It rained
very hard during the night and continued until noon. Patty Sessions wrote: “I
got wet to my skin last night milking.
I went to bed with my clothes wet.
12 oclock the sun came out dried my bed and clothes, but my tears will
not dry up.”
This day was
President Brigham Young's forty‑fifth birthday. Helen Mar Whitney made mention of this event in her journal. But President Young was probably too busy
making preparations to leave Mount Pisgah to stop and celebrate this
anniversary.
Hosea Stout finally
arrived at Mount Pisgah. He gave this
description:
This place was called
Mount Pisgah and the main settlement was situated on a long ridge running North
& South. To the west was a large
deep valley or bottom land of good prairie and was now being plowed &
planted while all the adjoining glades and groves were teeming with men &
cattle engaged in the busy hum of improving and planting. The whole woods & prairie seemed alive
to business & a continue stream of emegration pouring in which looked like
the entire country would be inhabited as a city in a short time.
George W. Hickerson1 left with eight letters to Nauvoo. Ezra T. Benson paid 12 ½ cents for postage which
impressed the postmaster, Willard Richards.
This was the first time anyone had offered to pay for postage. Horace Rockwell2
arrived with twenty letters from Nauvoo.
Before leaving Mount Pisgah, Brigham Young wrote letters of authority
for William Huntington, Ezra T. Benson, and Charles C. Rich. They were given authority to regulate all
matters in the branches, to gather the Saints, and to take charge of the guns
and other public property. President
Young also read a letter from Edmund Ellsworth3
stating that people back in Nauvoo had stoned Dr. Richards’ buggy.
Sister Eliza R. Snow
noted the chilly wet weather in her journal, “The month [of June] commences
with a volley of natures tears quite cold.
D. Gleason & I are in the wagon with a kettle of coals.” She was feeling somewhat sad that she would
not be able to go on with the advance group of pioneers.
I do not know why some
are called to more self denial than others‑‑I pray that I may live
to see the time when patience & submission will be rewarded in
righteousness. . . . I prefer stopping behind for the present that every
possible means may be appropriated to liberate the Twelve from the oppression
of selfish ones who never have made sacrifices for the truth's sake- ‑yet
I find a trial to my feelings in being separated from those whom I have ever
been associated in the church.
A baby was born at
Mount Pisgah. Hyrum D Buys Jr. was born
to Hyrum and Elizabeth Buys.4
At 4 p.m., Brigham
Young's fifty began to move across the river.
The company traveled three to four miles and camped for the night on
another branch of Grand River. It
rained somewhat during the evening.
John
Butler regulated the Emmett company and obtained some meal to last the camp for
several days. Camp members repaired
wagons to get ready for the expected journey across the Missouri River, when
the main Camp of Israel would arrive at Council Bluffs.
Louisa
Pratt’s company crossed over the Des Moines River at Bonaparte. She wrote: “Across the Des Moines River the
boat was drawn by pulleys. I was in great fear that the ropes would break. We
got safely over.” Her teamster, a young
man stopped to see his mother. He had
been living with his father in Nauvoo.
His mother was very opposed to having her son drive Louisa Pratt’s wagon
to the west, even though her the young man received permission from his
father. Sister Pratt pled with the
mother and many tears were shed.
Finally the mother consented.
Sister Pratt concluded the day with:
“That night we camped where there were 40 wagons. It looked cheerful
after traveling all day over a desolate country and intolerable roads, to
salute a company of our brethren.”
There were
still hundreds of Saints in Nauvoo, preparing to leave. Sister Sally Randall5
wrote in a letter:
We expect to start in
a few days for the West. Where we shall
go I know not, but we are going into the wilderness. We go as Abraham went, not knowing whither we go, but the Lord
will go before us, and be our front and rearward. The Saints have been going steady since last February and are
still going by hundreds. They cross the
river in several places and cross day and night. . . .
You think there is no
need of going from here, but the mob are threatening continually to come upon us. We heard they were coming today but I have
not seen anything in the least, for I believe there is faith enough in the city
to keep them back until the Saints all get away. We have to make a great sacrifice in order to get away. The most of the Saints are selling out
although at a very low price. I expect
the temple will be sold. The Roman
Catholics talk of buying it.
A non-Mormon Nauvoo
resident wrote about this time to her fiance in Minnesota, commenting on the
possible sale of property to the Catholics:
Now methinks were I an
inhabitant of Hancock County, I would much rather the Mormons would have
possession than the Catholics.
Doubtless they have deep designing well laid plans and when once they
get a foothold, there is no telling what they may do connected as they are with
a foreign power.
Thomas Bullock, who
had served as a clerk for the Church, was still in Nauvoo preparing to
leave. He took his two oxen to the
woods and hauled out a log to be made into a wagon tongue. This was his first attempt to drive oxen and
he thought he did very well. A great
wind storm arrived in the evening.
Elder
Jesse C. Little, the leader of the Church in the East, in Washington to appeal
to the government for help, was frustrated with the slowness of the
process. He decided to write a dispatch
directly to President James K. Polk. He
recited the injustices which the Saints had suffered because of religion and
stated:
I come to you fully
believing that you will not suffer me to depart without rendering me some
pecuniary assistance, and be it large or small, you shall not lose your reward.
. . . Our brethren in the west are compelled to go, and we in the eastern
country are determined to go and live, and, if necessary, to suffer and die
with them. Our determinations are fixed
and cannot be changed.
He testified of the
Saints' loyalty to America and their desire to go west “under the outstretched
wings of the American eagle.” He
appealed for assistance from the President.
He believed that the Saints would answer a call to defend the country.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 175-77; “Patty Sessions Diary,” June 1, 1846;
Brooks, John Doyle Lee, 87; Nibley, Exodus to Greatness, 173;
Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:165; Sally Randall Letters in
Godfrey et al.,Women's Voices: An Untold History of the Latter‑day
Saints, 1830‑1900, 146; Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza R.
Snow, 135; Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 205; Willard
Richards’ Journal, June 1, 1846; Comprehensive History of the
Church, 3:72‑3; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 64; Black, Membership of
the Church 1830‑1848; Our Pioneer Heritage, 12:366; Jenson, LDS
Biographical Encyclopedia, 4:699; Holzapfel, Women of Nauvoo, 159;
Letter from Nancy Aiton to John Felix Aiton; “Louisa Pratt autobiography” in Heart
Throbs 8:238
The
morning was cold and the day was windy.
At 10 a.m., Brigham Young rejoined his company across the river, but
returned to Mount Pisgah in the afternoon to attend to some business, including
signing the letters of authority for the presidency of Mount Pisgah.
A young Indian brave
came into camp carrying a small spotted fawn in his arms. Heber C. Kimball bought it from the Indian,
paying him one dollar in silver. Sadly,
a day or two later the fawn died.
Charles C. Rich took
his signed order to Hosea Stout to let Brother Rich take possession of the
public arms. He counseled Brother Stout
to remain at Mount Pisgah because of his family sickness and released him from
his public duty. Brother Stout
commented in his journal, “It released me from all public care and
responsibility and I felt like a free man with nothing on my mind but to
contrive how to take care of my family for the best.” Brothers Stout and Hunter went and laid a foundation of a house
on a beautiful location.
President Brigham
Young came to them and expressed his desire to have them go on with the guns
and leave their families for now. They
both pledged their support to obey him.
He found out that they were both destitute and gave them some money to
buy provisions for their families.
Brother Stout, somewhat frustrated with this flip‑flop of plans
commented:
Here again we were
entirely disconcerted and now all together gave up the idea of raising a crop and
it seemed that it was designed by some over ruling power that we should not
'sow nore reap' neither enjoy the peace and happiness of a private life
anymore. We saw nothing but a long
train of public cares and responsibility hanging over us for we knew it would
not end at the Bluffs.
President Young
delivered all of the papers belonging to the settlement to President Huntington
and then crossed back over the river at 6:45 p.m. Others also left Mount Pisgah.
About five hundred wagons would move out over the next few days. Sister Eliza Snow bid several of her friends
good-bye. Sister Kimball gave her a
little present. In the evening, a
thunder shower started, but only a little rain fell.
Thomas
Bullock helped his father‑in‑law, Brother Clayton, hunt for his
sheep in the Big Field. He returned
home after he found them. He wrote in
his journal, “Very tired having seen a country desolate, houses empty, and
inhabitants gone. Prairies deserted of
cattle and people. Such is the blasting
effect of mob misrule.” Nauvoo also
experienced a severe wind storm during the night.
A son, Nathaniel
Preston Felt, was born to Nathaniel and Eliza Felt.6
At noon,
Elder Jesse C. Little met with President Polk's adviser, Amos Kendall. Mr. Kendall informed Elder Little that the
president had received his communication written the day before and that the
president desired to meet with Elder Little on the next day, at noon.
The Cabinet met
together and discussed plans relating to conducting the war against
Mexico. They had settled on an
expedition to Mexico. A draft order was
written to Colonel Kearny of the U.S. Army, to take possession of Santa Fe and
then to go to California.
That night, President
Polk wrote in his diary: “Col. Kearny was also authorized to receive into
service as volunteers a few hundred of the Mormons who are now on their way to
California, with a view to conciliate them, attach them to our country, &
prevent them from taking part against us”
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 177; Willard Richards’ Journal, William
Clayton’s Journal, 41; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly,
14:140; The Diary of Hosea Stout June 2, 1846, 165; Beecher, The
Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 135; Comprehensive History of the
Church, 3:73; Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.2, MORMON BATTALION;
“Thomas Bullock Journal,” 64; Black, Membership of the Church 1830‑1848;
Mormons at the Missouri, 44; Nibley, Exodus to Greatness, 174; Diary
of James K. Polk, 1:443‑4;
Golder, The March of the Mormon Battalion, 89‑90
Elder
Willard Richards arrived at the main camp early in the morning, at 7 a.m. He continued on and crossed over the west
fork of Grand River at 9:00 a.m.
Brigham Young conducted
some business, and met in council with members of the Twelve and others at 12
p.m. They discussed a British “Joint
Stock” scheme which had been created by Reuben Hedlock and Thomas Ward, who had
been left in charge of the British Mission by Elder Wilford Woodruff. Brigham Young was very worried about this
scheme and remarked that if Elders Hedlock and Ward did not repent and turn
about, they would destroy themselves.
The Twelve were very concerned that this “Joint Stock Company” was being
associated with the Church.
Nevertheless, if investments were to be made, they felt it best that
they purchase the Great Basin for the Church on long credit.
Brigham Young's
company traveled seven miles and camped on the prairie.
Hosea
Stout traveled to the camp on the West Fork and counseled with Brigham Young
before he left. Brother Stout was
advised to move on with his family.
This would be much easier than going alone and returning later to
retrieve them. President Young sent
orders to Charles C. Rich, to provide what would be needed for the Stout family
to move on.
William Clayton
decided to move on. His teams were
scattered and disorganized, but he started with what he had. He crossed the river at 3 p.m., still
missing one yoke of oxen. He sent men
out to hunt for them, but they were not found.
Orson Pratt's wife,
Louisa was very sick with a fever.
Doctor Sprague had been hired to attend to her and give her
medicine. She was diagnosed with Typhus
fever. Elder Pratt asked the Doctor's
advise regarding taking her on the journey.
The doctor felt that the journey would not injure her and might even do
her good.
Eliza R. Snow
continued to bid farewell to her friends.
She recorded: “Sister W[hitney]
came to our wagon & sang me a beautiful song of Zion, which I rejoic'd in a
parting blessing‑‑it is a season not to be forgotten.” At about noon, Sister Snow's sister‑in‑law,
Harriet, brought Eliza to her brother's bedside. Lorenzo Snow was still very ill.
Eliza had sent medication which seemed to help a little, but he was
still very sick. She wrote: “I pray the Lord to restore him to health‑‑I
feel the worth of his unremitting kindness to myself & others.” After her visit, she walked back to her
“home.”
A daughter, Elizabeth
Horne, was born to Joseph and Mary
Horne.7
Far to the
east, on his way to Mount Pisgah, Wilford Woodruff went into the town
Bloomfield. He bought two yoke of oxen
for $50.
The
company that Mary Richards was traveling with, were following a new northern
route that bypassed Garden Grove, heading directly to Mount Pisgah. On this day, she started a letter to her
husband Samuel W. Richards, still in Nauvoo, waiting to leave on his mission to
England. Mary first expressed her
loneliness for him
Oh! would it had been
my lot to have gone with you. Me thinks
I would gladly have past through the perils of the ocean & the trials
through which I might have been called to pass could I only have been blest
with your society. But alass! for me
Providance has provided it otherwise and I must submit to my lonely fate. But forgive me, for why should I thus
complain seeing I am among Friends who are always ready to administer to my
wants & who are interested for my welfare.
