From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers, VI

From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers. The Original Diary of Erastus Snow. EDITED BY HIS SON, MORONI SNOW. IV. As set forth in the last number of the Era, the pioneers were left in and about Council Bluffs, building cabins, cutting hay. and otherwise preparing for winter. Continuing his journal, Elder Snow records: The Twelve, with the main body of the Saints, were about three miles west of the Missouri, upon the Omaha lands, at a place which they called Cutler's Park where they were making similar preparations for winter. A small company, consisting of little more than one hundred wagons, had passed beyond the western bank of the river, and after reaching the old Pawnee Missionary station about one hundred and thirty miles west of the Missouri river, turned to the north about one hundred and fifty miles and struck the Missouri river again at the mouth of the Running VVater, on the Ponca lands, from which tribe they obtained leave to winter there. We crossed the river and reached the main camp at Cutler's Park, September 1, 1846. Nearly seven months had elapsed 3ince our first move from Nauvoo, and we were but little more than three hundred miles upon our journey. Among the immediate causes that may be assigned for this slow progress, I wouid name the fact that the roads and bridges were made new as we advanced, and the almost unparalleled rains which swelled the streams and otherwise rend-

632 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ered the roads impassable for weeks at a time, and the consequent exposure of men, women and children. The contamination of the atmosphere, by the overflowing of the waters, spread disease and death throughout all our camp and greatly weakened our hands, as if the Lord, to render our sacrifice more complete, and to demonstrate more perfectly before angels and men our integrity and perseverance, had, as in days of old, given the prince of the power of the air special leave to open his floodgates upon us, as if he would swallow us up. Another reason was the sending of an officer to meet the camp east of the Missouri to demand of us five hundred volunteers to serve the Government in the Mexican war. * * * The Saints were not afraid, and trusted in the living God and listened to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The five hundred men were enlisted and on their march toward Mexico before I arrived at the Bluffs. Thus crippled, we were unable to prosecute the journey farther this season. All commenced preparations for wintering on the Missouri. After laboring about one month cutting hay for the stock, the main camp moved about three miles on to the Missouri bottoms,where they erected, in the short space of about three months, nearly six hundred houses for winter, and called the place Winter Quarters. Myself and several membere of my family were taken sick about the time of our arrival at Cutler's Park. My youngest child, Charles Henry, died on the 9th of September, (1846) and was buried at Cutler's Park. I did not recover my health until December. During the months of December and January, I performed several trips to St. Joseph and other parts of Missouri, to get provisions for my own family and others. In January, (1847) a revelation was given through President Brigham Young, showing the will of the Lord concerning the organization of the Saints for the further prosecution of our journey. Elders Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, Amasa Lyman, George A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson and Erastus Snow were designated in the revelation to organize the people into companies and appoint captains of tens, fifties and hundreds, with a president and two counselors over the company, and to teach the people the will of the Lord concerning them. Consequently, Orson Pratt and Wilford Woodruff went to Mount Pisgah and Garden Grove;

FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE. 633 George A. Smith and Amasa Lyman to the camps east of the Missouri river; and Ezra T. Benson and myself were sent to the Running Water to organize the Saints at Ponca and teach them their duty. We started February 1, 1847. The weather was intensely cold,, and considerable snow. We were accompanied by Brothers 0. P. Rockwell and Sam Gulley. We had light wagons and horses and carried our provisions and horse feed with us. We bore northwest on to the Elk Horn river, and followed up the same several days, and then turned north again and struck the Missouri a few miles below the mouth of the Running Water. The Saints there were much rejoiced to see us, and to receive the word of the Lord concerning them, and to hear from their brethren at Winter Quarters. We found it to be about one hundred and seventy miles. Having instructed them and organized them, we returned home to commence preparations for starting early in the spring with a company of pioneers, which the revelation directed to be sent in advance to make roads, search out the place where the Lord should locate a stake of Zion, and prepare for putting in crops, etc. April 6, 1847, I met with the apostles, elders and Saints in a special conference in Winter Quarters, to celebrate the anniversary of the organization of the Church. Spent a few hours in the exchange of feeling and in exhortation, and in transacting some important business, and adjourned by advice of President Brigham Young, as the most part of the pioneer company were about ready and anxious to be on their journey westward. Wednesday, April 7, President Young's team and those belonging to his family, with many other of the pioneers, started and moved out seven miles from camp. I loaded my wagon and prepared for starting. On the 8th, I called my family together and dedicated them unto the Lord, and commanded them to serve the Lord with all their hearts, to cultivate peace and love, and hearken to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit, and pray much; and inasmuch as they would do this, they should have power over disease and we should all meet again in the due time of the Lord. I then laid my hands upon my children and blessed them, beginning

634 IMPROVEMENT ERA. with the youngest, Mahonri, my infant son three months old; next, Mary Minerva, infant daughter, six months old; next James, five years old; and lastly, Sarah Lucinia, oldest daughter, six years and three months old, blessing each according to the fulness of my heart and the power of the Holy Ghost. I then administered to my wife Artimesia, blessing her and rebuking her weakness, and giving her a charge to her family; also blessed Minerva, giving her a similiar charge. My temporal business I committed to the care of Brother Caleb Edwards. All things being now ready, I started about three o'clock p. m., taking with me James Craig, an Irishman by birth who had spent many years of his life in Canada, where also he embraced the fulness of the gospel. We joined the main camp that evening, seven miles out, and in time for me to return on horseback, with twelve others to meet in council Elder Parley P. Pratt, who had just arrived from England. He informed the council that Elder John Taylor was on his way up the river with about five hundred dollars worth of astronomical and other instruments, very useful to the pioneers on their journey. The council voted that the pioneers move on and cross the Elk Horn river, and the council then return and meet Elder Taylor next Tuesday in a council, and receive from him the instruments, and that he should follow in due time. Accordingly, today, Friday the 9th, we all returned to camp, and the company started and went up the divide near the Missouri waters a few miles, and bore off to the west and camped in the open prairie about ten miles from our first encampment. 10th. Having no fuel with which to cook, this morning,we took an early start and soon crossed the Poppy creek, where a few scattering trees afforded fuel for that portion of the company who were under the necessity of stopping to cook. The balance of us taking a southwest course from this creek struck the waters of Big Elk Horn river about noon, and continued down the river about eight miles to the old crossing, having traveled about eighteen miles today. Several of the Twelve and as many others as had time, myself included, crossed with our teams this evening. President Brigham Young and the rear of the company camped five miles up the river. Sunday morning they arrived, and during