THE EXODUS--HEBER'S PROPHECY FULFILLED--EVACUATION OF NAUVOO--THE CAMP
OF ISRAEL ON SUGAR CREEK--BRIGHAM AND HEBER LEAD THE CHURCH
WESTWARD--ARRIVAL AT THE MISSOURI RIVER.
A spectacle sublime. An exiled nation, going forth like Israel from
Egypt, into the wilderness, there to worship, unmolested, the God of
their fathers in His own appointed way; that from their loins might
spring a people nursed in the spirit of prophecy, made stalwart by
tribulation, that should leap from the mountains in a day to come, and
roll back, an avalanche of power, to regain possession of their
promised land.
Such was the meaning of that exodus. The future will justify the
action of the past.
On Tuesday, February 17th, 1846, Heber C. Kimball left Nauvoo, in
company with Bishop N. K. Whitney, and, crossing the Mississippi,
joined the camp of Israel on Sugar Creek, with their faces toward the
Rocky Mountains. Heber's prediction over the fated city, which had so
alarmed Elder Rigdon seven years before, was being fulfilled; the
evacuation of Nauvoo and the exodus of the Saints from Illinois had
begun. President Young had left the city two days before, Heber,
having sent his family away on the 16th, had tarried behind with
William Clayton and Bishop Whitney, to secure and bring Church
property needed for the pioneers. Sugar Creek was the starting point.
Here, for nearly two weeks, some of the advance companies had been
anxiously awaiting the coming of their leaders.
At half-past one, Brigham and Heber dined together in George D.
Grant's tent, on bean porridge, after which frugal meal, the
President, with Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, John
Taylor, George A. Smith and Willard Richards went up the valley east
of the camp about half a mile, and held a council. A letter was read
from Samuel Brannan, with a copy of an agreement between Elder Brannan
and Postmaster-General Benson. The matter concerned a proposition of
certain politicians at Washington and members of the government to the
Mormon leaders, to take possession of California and divide the lands
with them as a great "land grab" for these statesmen, in return for
proffered protection to the Mormons. The proposition was at once
rejected.
On the 18th, Heber accompanied President Young and several others back
to Nauvoo, where many of the Saints still lingered, most of whom were
getting ready to join the camp as soon as possible, while others, like
those of earlier days in Kirtland and Far West, were preparing to fall
away. A number of meetings, public and private, were held in the
Temple, at the last one of which, on Sunday the 22nd, a panic was
caused by the snapping of a piece of timber in the settling of the new
floor under the weight of the multitude. Several people were seriously
injured. The same afternoon, Brigham, Heber and John Taylor returned
to camp.
The companies were being organized and made ready to start. They
comprised about four hundred wagons, all heavily loaded, with not over
half the number of teams necessary for a rapid journey. Most of the
families were supplied with provisions for several months; but a
number, regardless of counsel, had started in a destitute condition,
and some with only provisions for a few days.
Colonel Stephen Markham had about one hundred pioneers to prepare the
road in advance of the main body. Colonel Hosea Stout with about one
hundred men acted as police, armed with rifles. Colonel John Scott
with a hundred men accompanied the artillery.
On the morning of Sunday, March 1st, the camp was notified to be ready
to start at noon. At half past ten Heber went to meeting and stated
that President Young was unwell, and further addressed the assembly as
follows:
"It is the President's will that the camp should remove to some
other location, because while we are so near Nauvoo the brethren
are continually going back and neglecting their teams and
families, and running to Brother Brigham about a little property
they have here or there. No doubt many will be tried, but we shall
see the kingdom of God established and all the kingdoms of this
world become the kingdoms of our God and His Christ." He
encouraged the brethren to go forward. "The grass will start
before long. They were not going out of the world. If Nauvoo has
been the most holy place, it will be the most wicked place." He
then called upon all who meant to go ahead to say aye. The
brethren responded heartily. "No doubt you mean to have President
Young for your leader. We will do all that he says and everything
will be right. A plague came upon Zion's Camp for disobedience
when on our way to Missouri, and some of our best men fell
victims, and so it would be again under like circumstances. I want
no man to touch any of my things without my leave. If any man will
come to me and say that he wants to steal I will give him the
amount. Cease all your loud laughter and light speeches, for the
Lord is displeased with such things, and call upon the Lord with
all your might."
Such was Heber's first pioneer address to the Camp of Israel.
All tents were now struck, and about noon the camp began to move. They
traveled in a north-westerly direction about five miles, and at night
camped again on Sugar Creek. The ground was covered with snow, but by
dint of shoveling and scraping space was soon made for the tents, and
in a short time quite a primitive little city had sprung up as if by
magic from the frozen earth. Large fires were built in front of the
tents and wagons, corraled in circular array according to the custom
of the plains, and all were made as comfortable as possible under the
circumstances.
Notwithstanding their hardships and privations, past, present and
prospective, a spirit of remarkable cheerfulness reigned throughout
the camp; songs were sung, jokes passed and stories told, and, in
spite of the situation and forbidding surroundings, everybody seemed
determined to "make the best of it" and be contented and happy.
Doubtless the romance of the situation helped to season it and make it
palatable; but above all was it due to the presence and sustaining
power of the Holy Spirit, the peace that "passeth understanding,"
which rested upon the homeless pilgrims, causing them to rejoice, like
the Saints of old, in suffering tribulation for the truth's sake.
At a seasonable hour the merriment was hushed. Heads were bowed in
reverent prayer. The God of Israel was invoked in behalf of His cause
and people; these whose home from henceforth was the houseless plain
and prairie, and the remnant left behind to the mercies of the mob in
the doomed city of Nauvoo. Guards were then placed, the flickering
firelight waned and died in the wintry stillness, and the Camp of
Israel, all save the watchful sentries, slept.
Near the Chariton River, on the 27th of March, the organization of the
camp was perfected. It was divided into companies of "hundreds,"
"fifties" and "tens," with captains appointed over each. The Apostles
were placed at the heads of divisions, as presidents. Commissaries
were also appointed for each company, with a Commissary General. The
camp consisted of two grand divisions, presided over respectively by
Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball; the former, as President and
General-in-Chief, directing the whole. Occasionally the President
would return and gather a council of the captains and Apostles at
Heber's encampment, and at other times Heber would go over with his
captains to Brigham's camp, for the same purpose.
The law of the Lord was laid down in great strictness, honesty and
morality being especially enjoined. Innocent amusement and recreation
were encouraged by the leaders, in moderation, as tending to divert
the people's minds from their past troubles, and lighten their present
toils, but excess of mirth and loud laughter were deprecated and
denounced. The Church had again been cleansed of much of its dross, by
leaving it behind, and in the main it was a faithful and a pure people
that journeyed westward to find another promised land.
The vanguard under Brigham and Heber reached the Missouri River about
the middle of June, and received a friendly welcome from the
Pottowatomie and Omaha Indians.