She also wrote words
of encouragement:
May the Lord bless
& preserve you from the evils of temptation of this wicked world & from
the power of the adversary of your soul, that he may not be able to afflict you
but that you may be able to go forth and accomplish the work that is for you to
accomplish. Be a usefull instrument in
the hand of God in doing a great work & may the time soon come when you
shall return to the bosem of your anxious friends, is the sincere prayer of
companion.
Thomas
Bullock bought a wagon cover, nails, a tongue bolt, and other items. He took his oxen into the woods and brought
back wood for “ox bows.”
Jesse C.
Little met with the president of the United States, President James K.
Polk. President Polk stated that he
believed the Mormons were good citizens and he was willing to help them. The Mormons should be protected and he was
happy to meet with Elder Little.
President Polk wrote in his journal, “I told Mr. Little that by our
constitution the Mormons would be treated as all other American citizens were,
without regard to sect to which they belonged or the religious creed which they
professed, and that I had no prejudices towards them which could induce a
different course of treatment.”
President Polk asked
Elder Little if he thought 500 or more of the Mormons would be willing to
volunteer and enter the U.S. army.
Elder Little was certain they would.
Elder Little said he would personally go with speed to the camp and see
that the volunteers were raised.
President Polk
promised to do something for them but said he had not yet decided the
details. He said that he wished to talk
with the secretary of the navy and would get word back to Elder Little on the
next day. Polk wrote in his journal,
I told him I would see
him on to‑morrow on the subject.
I did not deem it prudent to tell him of the projected expedition into
California under the command of Col. Kearney .
. . the main object of taking
them into service would be to conciliate them, and prevent them from assuming a
hostile attitude towards the U.S. after their arrival in California.
President Polk did
issue orders that day to Colonel Stephen W. Kearny, stationed at Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas.
It is known that a
large body of Mormon emigrants are en route to California, for the purpose of
settling in that country. You are
desired to use all proper means to have a good understanding with them, to the
end that the United States may have their cooperation in taking possession of,
and holding, that country. It has been
suggested here that many of these Mormons would willingly enter into the
service of the United States, and aid us in our expedition against California. You are hereby authorized to muster into service
such as can be induced to volunteer; not, however, to a number exceeding one‑third
of your entire force. Should they enter
the service they will be paid as other volunteers, and you can allow them to
designate, so far as it can be properly done, the persons to act as officers
thereof.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 177‑78; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal,
3:51; William Clayton’s Journal, 41; Watson, The Journals of Orson
Pratt, 352; Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:165; Beecher, The
Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 135; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 65; Comprehensive
History of the Church, 3:73, 76‑7; Black, Membership of the Church
1830‑1848; Bennett, Mormons
at the Missouri, 1846‑1852; “Journal Extracts of Henry W. Bigler,” Utah
Historical Quarterly 5:2:36; Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses,
10:106; Diary of James K. Polk, 1:445‑56; Golder, The March of
the Mormon Battalion, 91‑2; Ward, The 1846-1848 Life Writings of
Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 72
It was a
cold and windy day. The lead camp
traveled twenty miles. They passed
through present‑day Orient, which is 28 miles northwest of Mount Pisgah.8
An
important meeting was held in the settlement.
Elder Orson Hyde and his company arrived into camp. Elder Hyde and Elder Orson Pratt urged the
congregation to sacrifice “for the general good” and asked for teams and men
for the advance company. Elder Pratt
asked, “How many are there running off instead of fitting out the Twelve? You
know [the Twelve] ought not to be divided on this important expedition.” President Huntington spoke, “I have done my
duty‑‑I had enough to fit myself out comfortable, but I gave it up
to help off the Twelve. The Widows and
the Orphans have to be left with the poor of this place. Is it not better to be left without the
Twelve than to go ourselves?”
Charles C. Rich
added, “You have heard the remarks that have been made and you know the duty
you have to do and the sacrifices you will have to make. We want several waggons. Brothers Brigham & Kimball want some
teams and the brethren here want help, not only teams and waggons, but money
also.”
The donations were
meager: Two yoke of cattle, 2 wagons, a blind mule, about twenty dollars, a
bushel of meal, and fifty pounds of flour.
William Clayton again
sent men to hunt for missing cattle.
They still could not find them.
Brother Clayton recorded:
“Towards the evening it rained and there was one of the most beautiful
rainbows I ever saw in my life. We
could see its brilliant reflection within a few rods of us.”
Log houses continued
to be built. Sister Eliza R. Snow
wrote:
Moved into a house
built of logs some peeled and some with the bark on, laid up cob fashion from 3
to 8 inches apart‑‑the roof formed by stretching the tent cloth
over the ridge pole and fastening at the bottom on the outside, which,
carpetting, blankets &c. fastened
up at the north end to prevent the wind which is almost cold as winter. We find ourselves very comfortably and commodiously
situated.
Sister Snow also
understood better, the wise decision of having many stop in Mount Pisgah. Some brethren sent for a yoke of cattle
belonging to Brother Markham. She
wrote: “I not only feel reconciled, but
rejoice that we stopped that others may have the means. Brother M[arkham] having given up all his
cattle and one wagon for the benefit of the cause.”
A
daughter, Mary Isabell Hales, was born to Charles and Julia Hales.9
Mary
Richards continued her letter to her husband Samuel W. Richards, back in
Nauvoo. She wrote that they traveled
eight miles on very muddy roads. “Very
hard traveling, the weather cold, wore my shawl & cloak all day and have
never felt warm til now. We can see
nothing but prairie for several miles.”
Samuel's brother Joseph, had spent the last two days up to his knees in
the mud along the trail. His father,
Phinehas Richards was quite sick and confined to bed.
It was a
beautiful day. Thomas Bullock cut out a
new wagon cover and helped his wife to make it. He hauled logs from the woods with his oxen which was very hard
work.
Elder
Jesse C. Little went for his appointment with President Polk, but because of
other pressing business, the meeting was postponed until the following day.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 178; Kimball, Historic Sites and Markers along
the Mormon and other Great Western Trails, 29; William Clayton’s Journal,
41‑2; Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 136;
“Thomas Bullock Journal,” 65; Comprehensive History of the Church, 3:73;
Black, Membership of the Church 1830‑1848; Mount Pisgah
Journal, June 4, 1846; Ward, The 1846-1848 Life Writings of Mary Haskin
Parker Richards, 72-3
The
weather was cold but fair. The camp
traveled fourteen miles and camped on the prairie near Shoal Creek. They had forded what they supposed was
another west branch of Grand River and found the Indian trail to Council Bluffs
at about 10 a.m. Horace Whitney
recorded that they
passed through some
very romantic spots and quite a diversity of scenery. . . . We saw the remains
of a good many Indian Wigwams which had the appearance of being constructed
some time since. They were composed of
boughs of trees curiously interwoven.
Just before reaching our place of encampment for the night we saw a
large number of them which had fallen down and were dried, and as we intended
going on a little farther before stopping, and there being nothing but prairie
before us as far as the eye could extend, everyone gathered a bundle for
firewood.10
Hosea
Stout was frustrated that Charles C. Rich didn't help him as much as he
expected. He had hoped that Brother
Rich would help him to obtain the things necessary to move on and catch up with
Brigham Young.
Near Mount Pisgah,
William Clayton finally located his cattle.
He now had eleven wagons, sixteen yoke of oxen, six cows, five horses,
and six teamsters. At 2 p.m., his
company moved out. The men took two
teams each and Brother Clayton drove the cows on foot. They traveled about six miles and at about 6
p.m., camped on a hill beyond some nice timber. Also located there was William Pitt and John Taylor's
company. Amos Fielding passed through
the camp. He was returning to Nauvoo to
leave for a mission to England. He
stayed awhile and talked with Brother Clayton.
Wilford
Woodruff traveled eight miles. A tongue
broke on one of his wagons and he stopped and put on another one.
Louisa
Pratt was camping near a creek. Her
company was organized with others into a traveling camp. The brethren met and chose a president
without consulting the women. Sister
Pratt wrote: “This evening the sisters proposed to organize themselves into a
distinct body to prove to the men that we are competent to govern ourselves. If
they see the example of separate interests, we must help carry it out.”
Thomas
Bullock tried to obtain two more yoke of oxen that the Nauvoo Trustees had
promised him, but they went back on their promise which frustrated him. They instead told him that he could have two
hundred pounds of flour and promised him some money to purchase other items.
Elder
Jesse C. Little recorded:
I visited President
Polk; he informed me that we should be protected in California, and that five
hundred or one thousand of our people should be taken into the service,
officered by our own men; said that I should have letters from him, and from
the secretary of the navy to the squadron.
I waived the president's proposal until evening, when I wrote a letter
of acceptance.11
President Polk had
been having second thoughts about the idea of having Mormons march into
California. Some key Democratic senators
were opposed to the plan to send thousands of Mormons to California. Senator Thomas H. Benton from Missouri
contended that the Mormons were disloyal and did not believe that they would
answer the call to service. President
Polk wrote in his journal, “After Mr. Little retired, I explained to Mr.
Kendall that I did not think it safe to communicate to Mr. Little [that] Col.
Kearney was ordered to proceed from Santa Fe . . . [and] would reach California
this season.” He did not feel it very
wise to only have Mormon troops in California.
I told Mr. Kendall
that the citizens now settled in California at Sutter's settlement and
elsewhere had learned that a large body of Mormons were emigrating to that
country and were alarmed at it, and that this alarm would be increased if the
first organized troops of the U.S. that
entered the country were Mormons. To
avoid this and at the same time to conciliate the Mormons, Col. K. [was
authorized] to receive Mormons into the service after he reached the country.
Still, for some
reason Polk later changed his mind and authorized the raising of the Mormon
Battalion to march to California.
Historian Richard E. Bennett believed that “the Polk administration had
a last minute change of mind and ordered Kearney to call Mormons
immediately. More worried about
securing California that season than offending it.”
It was later reported
that Senator Benton received a promise from President Polk that if the Mormons
refused to serve, that Senator Benton could raise volunteers in Missouri to go
against the Mormons. Benton was said to
have told the President, “Sir, they are a pestilential race, and ought to
become extinct.”
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 178; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 3:51; William
Clayton’s Journal, 42; The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:166; “Thomas
Bullock Journal,” 64; Comprehensive History of the Church, 3:73;
Kimball, Historic Sites and Markers along the Mormon and other Great Western
Trails, 30; Nibley, Exodus to Greatness, 175; The March of the
Mormon Battalion, 91‑2; Diary of James K. Polk 1:449‑50;
Bennett, Mormons at the Missouri, 1846‑1852, 55; “Louisa Pratt
autobiography” in Heart Throbs 8:238
In the morning, the
camp discovered that there were eleven oxen missing. They were found seven miles ahead. In the afternoon it rained.
This group traveled a total of fifteen miles and camped in a circle of
seventy‑two wagons and carriages.
Fifteen others were in sight of the main camp.12
Further ahead to the
west, Lorenzo Dow Young came to an Indian settlement where Bishop George Miller
and Elder Parley P. Pratt had built a large bridge over the Nishnabotna
River. Elder Pratt had been there for a
few days. The Pottawatomie Indians
there, were very friendly. Brother
Young then went on a short distance and forded a stream called the Sleeping
Rock. After another half mile the
company halted and camped for the night.
Bishop Miller camped nearby and the smoke from his camp affected Harriet
Young's lungs.13
William
Clayton's company moved out at 8 a.m.
It rained a little in the morning.
After about seven miles, they arrived at some timber and found Patriarch
John Smith resting. William Clayton
also rested his teams at this spot and then pressed on at 1 p.m. They were soon slowed down by a heavy
thunder shower which completely drenched them and it became very cold. They stopped until the shower was over and
then continued on until 6 p.m, where they camped on the open prairie.
At Mount Pisgah,
Elijah Brailey was born to Jesse and Sally Brailey.14
Luman
Shurtliff arrived at Garden Grove after his long one month journey from
Nauvoo. (See May 6, 1846.) His family stopped near the edge of some timber
and later agreed to put in a crop. If
any of his company would go west before the crop matured, the crop would belong
to those who were left behind. They
soon got to work plowing and planting seeds.
They also made a fence around their field.
