the things taken were regarded as the property of Father Chase.
The crossing of Loup Fork was a mile-post on the journey; and the 23rd
was a day of great anxiety to those who had been looking carefully for
a suitable fording place from which they might drop down again on to
the banks of the Platte.
"In the morning twelve of us started on horseback to search out a ford
across the dangerous and troublesome Loup Fork of the Platte River. We
went down the river some distance when several men waded across. They
found the water so deep, and so much quicksand that we came to the
conclusion to drive up to the old Pawnee village. So we returned to the
camp and harnessed up our horses. My gray horse named Titus was sick,
yet I started out with him, and the camp drove up with some difficulty
to the old Indian village, or a little below it.
"The men commenced searching out a ford and found the {269} whole bed
of the river one body of quicksand into which if a horse or wagon
stopped it would begin to sink. We had two channels to cross and a
sand-bar in the middle. The deepest water was from three to four feet
and very rapid and about three hundred yards across. At some places
the quicksand sank both man and beast instantly; and the more they
struggled to get out, the more they would sink. Of course, we avoided
such places as much as possible.
"As I led the van with my ten, being captain of the first ten, it
fell to my lot to make the first trial. Prof. O. Pratt, having a pair
of strong horses, went forward and I followed him. I had two yoke of
cattle and my horses on my carriage with about ten hundred on it. As
soon as I started, I immediately saw that the cattle did but little
good, being slow and in the way, we would begin to sink. I jumped out
of my carriage into the water up to my waist. About ten men came to
my assistance with a rope and hitched it to the oxen and helped me
in getting across the first stream, though with great difficulty. We
stopped on a sand-bar out in the water, but my horses and wagon began
to sink. By treading the ground a little, it would become a perfect
quagmire, and though we were sinking in it, the men had to leave the
wagon where it was and go to the assistance of Orson Pratt, who, in
trying to cross the second stream, had sunk into a bed of quicksand,
and all the men had to go to his relief to get his horses and wagon
out. The horses were unhitched from the wagon, and the load taken out
and carried to shore; the wagon was drawn out by the men.
"I took off most of my load in a boat and went through the second
stream. I got two other wagons in the same way, but it was so difficult
an undertaking that the rest of the camp would not follow us, so here
we found ourselves on the opposite side of the river, six men of us, to
spend the night, together with our horses and wagons to guard against
the whole Pawnee band, who were then camped below us on the same side
of the river, and it was supposed that they numbered six hundred
warriors. We divided our company, putting three on guard at a time.
Brother Pack, Orson Pratt, and myself went on guard the fore part of
the {270} night. Although I had been in the water the whole afternoon,
I stood guard in my wet clothing one-half of the night and slept in
them the other half.
"When we had guarded our part of the night we were joined by five
men from the camp who crossed in a boat. They were sent by President
Young to assist us, making eleven of us in all, and we divided our
force accordingly. The night, however, passed off in peace, with no
disturbance from the hostile Indians.
"The morning was pleasant and Prof. Pratt took an observation on the
south bank of the fording place of the Loup Fork. The latitude was
found to be 41 degrees, 22 minutes, and 37 seconds. The camp on the
other side was now busy devising plans to cross the river. They drew
together timber and rails to build two rafts and began to put them
together. Some of the brethren made another trial to cross with wagons
by putting on several horse and mule teams. They went a little higher
up than we did and got over with much less difficulty. The more the
ground was trod in the water, the smoother and harder it grew, so the
whole company turned their wagons back to the ford and abandoned the
raft. By unloading one-half of the baggage, they could cross in safety;
and they all crossed by doubling teams and by going back and forth
until all were over. Each captain with his ten assisted the others
across. In this way all Israel who were present went over the Loup Fork
of the Platte River in safety without hurt to man or beast; and we felt
thankful to God for His mercies and rejoiced that we were on the south
side of the river.
"We all loaded up our wagons and drove four miles and camped for the
Sabbath on the bank of the river; and after our wagons were arranged,
the Twelve took a walk on the high table lands to make observations,
through their glasses, of the surrounding country."
{271}