Louisa
Pratt wrote an amusing entry in her journal about some problems with the cattle
in her company:
The loose cattle were very
unruly and hindered us. We have in our company a young man whom the girls have
named "Green Horn.” He blundered
into a mudhole and broke his axle. So here the whole crowd must be hindered to
wait for repairs. My two cows are very docile and willing to be driven, but we
have one in the herd our captain says is not a Mormon; she has nothing of a
gathering spirit, seems determined to go back, and he says, "If she was
mine I would never take her to Zion."
The ladies in her
company met to organize a form of a pioneer woman’s organization. Sister Phoebe Chase, wife of Isaac Chase,
was appointed president with Louisa Pratt as one of her counselors. They adopted several resolutions:
first, resolved that
when the brethren call on us to attend prayers, get engaged in conversation and
forget what they called us for, that the sisters retire to some convenient
place, pray by themselves and go about their business. Second, if the men wish
to hold control over women, let them be on the alert. We believe in equal rights.
Thomas
Bullock spent a very busy day, helping Albern Allen15 load his wagon, hunting for his cattle,
fixing hinges to boxes, making wooden rivets, feeding his cattle, and milking
his cows.
A public
meeting was held to make arrangements for the July 4th celebration, but the
meeting soon degenerated into an anti‑Mormon meeting. It had been commented that because all of
the Mormons had not yet left the state, Hancock County could not be considered
free, and therefore they should not celebrate the 4th of July. They decided that another meeting should be
held on June 12. A committee was
appointed to call upon the new (non‑Mormon) citizens of Nauvoo, who had
recently arrived. William E. Clifford
met with several of the new citizens, who informed him that they had nothing to
do with the anti‑Mormon movement, but they would discuss the subject at a
public meeting on June 11.
The
“Mississippi Company” of Saints (see April 8, 1846), traveling on the
Oregon Trail, arrived at Grand Island about this time. This had been their destination, but they
did not find the Camp of Israel. They
would wait about two weeks and then continue their journey west toward Fort
Laramie.
The ship Brooklyn,
loaded with Saints from New York continued to travel toward the Sandwich
Islands (Hawaii). As they reached
tropical waters, the winds died and the sails drooped for days. One passenger described the scene “as silent
as a painted ship upon a painted ocean.”
This was a great trial to the Saints who had suffered so much in cramped
quarters. Sister Caroline A. Joyce
wrote: “We were so closely crowded that
the heat of the Tropics was terrible, but 'mid all our trials the object of our
journey was never forgotten. The living
faith was there and was often manifested.”
In a few days the breeze soon started to blow and a joyous shout went
up.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 179; William Clayton’s Journal, 42‑3;
“Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:141;
Kimball, Historic Sites and Markers along the Mormon and other Great Western
Trails, 30; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 64; Autobiography of Parley P.
Pratt, 343; “Luman Shurtliff Autobiography,” typescript, 66; Black, Membership
of the Church 1830‑1848; Journal History, June 6, 1846; Rich, Ensign
to the Nations, 38; Ashbel Green Haskell, Our Pioneer Heritage
3:531; Caroline A. Joyce, Our Pioneer Heritage 3:505; Bailey, Sam
Brannan and the California Mormons, 37; Comprehensive History of the
Church, 3:.226; “Louisa Pratt autobiography” in Heart Throbs 8:239
It was a
beautiful day. At about 11 a.m., a
Sabbath meeting was called by Elder Heber C. Kimball inside a circle of seventy‑two
wagons. A temporary stand was
built. He spoke to an assembly that
included eight Indians, who were camping four or file miles from the camp. They came into camp, mounted on their ponies
and horses, decorated with their native apparel. Elder Kimball spoke of the ancient Saints, of their tribulations
and journeys. He spoke of the latter‑day
Camp of Israel and encouraged all to be united and seek after each other's
interests.
Brigham Young next
spoke at 11:45 a.m., and counseled the brethren to continue on, only if they
had ample provisions. When they reached
the Missouri River, the counsel would be even more strict. He commended many of the brethren for their
faithfulness, but he chastised many for saying, “I am poor, I have done all I
could for the church; now, for Heaven's sake, don't leave me. I want to go with the Church.” This attitude and these actions continued to
jeopardize the success of the entire camp.
President Young said, “I can safely prophesy that we will not cross the
mountains this season, and that is what many of the brethren wish, they would
rather go to hell than be left behind.”
He also instructed the sisters to keep the tents clean and to raise
their children to the Lord. They should
keep them from harm and sickness. They
should support their husbands in their callings. The brethren should be kind and affectionate to their wives.
Plans were announced
to select men to go to the settlements for more supplies. No one would be allowed to go buy grain
until instructed to leave. The wagon
companies would travel in groups of ten.
The camp moved out at 3 p.m. and traveled seven miles to Pleasant
Valley. The weather was very pleasant.16
Ahead at Parley P.
Pratt's company, Lorenzo Dow Young's wife, Harriet, was still very sick. Brother Young called on Elder Pratt to lay
hands on her and bless her. He administered
to her. Before night fell, she felt
better and had a good night's rest.
William
Clayton's company started at 8 a.m. and traveled nine miles until they arrived
at a little grove of timber, just beyond some swampy prairies. They decided to continue on to a camp on a
nearby ridge. Brother Clayton wrote in
his journal, “I drove the cows all day on foot. My feet were sore and blistered.” Patriarch John Smith came up and camped near this group.
A Sabbath
meeting was held at the Mount Pisgah settlement. Elder Orson Hyde spoke to the people. It was mostly a business meeting, as most of the time was taken
up discussing procuring teams and provisions for the Twelve. Orson Pratt spoke on living the Celestial
Law and being governed by the priesthood as the ancients were. Following the meeting, Orson Pratt left
Mount Pisgah, after a ten‑day stay.
Eliza R. Snow went to visit her brother, Lorenzo Snow, who was much
worse. His family and friends were very
worried that they were going to lose him.
Phinehas
Richards’ company, which included his daughter-in-law Mary Richards, traveled
about four miles and then stopped to do some washing. In the afternoon, they spread out their crackers to dry, because
some of them were spoiling. Mary
Richards deeply missed her husband, Samuel W. Richards. She wrote:
Felt very unhappy
through the day. Went into the woods
twice. Sat down under an oak tree. Offered up a prayer to the Lord. Wept about an hour & returned.” She later wrote to her husband about this day. “I think last Sunday was the gloomiest day
to me that I have seen since you left me.
. . . I went into the woods
twice, offered up a prayer to the Lord & gave vent to my tears. I can't help but feel bad some times, but I
always feel better when I get over it
Further to
the east, Wilford Woodruff's company continued their journey at about 10
a.m. Near dusk, they came to a very
large, swampy area. It was one and a
half miles across it. He wrote that it
was
the worst peace of
road on the whole journey. My Carriage
& family went through it. I got my
waggons half through by dark. I
attempted to go through & the wheels of my waggon cut to the hub in turf
& mud & with 8 yoke of cattle I could not get through. Two of my waggons remained fast in the swamp
all night. Cousin Betsey was in one
waggon & remained all night. I was
in the mud & water to my knees till 2 oclock at night. I was among the cattle near all night. At day light I rolled up in a buffalo robe
& got some sleep.
Louisa Pratt
described some activities that her camp engaged in for amusement:
When we camped near a
level spot of earth where water had been standing and dried away. The young men
would propose a dance, the older ones, feeling the absolute need of diversion,
would accede as it would cost nothing and would cheer and enliven us on our
wearisome journey. In the midst of our amusements we did not forget our
prayers. We have large campfires around which we all gather, sing songs, both
spiritual and comic, then all unite in prayer.
The Saints
who remained at Nauvoo met in the temple.
Elder Erastus Snow preached. Another,
smaller meeting was held at 3 p.m. ,where the sacrament was administered and
passed. Zebedee Coltrin, Erastus Snow,
and Thomas Bullock were present.
Colonel
Thomas L. Kane and Elder Jesse C. Little called upon Amos Kendall, and the
secretary of state, James
Buchanan. Col. Kane came to Washington
still quite sick. Elder Little had sent
a letter, asking him to come. He
promised Colonel Kane that if he got up from his couch, his pains would leave
him. Colonel Kane decided to go despite
objections from his doctors and family.
He would be sick for months.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 179‑80, 219; Willard Richards Diary,
June 7, 1846; Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:166; Brooks, John
Doyle Lee, 94‑5; Watson, The Orson Pratt Journals, 352; William
Clayton’s Journal, 43; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical
Quarterly, 14:141; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 3:51; Beecher, The
Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 136; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 65; Comprehensive
History of the Church, 3:74;
Kimball, Historic Sites and Markers along the Mormon and other Great
Western Trails, 31; Ward, The 1846-1848 Life Writings of Mary Haskin
Parker Richards, 65; ; “Louisa Pratt autobiography” in Heart Throbs
8:239
The camp
started their day's journey at 8:00 a.m. and passed through a Pottawatomie
Indian village.17 They crossed the Nishnabotna River on a
bridge that was built a few days earlier by George Miller, Parley P. Pratt, and
others.
They saw many Indians
on the way who were friendly. One brave
near the village, did try to start some trouble. He informed the camp that they must pay to pass through the
village, for all the grass that the cattle would destroy. But he was satisfied when the brethren told
him that instead of hostilities, they would do them good by making
bridges. The brave then consented to
let them pass. The camp then forded
another branch of the Nishnabotna River.
After an additional
fourteen miles, they crossed the Manottawa Creek and camped at a shady spot
where they found Brigham Young's brother, Lorenzo Dow Young. President Young, his wife Lucy, and Sister
Whitney, had supper with Brother Young.
After they
established camp for the night, President Young gave some instructions to the
captains of tens. He asked them to move
out in a certain order, to help their companies over the creeks, and to see
that the guns and pistols in their companies were all cleaned and conveniently
placed.
William
Clayton's company traveled about ten miles on hilly and uneven roads and camped
near some timber on Shoal Creek. He
went fishing and caught many fish.
Amos
Fielding, on his way back to Nauvoo to prepare for his mission to England,
stayed most of the morning with the Phinehas Richards camp, sharing with them
news about the Camp of Israel.
In the
evening, Stephen Markham camped with Isaac Chase’s company. Brother Markham was returning to
Nauvoo. He informed the camp that the
Twelve had gone on to Council Bluffs.
Thomas
Bullock still struggled and was frustrated by what he viewed as unfair
treatment from Almon W. Babbitt, one of the Nauvoo Trustees. Since Brother Bullock had been employed by
the Church as a clerk, he needed to look to the Trustees for assistance in his
preparations to move west. He felt that
Brother Babbitt disliked him because he was an Englishman, and held a grudge
against him because Willard Richards had counseled Thomas Bullock to not get
involved with a local Nauvoo newspaper, The Nauvoo Eagle.18
During the day, a
delegation of the mob came into the city, which caused great worry and
excitement. Many of the brethren packed
up and crossed the river. A meeting was
called in the Temple to defend it against the mob. Brother Bullock put the cover on his wagon and in the evening met
in the temple for a prayer meeting.
Elder
Jesse C. Little visited President Polk for the final time. He gave the following account:
I called on the
president, he was busy but sent me word to call on the secretary of war. I went to the war department, but as the
secretary was busy, I did not see him.
The president wished me to call at two p.m., which I did, and had an
interview with him; he expressed his good feelings to our people‑‑regarded
us as good citizens, said he had received our suffrages, and we should be
remembered; he had instructed the secretary of war to make out our papers, and
that I could get away tomorrow.
Thomas L. Kane met
with President Polk and Secretary of War, W.L.
Marcy, probably to review the Mormon Battalion matter. Kane offered to carry dispatches to Colonel
Kearny at Fort Leavenworth.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 181, 220; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah
Historical Quarterly, 14:141; Historic Sites and Markers along the
Mormon and other Great Western Trails, 31; William Clayton’s Journal,
43; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 66; Comprehensive History of the Church,
3:74; Bennett, Mormons at the Missouri,
1846‑1852; Lyman Littlefield Reminiscences, 182‑183; “Louisa
Pratt autobiography” in Heart Throbs 8:239
The
morning was clear and the day was hot.
The camp was delayed because some of Brigham Young's teams had
strayed. President Young and John D.
Lee went ahead and scouted out the best road to take.
The camp moved out
and traveled thirteen miles. They
rested at noon, at a creek, where they finished a bridge. At 3 p.m., President Young and others rode
ahead three more miles to the middle branch of the Nishnabotna River where
Bishop George Miller's company was camping.
The rest of Brigham Young's company arrived at 5 p.m. Heber C. Kimball camped three miles behind
to prevent the stock from mixing with President Young's stock.
In the evening,
Parley P. Pratt, Willard Richards, George Miller, John D. Lee, and others rode
to the river to find a place to build a bridge. They crossed the river in a skiff to check out the opposite side.
Part of the brass
band met at John D. Lee's tent and held a concert until 11 p.m. A large number of spectators were present.
William
Clayton went fishing at dawn and again had good luck. At 9 p.m., his company pressed on. In the afternoon they met three Indians who begged for some
bread. The company traveled about
twelve miles and arrived at a point about three miles from the Indian
village. Two Indians visited them in
the camp. Brother Clayton received a
message from Brigham Young, counseling them to travel together in companies
from that point, to avoid being plundered by the Indians. The cattle were tied up that night and a
guard set over them.
Louisa
Pratt’s company struggled through a three-mile mudhole and arrived at a what
she described as a “Mormon city of tents and wagons, white with black spots,
emblematical of the lives we live in this world of change.” She took a long ride on horseback with
Sister Eldredge, taking in a nice view of the country.
Thomas
Bullock again had a busy day. He packed
up a medicine chest, gathered some sage and dried it, bought a yoke of oxen,
and helped George Wardle fix ox bows and a wagon box. There was a spectacular rainbow in the
evening.
The new citizens of
Nauvoo met at the Seventies Hall, probably to discuss the pressure being put on
them to join the anti‑Mormon movement.
Elder
Jesse C. Little left Washington and went to Philadelphia. He arrived the following day.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 181‑82, 220; Willard Richards Journal,
June 9, 1846; William Clayton’s Journal, 43‑4; “Thomas Bullock
Journal,” 66; “Louisa Pratt autobiography” in Heart Throbs 8:239
The camp
stayed at this spot while George Miller and his company built a “flood‑wood”
bridge over the Nishnabotna River.
About one hundred other spare men in the camp were busy making a road
through the woods.
Wild Strawberries
were now plentiful across Iowa. Brigham
Young's brother, Lorenzo wrote:
Bro. Brigham and wife
came over in their carriage and Bro. Kimball, Bro. Whitney and myself with our
wives went a strawberring, and had a rich repast, being liberated from the
bustle and cares of the camp. We returned
sun about an hour high. Found a table
spread with the luxuries of life such as biscuit and butter . . . plenty of
strawberries sweetened, together with a little pickled pork.” They had found about three or four quarts of
strawberries.19
The bridge was completed
at about 6 p.m. Horace Whitney
wrote: “Tonight we boys returned,
having finished the bridge. We had
quite a pleasant time this evening, which we spent in dancing on the grass
until bed‑time‑‑the bright orb of night singing in all its
glory over our heads.”
William
Clayton again went fishing at daybreak and caught thirty‑six fish! The morning was hot as the company broke
camp at 9 a.m. The roads were good but there
were many hills and ravines all day. At
6 p.m., they camped within sight of the Pottawatomie Indian village. He wrote in his journal:
When about two miles
from it, they discovered us coming and we soon saw a number of them riding
towards us. Some had bells on their
horses which frightened our horses and cattle. . . . We had to pass some timber
and a river before we arrived at their village which is situated on a very
beautiful ridge skirted by timber and beautiful rolling prairie. Before we arrived at the timber, it seemed
that the whole village had turned out, men, women, and children, some on horses
and many on foot. Their musicians came
and played while we passed them. They
seemed to escort our wagons and asked if we were Mormons. When we told them we were, they seemed
highly pleased. It took us some time to
cross the bridge over the river and then we were perfectly surrounded by
Indians apparently from curiosity and friendship.
Soon after they
crossed the bridge, they were met by James Cummings who was coming back from
Council Bluffs to report to Brigham Young regarding the retrieval of the Emmett
company from Camp Vermillion. The
Emmett company was still near Council Bluffs and John L. Butler was looking
after them. James Cummings had been
down to Missouri, helping a group of Saints, coming from St. Louis, make their
way to the main camp. Some U.S. agents
were refusing to let them pass into Iowa territory. At that point, he started heading west to Brigham Young's company,
who were about thirty miles west of the point he met William Clayton.
Brother Clayton
wanted to take his company about two miles past the Indian Village, but soon
came to a stream that was difficult to ford.
They decided to camp on a ridge within sight of the village. Many Indians watched their progress, but
when night came, they went back to their village.
Wilford
Woodruff's company set out in the morning.
They went through some very bad, swampy, muddy land. He wrote:
“My men broke another tong out of one of my waggons. We went to timber, cut a stick & put in
A new one & spend the day.” Lucian
Woodworth camped near them. Elder
Woodruff spoke with him for several hours in the evening.
The
tensions in Nauvoo were increasing.
Thomas Bullock packed up his goods in case he needed to leave the city
quickly. He heard that the mob was
whipping and driving out Mormons four miles from the city. It was reported that all the houses now
owned by the new non‑Mormon citizens must have a sign on them. Brother Bullock mentioned to a man, “I
suppose like the custom of the Jews, to sprinkle the lintels and door posts
with blood in order that the Destroying Angel might pass over all in that
house.” He went to the temple to find
out if they were supposed to run or stay and fight. He learned that rumors were false and had been circulated to stir
up fear.
Brother John
Bernhisel discovered that Emma Smith held the title to the lot on which the
unfinished Nauvoo House stood. He had a
conversation with Emma, that morning, about it. He quickly wrote a letter to Brigham Young, in which he stated,
“she would not give me a decisive answer, what she would do, or what she would
take for her interest in it, in case it was concluded to sell it, she stated
however that she had been offered a thousand dollars for it.” She told Brother Bernhisel that she planned
to sell or lease her own property as soon as possible and move her children to
Quincy.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 182; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah
Historical Quarterly, 14:141; Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 205;
William Clayton’s Journal, 44‑5; Nibley, Exodus to Greatness,
176; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 66‑7; Isaac Galland, Iowa Emigrant,
20; Newell, Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale
Smith, 233;
The
weather was very hot. The Saints
traveled ten miles and camped to build a bridge over the west fork of the
Nishnabotna River. George Miller and
his company had gone ahead to get an early start on the bridge. Heber C. Kimball called the camp together
and selected twenty‑five men to also work on the bridge. Brigham Young was one of those who
assisted. Lorenzo Dow Young camped
about three miles back. He lost his
hens while crossing a river. One of
them swam the river.
James Cummings
arrived into the camp and gave a report of his trip with John L. Butler to
retrieve the Emmett Company. He
reported that Emmett had left the camp before they arrived, taking seven
horses, jewelry and a young squaw. He
had apparently deserted the company.
The Emmett company was about thirty miles below the bluffs with Brother
Butler.
Many
Indians came into William Clayton's camp again, showing friendly feelings and
desires to trade. The company moved out
at about 9:00 a.m. The roads were
uneven for about five miles, but the rest of the day’s journey was good. They camped on a small creek after traveling
fourteen miles.
Hosea
Stout's preparations to take the public arms ahead met another roadblock. Brother Robert Johnson came to claim his
wagon which contained many of the guns.20 Charles C. Rich gave him permission to take
it. Brother Stout was left with just
one wagon to haul all of the guns.
Lorenzo Snow was
feeling somewhat better. His sister, Eliza
R. Snow, had been trying to nurse him back to health. She observed that every day, many Saints arrived from Nauvoo, and
every day many Saints left Mount Pisgah.
Amasa M. Lyman crossed over the river on this day.
Louisa
Pratt wrote: “For the first time my wagon had to be dug out of the mud. One
wheel ran off a bridge. It made racking work and broke my table, which was tied
on behind.” That evening, her camp had
some wild entertainment: “The young man we call captain, Ephraim Hanks, dressed
in woman's attire, danced to amuse us. Several in the crowd did not know who it
was, thought it was some strange lady who had come in from another
company.”
Fear was
spreading all over Nauvoo. Thomas
Bullock went to the temple office, to obtain some goods to help him leave
Nauvoo, but he was told that they wanted the Saints to remain and fight. Panic was taking hold, as hundreds were
fleeing this city. In addition to the
regular ferries, four more boats were used to carry the Saints across the
river. Some of the Saints were on banks
of the river with their belongings and had very little to eat. It was reported that a Sister Sandford had
been driven into the city by the mob in the outlying areas. The mob was threatening to come into the
city on the next day. The merchants had
packed up their goods and were leaving as fast as they could. The new non‑Mormon citizens in Nauvoo
met and selected Mr. Furness and Morrell to attend the requested meeting with
the mob on the following day.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 182; Nibley, Exodus to Greatness, 176;
Brooks, The Diary of Hosea.
1:166; William Clayton’s Journal, 45‑6; “Diary of Lorenzo
Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:141; Beecher, The Personal
Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 136; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 67; Journal
History (the Golden's Point expedition); “Joseph Hovey Autobiography,” 36;
Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia,
4:536; “Louisa Pratt autobiography” in Heart Throbs 8:239
At 9 a.m.,
Brother William Porter left the camp with a letter of instruction from the
Twelve to the Emmett company, who were south of Council Bluffs. They were told to prepare themselves to move
west, but to stay where they were until they received further
instructions. They were cautioned to
tell no outsiders about the exodus to the mountains.
The main camp crossed
the river on the newly built bridge, traveled nine miles, and camped on the
east bank of Keg Creek,21 where another
bridge was needed. The banks of the
creek were very muddy. About forty or
fifty cattle had to be pulled out of the mire, which prevented them from
building a bridge across Keg Creek on this day. Lorenzo Dow Young and his wife had the treat of being taken on a
splendid ride in Heber C. Kimball's carriage.
He wrote: “We enjoyed it first
rate.”
To the
east, William Clayton's company traveled for another three miles, in the very
hot weather. They camped on a beautiful
ridge where they could tell the main company had earlier camped. They were next to a large rapid stream which
was probably Manottawa Creek. Brother
Clayton decided to stay at this location unto Monday, to rest the teams and
give the animals’ shoulders a chance to heal.
Further
back, near the Platte River, Orson Pratt's wife, Louisa, was dangerously
sick. Elder Pratt halted the company
and pitched their tent on a narrow neck of land, on the west bank of the
Platte, which was shaded by a large, black walnut tree. At that point they thought Louisa would only
live a few more hours. By sundown, she
was speechless. At 10:30 p.m., sadly,
she passed away. At her request, she was
laid out in her temple robes.
During the
day a group of non‑Mormons came into the camp. This created great
excitement because the camp’s guns had been taken out of the wagon and were
lying on the ground near Hosea Stout's tent.
They were quickly covered up and a guard placed over them. This group of non‑Mormons had come to
the settlement to investigate a rumor that the Saints were preparing for
war. They left satisfied that the rumor
was false.
Phinehas Richards’
company arrived at Mount Pisgah. They
went to visit Charles C. Rich. The brethren
in the company were asked to press on across the river, without their families,
to assist Brigham Young’s advance company.
They left a wagon behind for the women, including Mary Richards, who
wrote: “Was very sorry to part with
them. Felt very lonesome all day.”
The Nauvoo
new citizen delegates, Furness and Morrell, went toward Carthage for a meeting
that was appointed at 9 a.m. To their
surprise, they discovered an armed force which was getting ready to march on
Nauvoo. The group was initially
supposed to assemble to raise a militia in the county of volunteers for the
Mexican war. But it was pointed out by
someone that they could also use it for another purpose: for a demonstration
against the remaining Mormons in Nauvoo, to quicken their departure. Many of the several hundred men who
assembled did not know about the anti‑Mormon purpose. The leaders didn't have a clear plan, but it
was decided that they would camp at Golden Point for a few days. Many men wanted to march into Nauvoo to have
the city cleared of Mormons in two or three days. They claimed that it could be accomplished without violence.
The Nauvoo new
citizens were told to send a committee of nine and the anti‑Mormons would
also send nine people, to meet in conference the following day. The new citizens met in the evening to
organize for a defense of the city and to appoint the committee for the
conference. The Saints also met and
chose their counselors that they might consult with the Citizens Committee
which had full control of the city businesses.
Stephen Markham arrived in Nauvoo from the Camp of Israel. He met with the remaining Church leaders at
this meeting.
Elder
Jesse C. Little left Philadelphia on a train with Thomas L. Kane, for the
west. Colonel Kane's father, Judge
Kane, traveled with them as far as Harrisburg and offered his influence to help
the Mormons.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 183, 581‑82, 220‑21; “Diary of
Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:141; William
Clayton’s Journal, 46; Watson, The Orson Pratt Journals, 353;
Nibley, Exodus to Greatness, 176; Journal History (the Golden's Point
expedition); “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 67; Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom,
205; “Joseph Hovey Autobiography,” 36; Ward, The 1846-1848 Life Writings of
Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 66
The men
worked on the bridge over Keg Creek during the morning. The main camp then traveled ten miles and
camped on a hill near Mosquito Creek to build another bridge. From this hill, the Missouri river, a long
awaited destination, was visible in the distance.22
George Miller and Parley P. Pratt camped with their companies down near
the creek.
Horace Whitney
enjoyed this camping spot and wrote,
We found another
beautiful spring of water in this place; in fact the ground here appears to be
full of springs. The scenery around us
is entirely different from that through which we had hitherto been traveling,
abounding in hills and dales and murmuring rivulets, and considerably resembles
that of the New England States.
Lorenzo Dow Young
added, “The scenery is truly romantic.”
Many in the camp spent time gathering many bushels of wild strawberries.
To the
east, still hoping to catch up, William Clayton's company spent the day fixing
wagons. The weather was hot and Brother
Clayton wrote: “The mosquitoes here
began to be very troublesome, there being so many of them and so bloodthirsty.”
Orson
Pratt, suffering the great loss of his wife, Louisa Chandler Pratt, searched
during the morning for a place to bury her body. He found a peaceful spot on the east bank of the Platte, about
fifty feet south of the road and bridge.
There were two Indian graves seen nearby. Her coffin consisted of four slabs of basswood with thick bark at
the head and foot. The funeral was held
at noon with a large company of Saints from Michigan attending. Brother Richard D. Sprague23 gave the eulogy and prayer, after which
a funeral procession was held to the grave.
As soon as the people were dismissed, Elder Pratt, with his knife, cut
letters in a tree which stood at the foot of the grave. He carved, “L.C.P. Died Jun. 12, 1846.”
In the late afternoon
Elder Pratt, knowing that he needed to continue the journey, moved his camp on
about five miles and camped. They fed
several friendly Pottawatomie Indians who came to visit. An axle‑tree was broken on one of the
wagons, just as they arrived at the camping spot.
Hosea
Stout had the opportunity of moving on with
John Van Cott (arrived with Phinehas Richards the day before) who had an
empty wagon. But Brother Stout's cows
strayed and this prevented him from going.
Instead, in the evening he laid a foundation for a house that he planned
to leave his family in, while he went ahead with the guns. Sister Eliza R. Snow went to visit her sick
brother, Lorenzo Snow, and found him getting worse. Mary Richards helped her mother-in-law do the washing and in the
afternoon had a pleasant walk.
Wilford Woodruff
arrived at Garden Grove but didn't stop long.
Some of his company remained there, but Elder Woodruff pressed on for
Mount Pisgah. They camped that night,
in a grove, about six miles to the east.
At 11
a.m., the committee of non‑Mormon citizens of Nauvoo attended a
conference with the anti‑Mormon delegates and requested to know the
purpose of the gathering.24 The representative of the mob informed the
committee that they wished to march their forces into Nauvoo to see if the
Mormons were leaving. The new citizen’s
committee objected to this. The anti‑Mormons
proposed that they would send into the city fifty men at a time. The committee also rejected this idea and
informed them that no armed force without legal authority would be permitted to
enter into the city. It was finally
proposed that thirty men could visit the city without arms and that three of
these men could remain in the city until the Mormons were gone. The Mormons would be permitted to remain
another week. This proposition would be
submitted for a vote by each side.
Sheriff Jacob
Backenstos had been away from the county, but he returned to Nauvoo and called
a meeting at 4 p.m. He swore in three
hundred deputies to maintain law and order.
The brethren started training for self‑defense. A report was received that the mob at Golden
Point numbered four hundred men. They were said to have a cannon which was to
be used to storm the temple.
In the evening, word
came to the mob at Golden Point that the sheriff had summoned up a large posse.25
They were told that the posse was as large as nine hundred men. At this point about one hundred of those
gathered at Golden Creek fled from home.
John McAuley, one of the leaders of the mob was very frustrated with
this desertion.
Back in the city,
Thomas Bullock continued to have great difficulty with his cattle. On the prior day, his two oxen strayed
because he did not have a yoke to yoke them together. He got up at sunrise to look for them, but returned home
disappointed. Then his other cattle ran
away after a cow. Brother Bullock raced
after them through the fields and woods until he was exhausted. He finally found them and brought them
home. However, he had over‑exerted
himself and was ill for the rest of the day.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 183, 582; Journal History (the Golden's
Point expedition); “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 67‑9; History of Hancock
County, Gregg, P. 473; Nibley, Exodus to Greatness, 177; The Diary of
Hosea Stout, 1:167; Watson, The Orson Pratt Journals, 353‑54; William
Clayton’s Journal, 46; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 3:52; “Diary of
Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:141; Kimball, Historic
Sites and Markers along the Mormon and other Great Western Trails, 32;
Black, Membership of the Church 1830‑1848; Ward, The 1846-1848
Life Writings of Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 66
At 8 a.m.,
Brigham Young and a few others rode ahead seven miles to choose the next
campsite. By 11 a.m., the bridge was
completed and the camp moved on across Mosquito Creek. With joy, at 5 p.m., the lead company of the
Camp of Israel finally reached the banks of the Missouri River. Originally it had been planned to reach this
point two months earlier, but the bad weather and other problems greatly slowed
down the lead company. It had taken
them almost four months to cross Iowa.26
Heber C. Kimball's
journalist described the view from the encampment:
[The river] is here only
about 1/4 of a mile wide and the bank on the side is about 15 feet high and
rest up and down so that somebody had to dig out steps so as to get down to get
water. The hills which incloses this
great meadow are consisting of yellow clay.
On the other side the river is thick with willows and cotton trees but
the higher up seemeth to be good timber.
George Miller met
earlier in the day with trader Peter Sarpy, who operated the American Fur
Company trading post about six miles south at Trader’s Point, on the east side
of the river, across from Bellevue. He
also met with Pottawatomie Indian leaders and government Indian agency
officials located near Sarpy's post, to discuss Indian trading regulations.
At 8 p.m., the horn
was sounded and a general meeting was held.
Bishop George Miller instructed the brethren regarding rules for the
camp. He stated that he had learned,
according to U.S. laws, that the Church had no right to trade with the Indians,
but had to use official traders. Guards
would be posted at night around the camp and brethren would be assigned to
watch the stock for the whole camp. All
the brethren were asked to sustain the rules of order for the camp.
Newel Whitney, George
Miller, and Albert P. Rockwood were appointed as a committee to confer with the
Indian traders at Trader's Point. They
were also to find building materials to build a ferry. In return, they would promise free use of
the boat for the traders’ needs, if it wasn't in use by the Saints. One fourth of the brethren were assigned to
build the ferry boat.
The camp council
wrote to President William Huntington at Mount Pisgah to inform him about the
trading regulations with the Indians.
A son, Cyrus Rawson,
was born to Horace and Elizabeth Rawson.27
The
weather was hot and the mosquitoes were
very pesky at this spot. In the
morning, Brother Clayton weighed out food rations for his teamsters, but they
were very dissatisfied even though Brother Clayton gave the six of them the
same amount that he gave his own family of ten. Because of the mosquito problem, Brother Clayton decided to move
the camp. They traveled six miles and
camped near a clear stream.
After
Orson Pratt finished making a new axel‑tree for a wagon, his company
moved on and passed through the Indian village. He wrote: “Scores of
their men, women and children collected around us as we were crossing the two
forks of the Nishnabotna River.” They
continued on for two more miles and camped on the prairie. Orson Hyde came up and camped about a half
mile behind them.
A Sabbath
meeting was held at the Mount Pisgah Settlement. The speakers included:
William Huntington, Isaac Morley, and Charles C. Rich. There was much said about stealing in the
settlement and a sustaining vote was taken to deal with this evil practice.
In the
morning, men gathered at the temple with their fire arms because of an expected
attack on the temple. Sheriff Jacob
Backenstos was commander‑in‑chief of these deputies. Benjamin Clifford, a non‑Mormon
citizen, was appointed in charge of the cavalry. Brother Stephen Markham and William Pickett were appointed in
charge of the infantry.28 After the large group paraded for some time,
it marched in double file to the Mansion House where they all discharged their
guns in the air.
In the mean time, across
the river in Iowa, this loud shot was heard by several of the brethren. They thought that the mob had attacked the
City. Brother John Bair was determined
to cross the river to help the brethren, but no one would ferry him across.29
He bought a skiff and rowed over, fully armed. Charles W. Patten also came over.
From the Mansion
House, the large group marched back to the green. They formed a hollow square and listened to their leaders. Stephen Markham expressed his thanks for
this military appointment and for the faithfulness of the men who had come to
put down the mob rule. Benjamin
Clifford next spoke and thanked the men for their promptness in getting
organized. William Pickett said that
they had come up to be perfected and he hoped the mob would not disperse, so
that they could “prove them.” Three
cheers were offered for the leaders, the ladies, and for law and order.
Stephen Markham led
the troops into the temple and preached to them some more. While on the watch tower, Thomas Bullock
counted the group: 488 foot soldiers, 68 horsemen, 17 wagons with about 102
people in them and about 50 in the temple, making a total force of about 700
men.
During the morning,
the Nauvoo citizens’ committee had traveled to Golden Point to escort thirty
men to come to Nauvoo. But they found
the camp deserted, except for two or three men, who they found hiding behind a
thicket. At 2 p.m., the Nauvoo citizens’
committee returned and reported what they had discovered. Joseph Hovey wrote: “Some of our brethren who lived out on the
prairie said the members of the mob were running in all directions all night
and morning. Some of the mob came to
their houses for water and seemed to be very much frightened.” It was said, “The swiftest race ever run in
Hancock Co. was between Golden Point and Carthage by the mob.”
On the
ship Brooklyn, traveling toward Hawaii, a baby was born. Georgianna Pacific Robbins was born to John
and Phebe Robbins. The captain wished
that they name the baby Helen Brooklyn Pacific, Helen being the name of the
captain's wife. He didn't get his
wish. During the voyage, the Robbins'
had lost two of their sons to death.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 185‑86, 582; William Clayton’s Journal,
46; Watson, The Orson Pratt Journals, 354; Brooks, The Diary of Hosea
Stout, 1:167; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 69; Hartley, My Best for the
Kingdom, 210; Kimball, Historic Sites and Markers along the Mormon and
other Great Western Trails, 33; Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia
4:117‑18; Black, Membership of the Church 1830‑1848; “Joseph
Hovey Autobiography,” 36; Bennett, Mormons at the Missouri, 47; Ward, The
1846-1848 Life Writings of Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 66; Our Pioneer
Heritage, 4:194; Esshom, Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, 730
In the
morning, many of the brethren went out to gather all the cattle together. There had been a report that the Indians had
killed part of the herd, but only one turned up missing.
Brigham Young and
others went to meet with the Indian agent, Major Robert B. Mitchell at Pointe‑aux‑Poules
(Traders Point). This village was
inhabited by some French people and “half‑breeds.” They priced their goods 50 percent lower
than the price offered to the natives.
Several articles were purchased.
At 8 p.m., the camp
met together in a general meeting.
Brigham Young repeated the rules given the night before regarding
trading. He counseled the brethren to
hold their tongues and say nothing against the government. At that time, most of the brethren had
bitter feelings toward the government and felt they had been driven from the
United States. President Young wanted
them to “say nothing about the government or about our organization or church
rules; let them find these things out by their learning.”
He explained that the
main reason for the meeting was to discuss the policy of moving the camp back
to the bluffs, where they could obtain good spring water and would also be
further away from the Omaha Indians.30
It was decided that
George Miller's company would continue to work on the ferry. Bishop Miller would also start a fishery.
To the south, James
Emmett rejoined his company that John Butler and James Cummings had brought to
the Council Bluffs area. Emmett “was as
mad as he well could be, for he said that he had bought a squaw and he intended
to end his days at the Vermillion Fort.”
He was forbidden to take the squaw away from her tribe and was very
angry to find out that his company had been taken away from Vermillion. He finally decided to rejoin the group and
traded his squaw for a horse. On this
day, he rejoined his company and things were worked out. John Butler wrote to Brigham Young, “Br. James Emmett has returned and all is right,
as such we recommend him as being in full fellowship in the branch.”
Lorenzo Dow Young
started out to the south with his family for an excursion to take wheat to the
mills in Missouri. They traveled four
miles and camped for the night.
A son, Jacob Flynn
Hutchinson, was born to Jacob and Constantia Hutchinson.31
Also born was, Alvah Tippets, to Alvah and Caroline Tippets.32
Still
pushing toward Council Bluffs, William Clayton's camp was battling mosquitoes. One of the horses was missing. It had gone back to their camp of the
previous day. They finally broke camp
at 10 a.m. and traveled about twelve miles, and camped near Clark L.
Whitney, probably at Keg Creek.
Orson Pratt's camp overtook
George A. Smith's wagons, traveled 12‑15 miles, and spent their noon rest
at a branch of the Nishnabotna River.
There, they saw a rattlesnake under one of the wagons, but they let it
live. In the afternoon they traveled
four more miles and camped for the night.
Wilford
Woodruff's camp started early and overtook Brother Abraham O. Smoot's company
at 11 a.m. They next crossed over a
rough road and bridges for the rest of the day and finally arrived at Mount
Pisgah. Elder Woodruff met with
President Huntington and Charles C. Rich.
He also was pleased to see many other friends that he had not seen for
many months, but was sad to learn of the death of Noah Rogers. Samuel Turnbow, a member of Elder Woodruff's
company lost a child to death on this day.33 Also, Sister Sarah Ann Higbee, the wife of
John Higbee, died.
Lorenzo Snow's wife,
Harriet, went to fetch his sister, Eliza R. Snow. She said he was very sick and raving. Sister Snow went to their camp and found Lorenzo Snow dangerously
sick. The future prophet later wrote,
In my sickness I went
through in my mind the most singular scenes that any man ever did. My family generally believed that I was not
in my right mind. But the scenes thro'
wich my spirit travelled are yet fresh in my memory as tho' they occured but
yesterday. And when my people supposed
me in the greatest pain and danger, I am conscious of having a great many
spiritual exercises sometimes partaking of the most accute suffering that heart
can conceive and others the most rapterous enjoyment that heart ever felt or
immagination ever conceived.
At one point he was
left in the hands of an evil spirit and had a terrifying experience. But then he had the wonderful experience of being
introduced into heaven.
I heard a voice
calling me by name saying, 'he is worthy, take away his filthy garments . . .
let him be clothed, let him be clothed.' Immediately I found a celestial body
gradually growing upon me untill at length I found myself crowned with all its
glory and power. . . . I conversed with Joseph, Father Smith and others, and
mingled in the society of the Holy One.
I saw my family all saved and observed the dispensations of God with mankind
untill at last a perfect redemption was effected. . .
During this time,
President Huntington and Charles C. Rich came, clothed in their temple clothes,
administered to him, and said they would go and pray for him. He soon became calm and rested quietly. His devoted sister, Eliza sat beside him all
night. Lorenzo Snow later recorded in
his journal, “My friends and family had given up most all hopes of my
recovery. Father Huntington, the President
of the Place called on his Congregation to pray for me.”
Hosea Stout decided
to take his family with him from Mount Pisgah.
He discovered that Charles Rich was probably going to take their wagon
from them if he left them behind. He
just had not been able to get along with Brother Rich and felt that it was best
to take them with him, even if it took him all summer to reach Council Bluffs.
Louisa Pratt (wife of
Addison Pratt who was on a mission to the South Pacific) arrived with her
company to Mount Pisgah. She wrote a
very interesting description:
We have at last arrived
at Mount Pisgah. The tents are
scattered everywhere. Poor people here;
they are in the sun without houses. I
pity them. May the Lord reward them for
all their sacrifices. I have just
returned from a long walk, having made a survey of the place. On the bluffs is a beautiful grove of oak
trees. Beneath the towering branches we
can pitch our tents and be sheltered from the sun's scorching rays. Several little cabins begin to make their
appearance. The post office is
laughable, a little log pen, 10 x 8, covered with bark.
Mary Richards’
mother-in-law took the wagon cover off the wagon and used it to construct a
tent for the family to live in.
The non‑Mormon
new citizens met together and issued an anti‑violence circular. They also made assignments to visit the nine
surrounding counties and see how the other citizens felt about the recent
actions of the mob. The circular pleaded
with the mobs not to attack the fleeing Saints. If they didn't, the Saints would be able to leave faster.
Anson Call and his
family left Nauvoo, to start the trek across Iowa. Not only was it sad to leave Nauvoo, but they were in deep grief
because in the morning, he found his infant son dead in bed.
Several of the
brethren met in the temple for a prayer meeting. Stephen Markham related interesting experiences and descriptions
of the Camp of Israel. The frogs and
crickets were making a terrible noise in the evening along the banks of the
Mississippi.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 185, 582; Nibley, Exodus to Greatness,
183; Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:167; Watson, The Orson Pratt
Journals, 354; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 3:52‑3; William Clayton’s
Journal, 56‑7; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical
Quarterly, 14:142; Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow,
136, 279; Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 210; “Thomas Bullock
Journal,” 69‑70; Kimball, Heber C. Kimball: Mormon Patriarch and
Pioneer, 138; Black, Membership of the Church 1830‑1848; Historical
Atlas of Mormonism 74; Bennett, Mormons
at the Missouri, 47; “Iowa Journal of Lorenzo Snow,” BYU Studies,
24:3:268‑69; Louisa Pratt, auto in Heart Throbs 8:240; Whitney, History
of Utah, Vol. 4, p.14; Ward, The
1846-1848 Life Writings of Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 66
In the
morning, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Willard Richards went to Peter
Sarpy's trading store, which was down‑river a few miles. They returned at noon.
In the afternoon,
Brigham Young moved his camp back up to the bluff where Heber C. Kimball was
camping. This camp was located about
seven miles to the northeast, up Mosquito Creek at a spot they named,
“Redemption Hill.” The availability of
spring water, and the desire to escape the swarms of mosquitoes, contributed to
their decision to move the camp.
Ezra T. Benson
arrived from Mount Pisgah with the mail, twenty‑one letters. Included was a letter from Charles C. Rich
who reported that the public arms were in good condition and would soon be on
the way with Hosea Stout. Brother Stout
would have been surprised to hear of this letter because he felt that he was
not getting support from Brother Rich to fulfill this assignment.
Lorenzo
Dow Young traveled twenty miles, heading for the Missouri mills. He wrote that they traveled “through the most
unhealthy bottoms and slues in abundance and musquetoes O forever.”
William
Clayton's company traveled about twelve miles and came in sight of the Missouri
River. He soon learned that the main
camp was coming back to the bluffs, so he decided to camp for the night near a
spring until it was learned where the main camp would be located. Orson Pratt's company traveled about 12‑15
miles and camped a few miles behind Brother Clayton's camp.
Eliza M.
Partridge Lyman, wife of Amasa Lyman, wrote a letter to her mother and sisters
who were at Mount Pisgah. Amasa Lyman
left Mount Pisgah, with his family, five days before this day.
We are all well and
enjoy ourselves quite well. We have
beautiful weather, good roads, so there is not much to hinder us from going
ahead, taking us farther from you every day.
Our cattle strayed off Monday night, and hindered us till noon
yesterday. We had an abundance of strawberries
Sunday noon where we stopped. There was
a six quart pail full came to us before we stopped, which, with what the girls
picked, made us a fine meal. Yesterday
there was a young Indian came to see us. . . . I do want to see you very much,
but must not think of that. Do write
every chance you have . . .
Wilford
Woodruff attended the burial of the child of Brother Samuel Turnbow. He also went to give Lorenzo Snow a
blessing.
Thomas
Bullock had trouble sleeping during the night because of the bugs and
mosquitoes. A man came and offered him
$150 for his lot. He refused the
offer. At sundown he went to the temple
to meet for the regular prayer meeting.
Stephen Markham told them much more about the Camp of Israel which
Thomas Bullock said, “made us rejoice.”
Brother Markham requested to preach to the people, to put down some of
the false reports that were circulating about the camp.
Members of
the Nauvoo new‑citizens’ committee met with the citizens of Quincy to
discuss the affairs of Nauvoo. The
Quincy citizens tried to get Mr. Geddes, a member of the mob, to attend, but he
could not. The Quincy citizens decided
to stop the meeting because they feared that the mob interests were not fairly
represented.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 186, 582; Kimball, in The Exodus and Beyond,
20; Bennett, Mormons at the Missouri,
47; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:142; Wilford
Woodruff’s Journal, 3:53; William Clayton’s Journal, 47; Watson, The
Orson Pratt Journals, 355; Nibley, Exodus to Greatness, 183‑84;
Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 137; “Thomas Bullock
Journal,” BYU Studies 31:70; Claire Noall, Intimate Disciple, A
portrait of Willard Richards, 499‑500
In the
morning, George Miller came up to the new camp and informed Brigham Young that
the brethren were invited to dine in the village, at noon, with the Indian
trader, Robert B. Mitchell. Brothers
John Kay and Edward Duzette were quickly sent to William Clayton's camp, asking
him to come with the band to the dinner.
Brother Clayton brought his wagons to the main camp and was pleased to
again see Heber C. Kimball. Members of
the Twelve, other leaders, and the band, took carriages down to the village at
Trader’s Point. They arrived at Mr. Mitchell's
home and were introduced to him one by one.
They were too late for dinner, but the band played and Brother Kay
sang. After a very pleasant visit, they
left the village at 5:00 and returned to camp about dusk.
Brother Clayton
described the Trader's Point:
This village is
situated but a little distance from the river, probably fifty rods [800
feet]. It is composed of twelve or
fifteen blocks, houses without glass in the windows, and is the noted place
where the Lamanites for years held their council. The inhabitants are composed of Lamanites, half breeds and a few
white folk.
While they were away,
Elder Orson Hyde arrived into camp with his company of about fifty wagons. He had made the entire trip across Iowa in a
little more than one month. Orson Pratt
also arrived.
Lorenzo
Dow Young continued south for sixteen miles and camped for the night. Some of their oxen had very sore feet. Sister Young had become very sick soon after
they stopped.
Wilford
Woodruff rode thirty miles to buy a ton of flour for his company. Lorenzo Snow was still very sick. Phineas Richards assisted other brethren
took him from his bed, placed him in a carriage, and drove him to a stream of
water. There, they baptized him in the
name of the Lord for his recovery. His
fever immediately abated.
Hosea Stout finally
left Mount Pisgah with the public guns.
He had three wagons, but no one to help him drive them. He would have to drive one and come back to
drive another. Finally some brethren
offered to help. He only had three days
of provisions with him. It certainly
looked bleak as he was trying to fulfill the assignment that President Young
gave him to bring the guns forward. It
indeed was frustrating and disappointing that the leadership at Mount Pisgah
didn't help him, but they certainly had many other difficulties to deal with.
Tensions
in Nauvoo had eased. The new citizens
started to put their goods back in their stores. The weather was still very warm.
Norton Jacob crossed the Mississippi with his family to start their
journey to the west. In the evening,
his father's horse strayed and this would end up delaying them for several days
until it was found.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 187; William Clayton’s Journal, 57;
Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:167‑68; Nibley, Exodus to
Greatness, 185; Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow,
137; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:142; Wilford
Woodruff’s Journal, 3:53; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 70; “Norton Jacob
Autobiography,” 32; Snow, Lorenzo Snow, 89
At 10
a.m., members of the Twelve met at the post office and received a report from
Orson Hyde regarding the state of affairs at Nauvoo. Elder Hyde reported that he had counseled the Saints to push on
as far as they could go into Iowa and then to stop and go to work. He had told them not to wander off the main
trail. He counseled them to pray for
help and to work together to move west.
He reported that Almon W. Babbitt, one of the Nauvoo Trustees, was very
anxious to have Elder Hyde use his influence to have the Saints stay in Nauvoo
for his protection against the mob until he could finish the Church's
business. Elder Hyde mentioned that an
angel appeared to him in a vision and made it clear that the people could not
stay there. Others, even nonmembers,
tried to persuade Elder Hyde to keep a large number of Saints in Nauvoo for
another season. Elder Hyde refused and
pledged to use all his influence to urge the Saints to follow their leaders
west as quickly as possible.
At noon, the Council
rode to the creek with Pieme La Clair, the great chief of the
Pottawatomies. He was part French and
spoke good English. He gave them
permission to use the timber on the Indian lands for fuel or other purposes
while they camped there. After parting
with him, the brethren went north about a half mile and picked strawberries.
The Council was soon
called to go to Orson Pratt's to hear a message from the American Fur
Company. The company had offered George
Miller $1,000 plus fifteen or twenty barrels of pork and bread, to send wagons
up the Platte River, 120 miles into present-day Nebraska, to haul back 90,000
pounds of furs. The brethren would
approve of this contract and assigned Bishop Miller to task. John L. Butler and members of the Emmett
company were also assigned to go.34
Between 5 p.m. and 7
p.m., several of the Twelve chatted on the prairie. George A. Smith and his father, John Smith, arrived into camp
with a company of about one hundred wagons.
William Clayton spent the day fixing a wagon and in the evening went
fishing.
On his
trading expedition, Lorenzo Dow Young traveled four more miles into
Missouri. His wife was still very
sick. When he was able to leave her, he
went to look for corn and wheat for which to trade. They reached Lindon, Missouri.
He wrote: “My wife had a most
wreched night. It was as much as I
could do to keep the breath of life in her, but about daylight she got
easier.”
Wilford
Woodruff was not feeling well, but still was able to get out and work. He had trouble keeping his cattle
together. He went to see Lorenzo Snow
and found him still very sick. After
administering to him again, he seemed better.
Eliza R. Snow's group finished planting their garden plot. Louisa Pratt had her camp moved onto a
ridge. She wrote: “My tent is pitched under the shade of three
oak trees. The children are delighted. A pleasant family by the name of Hallet are
very near. The man has gone with the
pioneers and the woman is sick.” Mary
Richards whet with a group of sisters to visit the Mount Pisgah cemetery,
consisting of five graves.
Thomas
Bullock obtained a yoke and a pair of bows for his oxen. He mended a net and then went fishing until
midnight at Laws Mill.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 187‑89; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah
Historical Quarterly, 14:142; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal ,3:53;
Watson, The Orson Pratt Journals, 355; William Clayton’s Journal,
48; Hartley, My Best for the Kingdom, 210; Beecher, The Personal
Writings of Eliza R. Snow, 137; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 70; Bennett, Mormons
at the Missouri, 50; Louisa Pratt, auto in Heart Throbs 8:240; Ward,
The 1846-1848 Life Writings of Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 66
It was a
very warm and pleasant day. At 9 a.m.,
Indian traders, Peter Sarpy and Mr. Gyren arrived into the camp and went to the
post office looking for Brigham Young and other of the leaders. They had a long conversation about roads,
country, and climate to the Rocky Mountains.
They especially talked about the Great Bear River Valley, discussing the
Indians, the feasibility of sending out an advanced party to the mountains, and
where this party could camp for the winter.
In the afternoon,
about 1 p.m., Brigham Young went to pick strawberries until 5 p.m. William Clayton continued to fix wagons and
prepared to send off some things to trade.
In the evening he went fishing.
The Council wrote a
letter to President William Huntington at Mount Pisgah, instructing him to send the public tents and to raise one
hundred men to serve in the guard.
Thomas Williams started east with seven letters.
Lorenzo
Dow Young kept his camp at Lindon Missouri.
He traveled to Rock Creek to take thirty-five pounds of wheat to the
mill.
A boy
named Peter Manning volunteered to help Hosea Stout drive his teams. This was a very welcome blessing to Brother
Stout and he greatly appreciated it.
They moved on about eight or nine miles to a creek.
On this
warm day, Thomas Bullock continued to make preparations to leave the city. Since this was washing day, he also helped
his wife carry water and lay out clothes to dry all morning. In the afternoon he went to the Mississippi
River to bathe. He spent the evening in
the Temple in a prayer meeting. A sick
man came to be anointed which was done.
Colonel
Stephen W. Kearny of the United States army, and commander of the “Army of the
West,” wrote a letter to Captain James Allen of the United States army. The letter included instructions for Captain
Allen to form what would become known as the Mormon Battalion.
It is understood that
there is a large body of Mormons who are desirous of emigrating to California,
for the purpose of settling in that country, and I have therefore to direct
that you will proceed to their camps and endeavor to raise from amongst them
four or five companies of volunteers, to join me in my expedition to that
country, each company to consist of any number between 73 and 109. . . . The
companies, upon being thus organized, will be mustered by you into the service
of the United States, and from that day will commence to receive the pay,
rations and other allowances given to the other infantry volunteers, each
according to his rank. . . . The companies, after being organized, will be
marched to this post, where they will be armed and prepared for the field, after
which they will, under your command, follow on my trail in the direction of
Santa Fe, and where you will receive further orders from me. . . . You will
have the Mormons distinctly to understand that I wish to have them as
volunteers for twelve months; that they will be marched to California,
receiving pay and allowances during the above time, and at its expiration they
will be discharged, and allowed to retain, as their private property, the guns
and accoutrements furnished to them at this post.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 189, 586; Bennett, Mormons at the Missouri,
49; William Clayton’s Journal, 48; Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout,
168; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:142;
“Thomas Bullock Journal,” 70‑1; Willard Richards’ Journal.
In the
morning, members of the twelve with their families, the band, and others, went
to Traders Point. At noon, they arrived
at U.S. Indian Agent Major Robert Mitchell's house. Many Indians and others were gathered included Halfday and Hoby
who were chiefs. After a few tunes from
the band, the group dined with Major Mitchell at six tables. Afterwards the band continued to play. There was dancing and Brother John Kay
sang. The social concluded at 6
p.m. The Indians and others collected
$10.10 for the band. Everyone who
attended seemed to have a great time and showed warm feelings toward the Church
leaders. President Young did some
trading at a store and then the company started their journey back to camp. On
the way, one of Heber C. Kimball's carriages broke. They finally rolled into camp at about 8:30 p.m.
Helen Mar Whitney
wrote of this festive occasion:
It was a delightful
affair, especially to the young people. . . . This was the first time that our
chests had been disturbed or opened since packing them in Nauvoo, being the first
time that we had needed anything but common apparel, and it was really
delightful to once more see the inside of our chests and to bring out the
pretty bonnets, laces, ribbons, parasols and kid gloves, etc., that had been
packed away; and to think that we were again to attend a ball. And I rather think we astonished the good
folks at the Point to see so many well dressed and merry hearted boys and
girls, and gentle people, who were exiles from civilization.
A fence around the
camp of the first and second ten of Brigham Young's company was completed. Many more teams arrived into camp. President Young's best mule died. A report was received at the camp from a
lady from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. She
reported a rumor that former governor Lilburn Boggs of Missouri, had started
with a company of emigrants for Oregon.
But when he heard that 4,000 Mormons were on their way west, he began to
fear for his life and returned home to Independence, Missouri.35
Hosea
Stout's family was totally out of meal and was getting very hungry. He went ahead to try to obtain some meal
from another company, but could not get any.
He wrote:
so my wife went to preparing
our dinner which might be properly called our 'ultimatum.' It consisted of a
small portion of seed beans & a little bacon boiled and made into
soup. We had flour enough to set it out
& in fact we this last time as it seemed had a more luxurious &
sumptious table than usual which made to a stranger an appearance of plenty.
Just as they were
about to eat, Henry G. Sherwood and James W. Cummings rode up on their way to
Nauvoo. Even though this was the last
of the food, Brother Stout did not turn them away. He invited them to join the family for dinner. They had an enjoyable time listening to
Brother Cummings tell of his mission to retrieve the Emmett company. After dinner, the Stout family moved on and
traveled about eight miles. They spent
the night on the open prairie.
Wilford
Woodruff had purchased a large load of flour and needed to repack his wagon
loads. He was having some trouble with
his stepmother. Her attitude had
changed greatly, ever since she had arrived at Nauvoo, and had been influenced
by Elder Woodruff's sister and husband, who had become followers of James
Strang. Mother Woodruff came with Elder
Woodruff's company to Mount Pisgah, but “she has manifested much of a spirit of
fault finding & watching for iniquity.”
She presented him a book of thirty pages of complaints against several
people. Elder Woodruff considered it “a
tempest in a tea pot or a bubble not worthy of notice.”
Eliza R. Snow received
a letter from Brother Markham's company (her former company) telling her that
they were at Council Bluffs.
Thomas
Bullock went down to take a walk along the river and watched a wagon start
across it on a ferry. He also stopped
to see a circus that was held near the building which used to be Joseph Smith's
red brick store.
A daughter, Martha
Ann Hale, was born to James and Lucy Hale.36
The ship, Brooklyn,
put into port for the second time of the voyage, landing at Honolulu, Sandwich
Island (Hawaii). As they came into the
harbor, they noticed a number of American warships in the harbor including the Congress,
with Commodore Robert F. Stockton in charge.
There were also a number of whale ships in the port. They soon learned from Commodore Stockton
that the United States was at war with Mexico and would likely seize
California. The Congress was
about to set sail for Monterey, California.
Stockton expressed
the possibility that they might have to help with the fight against Mexico when
they arrived. At his suggestion, Samuel
Brannan purchased and brought on board a hundred and fifty outdated military
arms for three to four dollars a piece.
He also brought on board some blue denim to be made into uniforms. Commodore Stockton advised Brannan to sail
to Yerba Buena Bay to help secure that area in the name of the United
States. This thought brought fear into
the hearts of some of the Saints. A few
wanted to stay in Honolulu while others suggested that they return to their
homes in the East. Samuel Brannan was
determined and reminded them that they were to meet Brigham Young in the west.
While at Honolulu,
the Brooklyn took on fresh vegetables, meat, fruits, and casks of fresh
water. The Saints welcomed the
opportunity to leave the ship and to visit some of the natives. Hundreds of friendly natives waited to see
the Saints land. The Americans on the
island were also glad to see the Saints and invited them to come and see them.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 189, 586; Bennett, Mormons at the Missouri,
49; William Clayton’s Journal, 48; Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout,
168; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:142;
“Thomas Bullock Journal,” 70‑1; Willard Richards’ Journal; Bailey,
Sam Brannan and the California Mormons, 38‑9; Emmaline Lane
letter, Our Pioneer Heritage 3:514; Caroline A. Joyce, Our Pioneer
Heritage 3:506.
A morning
Sabbath meeting was held in a small grove, near a stream that runs west,
emptying into Mosquito Creek. Elder
Orson Hyde addressed the large assembly followed by Elder Amasa M. Lyman.
Letters and papers
were received from Nauvoo including the letter written by John M. Bernhisel. (See
June 10, 1846.)
At 5:30 p.m., a camp
council was held. Many assignments were
made for building boats, and to serve as carpenters, choppers, spadesmen, and
teamsters to haul materials for constructing the ferry. Each company was assigned to burn a coal
pit. President Young emphasized rules
such as not riding another man's horse without permission and not sleeping
while on guard duty. All dogs must be
chained during the night.
President Young also
spoke of the journey that was accomplished coming across Iowa. They had been led by the hand of the
Lord. He reported that Amos Fielding
had returned to Nauvoo on his way back to England. On three of the many days of his long journey from Mount Pisgah
to Nauvoo, Brother Amos Fielding had counted 902 wagons. President Young asked for a sustaining vote
of the brethren to do as he asked them to.
Most of the hands went up.
President Young
mentioned that the Pottawatomie Indians had killed an ox in retaliation for a
piece of bogus money being palmed off on them.
He felt they were justified in their actions.
Many others arrived
into camp including Levi Richards. The
Twelve met together until 9 p.m.
Lorenzo Dow
Young had taken some wheat to nearby mills.
He also went and traded his overcoat for a yoke of steers. A Mr. Meeks who lived in the area, had been
treating the Young family very well. In
the afternoon the Youngs had dinner with the Meeks family. They had a feast of bacon, lettuce, short
cake, butter, and “baked pudding custard stirred cake.” Their host told them that about three weeks
earlier, a little boy, about ten days old, was abandoned by strangers in one of
their out houses with very little clothes.
He suffered much from the cold and the dogs had bit him. They were nursing him with great tenderness
and believed he would survive.
Hosea
Stout met Thomas Williams on his way to Mount Pisgah with a message. (See June 19,
1846.) Brigham Young wanted to raise
a company of men to send over the mountains.
He needed more than one hundred men to serve as guards to protect the
company from the Indians. The goal was
to go in time to put in the winter wheat.
He also wanted men to serve as buffalo hunters. After Brother Williams left, Hosea Stout's
company traveled until about noon when they reached a beautiful grove. They stopped to wash and decided to camp
there for the day. Soon, they were
joined by Orson Spencer and a very large company.
Wilford
Woodruff preached to a large congregation.
The Spirit was strong. He
started by saying that he rejoiced to see this day, for it was a day that he
had long desired to see when he could meet with his brethren away from what is
called the Christian World. He said
that he had never seen a time when he felt better. He warned that those who rushed on ahead were “overflowing the
Twelve” and “hedging up their way,” and stated that no one should go on without
the necessary means. He said, “What
would it matter if the few got there to find a location and raise the Standard,
that you may all gather.” President
Huntington, Charles C. Rich, Ezra T. Benson, and Henry Sherwood also
spoke. A collection was taken to help
Elder Woodruff continue his trip to the west.
After the meeting, Thomas Williams arrived with the message from Brigham
Young.
It was a
cool day. The Saints met in the temple
for a meeting. President Joseph Young
preached on the necessity of the rich to help the poor emigrate to the
mountains. Erastus Snow spoke and
called the Saints to follow the counsel of Joseph Young.
Jesse C.
Little and Thomas L. Kane arrived at St. Louis and stayed at the Planters
House.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 190‑92, 221; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal,
3:53‑4; Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 169; “Diary of Lorenzo
Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:142; “Thomas Bullock Journal,”
71; Mount Pisgah Journal, June 21, 1846; Ward, The 1846-1848 Life
Writings of Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 66‑7
The day
was windy and cold. A letter was
written to President William Huntington in Mt.
Pisgah, asking him to send on the public tents. A letter was also written to Elder Wilford
Woodruff, asking him to come ahead to Council Bluffs.
Brigham Young rode in
his carriage to Mr. Wicks’ at the Indian Sawmill. He purchased some boards and returned home about sunset. Orson Pratt spent most of the day making
preparations to send wagons and teams sixty to eighty miles down the river, to
the Missouri settlements to obtain cows and provisions for the western
expedition.
In the evening,
President Young wrote a letter to John M. Bernhisel, back in Nauvoo, in reply
to his letter. (See June 10, 1846.) Included in the letter was news of the camp.
The health of the Camp
in general is good, much better than when in the city [of Nauvoo], and there
are several births to one death.
Sometimes two or three births in a day.
There are probably five hundred or more wagons at this encampment, and
as many more, are expected in a few days.
Nine of the Twelve are at this place, the tenth [Wilford Woodruff] is
daily expected.37
We are building a
large ferry boat which will be ready for use, we expect, in two or three days,
which will save all expense of crossing except labor, and the boat will be left
for the benefit of the brethren who shall come after. . . . The Indians and citizens
up to this point are very kind and the Saints can emigrate in small or large
bodies this far, but when they pass the Missouri River, they will be among
uncivilized beings and must move only in large compact and well‑guarded
bodies. . . . The Missouri river has been rising a day or two though there has
been no rain here for some weeks.
He also gave Brother
Bernhisel counsel regarding selling the Nauvoo House and Emma Smith's claim to
the lot.
William Clayton
received word that his wife, Diantha, was twenty miles east of Mount
Pisgah. He decided that he would go
back to help bring her to Council Bluffs.
A son, James Reeves,
was born to Celia Reeves.38
Lorenzo
Dow Young, on a trading expedition, obtained his flour from the mill and
intended to start the journey north, back to Council Bluffs. Tragedy struck.
Charles, in attempting
to help yoke the steers got badly hurt; the steer jumped and struck the end of
the yoke against the side of his head just above his temple; knocked him down
and cut it to the bone. I caught hold
of him, for truly he was in a sad predicament under the steer, and he
aflouncing at a great rate. We
succeeded in getting them yoked.
Remained on the bank of the Creek that night.
Hosea
Stout traveled about twenty miles, crossed the Little Platte River, and camped
on the prairie near a little stream.
Elder
Wilford Woodruff worked hard most of the day doing blacksmithing. In the evening he met with the settlement to
raise the one hundred volunteers of mounted men. “I addressed them (filled with the spirit of God) on the
importance of complying with the request made & of assisting the Twelve
& those associated with them to go to the Mountains & lift up the
standard of Zion. I then called for
volunteers & about 60 followed me out in line.”
Ambrose Shaw and
Pamelia Dunn were married.39
Thomas
Bullock went to his in‑laws, the Claytons (William Clayton's parents) and
found out that they were being evicted from their house because the new owner
had come. Brother Bullock hunted for a house
for them to stay in. He found an
abandoned house owned by Osman M. Duel and took Sister Clayton to check it
out. She was satisfied, so plans were
made to move the family into this house.
Elder
Jesse C. Little and Thomas L. Kane parted company. Kane went toward Fort Leavenworth and Elder Little proceeded
toward Nauvoo. Thomas L. Kane was
delivering a dispatch to Colonel Stephen W. Kearny that included news of his promotion to brevet
brigadier general and an order to raise volunteers among the Mormons.
On his
mission to the Islands in the South Pacific, Addison Pratt stopped at a place
called Tekahora. He had not visited
this place before, but one of his companions had. There were a number of church members there who belonged to the
Otia branch. He wrote in his journal,
They expressed their joy
at seeing me by bringing me a large supply of coconuts, 2 live hens, and a
roasting pig. As is agreeable to
custom, I had the hog cut up and a portion of it divided among the friends. After supper the roasted pieces were bound
up in leaves as is the way they cook, put into a basket and hung up in the
house. In the night there came in a
thief and stole [the] basket and all its contents.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 192‑94, 221; William Clayton’s Journal,
48; Brooks, The Diary of Hosea Stout, 169; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal,
3:54; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:143;
Watson, The Orson Pratt Journals, 357; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 71;
Black, Membership of the Church 1830‑1848
In the
morning, Orson Pratt sent three men with 2 wagons, 3 yoke of oxen, 3 horses, a
15‑shooter, and $90 for a trading expedition to the Missouri
settlements. The rain began to fall in
the morning.
William Clayton
started to get ready for his trip to meet his wife Diantha, but his eighteen‑month‑old
daughter, Vilate Ruth, was very sick so he decided to wait another day. He took his teams and went to Trader's Point
to pick gooseberries, but could not because the rain would not stop. He took his gold watch to trade with Major
Robert Mitchell, who offered him three yoke for it. Brother Clayton returned to camp and asked Brigham Young what he
thought about the trade offer.
President Young counseled him to sell the watch. Brother Clayton received two letters from
his wife, Diantha, which made him even more determined to start off to meet
her.
In the afternoon, a
strong storm blew in. Two of Brigham
Young's tents were blown down. Members
of the Twelve spent the time in the post office reading newspapers, that had been
sent from Nauvoo. At 5 p.m., John Y.
Green arrived from Mount Pisgah with a load of mail from Nauvoo, forty‑six
letters.40 President Young traveled to John Taylor's camp which was across
Mosquito Creek. The night was very
stormy with strong winds.
Brigham Young wrote a
letter to one of his wives, Harriet, who was back in Nauvoo. Harriet had been thinking of going east,
probably to be with her family who opposed the Church. He wrote to her,
Now I pray you harken
to my councel and come to the west. If
you have no way to come with the Brethren where I have made provision, write to
me the first opportunity and I will send a team after you or come my self. . .
. I cannot bare the thought of your going East. You will not enjoy your self if you go. Come here. Your friends
are here. We enjoy ourselves first
rate. I long to see you safe to camp
with your babe.41
Lorenzo
Dow Young yoked up his cattle and turned them out into the fields to feed. They slipped out of his sight and went into
some timber during the rain. He tried
to find them until he was totally soaked and gave up. Toward evening, he went out again and found them, but one of his
steers was dead. It had sat down and
the other decided to get up and choked the old steer to death.
On this
day, a member of the Missouri Militia in Independence Missouri, wrote a letter
to G.A. Parsons, an Adjutant General.
He wrote about a body of 1,000 armed Mormons who were at Council
Bluffs. “They pretend to have stopped
to raise a crop to enable them to move their families to Oregon, or California
next year. If so, let us inquire why
they are armed to the teeth, and supported by batteries of heavy ordnance. I would suggest that this matter be
investigated.”
Hosea
Stout pressed on and passed Henry W. Miller's company, who were camping for
several days while men were at the settlements trading for provisions.42
At this point they saw Indians for the first time since leaving Nauvoo.
Wilford
Woodruff worked on his wagons and met with the Saints. It was reported at the meeting that former
Missouri governor, Lilburn Boggs was ahead to the west with troops.43
Elder Woodruff wrote a letter to President Young, reporting on his
success in raising a company of mounted men to serve as pioneers and guards.
The storm also
affected those at Mount Pisgah. Louisa
Pratt wrote: “It seems as though the
very heavens would come down to earth.
The tent is pinned down or it would be carried away. The elements are in great commotion.”
In the morning, Mary
Richards received an invitation to attend the wedding of William Coray and
Melissa Burton at 4 p.m. They were
married at 4:45 by Charles C. Rich. A
nice wedding supper was held with singing and good company.44
It was a
hot day in Nauvoo, without the rain that was falling far to the west. Thomas Bullock and his wife, Lucy (Clayton) Bullock,
went to help Father and Mother Clayton move into their new house.
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 194; Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 3:54;
Watson, The Orson Pratt Journals, 357; “Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah
Historical Quarterly, 14:143; The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1:169; William
Clayton’s Journal, 48‑9; Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza
Roxcy Snow, 137, 281; “Thomas Bullock Journal,” 71; Brigham Young's Family:
The Wilderness Years, BYU Studies; Louisa Pratt, autobiography in Heart
Throbs 8:240; Golder, The March of the Mormon Battalion, 94‑5;
Ward, The 1846-1848 Life Writings of Mary Haskin Parker Richards, 67
The rain continued to
fall on and off, making it another wet and cool day. William Clayton visited with Brigham Young, asking permission to
travel west to help his wife Diantha come to Council Bluffs. President Young offered to load the cattle
Brother Clayton would need and Heber C. Kimball said, “Go and prosper.” At 11 a.m., the council met and discussed
retrieving the cannon from Mount Pisgah.
William Clayton left
the camp at 2 p.m. As he headed east,
he passed several companies making their way west. He asked them about his wife, Diantha, but could not learn
anything new. He also met Ezra Bickford
who had been sent the day before from Council Bluffs to take mail to Nauvoo. Brother Bickford complained that he was
already tired from riding on horseback and asked if he could ride in the wagon
with Brother Clayton. Brother Clayton
consented and they went on two more miles and stopped in the middle of a
prairie without water.
Lorenzo Dow Young
started his long journey back to Council Bluffs after a successful trading
expedition to the Missouri settlements.
He loaded up his flour and meal and started about noon. They came to Lindon, Missouri, took supper
at Mr. Wolf's, and went on to a Mr. Beal's house for the night.
Jesse C.
Little arrived at Nauvoo and called upon President Joseph Young and Bishop
Edward Hunter. They were delighted to
see him again. It started to rain in
the city. Thomas Bullock met with the
Nauvoo Trustees to discuss further arrangements for assisting him to make the trek
to the west. They informed him that he
must give the wagon and oxen back to the Church. Brother Bullock protested, that he was under the understanding
that they should be delivered to Elder Willard Richards. To this they replied that Elder Richards'
account was overdrawn. They also
mentioned that William Clayton's account was overdrawn and thus his parents
could not be assisted for several weeks.
They encouraged Brother Bullock to try to sell his house, but did let
him take some goods.
A son, Joseph
Charlesworth, was born to Thomas and Alice Charlesworth.45
Also born was John Heber Harrison to Richard and Mary Harrison.46
Watson, Manuscript
History of Brigham Young, 195; William Clayton’s Journal, 49; “Diary
of Lorenzo Dow Young,” Utah Historical Quarterly, 14:143; “Thomas
Bullock Journal,”
The
weather was gloomy with fog and rain until the afternoon when it started to
clear up. Brigham Young rode to
Trader's Point with Charles Bird. Peter
Sarpy told him the alarming news that Indian agent, Major Robert Mitchell, had
written to the commander of the troops at Fort Kearney, that the Mormons were
“conniving with the Indians, committing deprivations” at Pottawatomie town, and
that he wanted troops to come keep the peace to prevent an Indian rebellion.
Brigham Young
returned to camp in the evening traveling over very muddy roads. He spent the evening talking in the post
office, reflecting back two years earlier when Joseph and Hyrum were martyred
at Carthage.
The
Lorenzo Young family continued their journey north, back to Council
Bluffs. They traveled eight miles and
then stopped at a house at 2 in the afternoon because Sister Young was very
sick. Lorenzo wrote,
The people were very
kind indeed to us, and did everything they could. She continued to grow worse every minute, and about 8 o'clock she
became senseless and speechless, and to all appearance in the agonies of
death. I prayed for her and laid hands
on her and administered such medicine as I thought beneficial, and towards
morning she got better, but remained very weak.
William Clayton, traveling east, mad