--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Snow, Moroni collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 14 number: 9 published: 1911-07 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Moroni Snow, "From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers—V," *Improvement Era* 14, no. 9 (July 1911): 816–821.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1409unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1409unse start_page: 816 end_page: 821 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1911-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1409unse publication_year: 1911 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1911, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers—V From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers. The Original Diary of Erastus Snow. EDITED BY HIS SON, MORONI SNOW. V. In the May number of the Era we left the van of the pioneers resting on the Platte, while the twelve had returned to Winter Quarters to hold a council. Continuing his journal Erastus Snow records: Monday, April 12, 1847. Elder Taylor had not yet arrived, but all hands made arrangements to return on Wednesday and wait in faith for the accomplishment of the vote of the former council. About sunset on Tuesday, Elder Taylor arrived with the instruments, and we met in council that evening, much to the joy of our hearts. Wednesday, 14. All returned to the Horn. 15th. Overtook our teams and the company, who were waiting according to instructions. 16th. In the forenoon the whole company were collected together, and numbered one hundred and forty-three men, three women and two children, besides a few brethren who had accompanied us thus far, intending to return to Winter Quarters. The company was then addressed by President Young and others on the necessity of strict organization, and attending strictly to our duties; and he promised, moreover, that if they would abide his council and observe his directions, they should go safe, and they and their teams be preserved from the Indians and from every enemy. At an appointed hour a bugle would sound for prayers FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE. 817 and for retiring to rest, and also for alarm during the night, and at five o'clock in the morning to call up to prayers, and to prepare for breakfast and for moving. Every man was expected to be on his knees offering up his devotions at the hour of prayer. Then they proceeded to organize by appointing captains of tens, fifties and hundreds. A guard of fifty men was selected for a constant night guard and Stephen Markham appointed their captain. At three o'clock we took our march, each ten moving in its place. We halted in about one and a half hours near an island of rushes, where we turned our teams and guarded them through the night. I was myself on duty the latter part of the night, and it was very cold, and there was considerable ice in the morning. 17th. We traveled only about eight miles and halted at a convenient point of timber on the Platte, and prepared for Sunday. A little before sunset we were called together and organized for military operations by appointing President Young, general; Stephen Markham, colonel; Shadrach Roundy and John Pack, majors; and the several captains of tens to stand as the captains of their companies respectively; and Brother Tanner, gunner, with eight artillerymen. All were instructed to move by tens and in a solid column, every man with his gun upon his shoulder, or where he could put his hand upon it at a moment's warning. Sunday, 18th. Today has passed quietly away without any meetings except in our wagons, on account of its being cold and chilly. A train of seven wagons belonging to Mr. Sarpee, of the Fur Company, passed us on their way from Pawnee to the Bluffs. 19th. At five o'clock my partner (who, by the way, was the bugler) sounded a call for prayer and preparations for moving. At seven he sounded for moving. We moved by tens, every man except teamsters marching by his wagon, with his gun upon his shoulder. We traveled about twenty-two miles and camped on the bank of the Platte, forming a half-circle with our wagons on the river. While baiting our teams at noon beside Diamond Island, 0. P. Rockwell, Elder J. C. Little and the notorious Tom Brown came up with us, the two former having left camp on the Friday previous, to return to Winter Quarters on business. 20th. We traveled about twenty miles, crossed Shell Creek about ten a. m., and camped about four p. m., the teams forming 818 IMPROVEMENT ERA. a semi-circle opposite the small island near the main shore or bank where we turned our teams for the night. Near thia camp our fishermen drew their seine and caught upwards of two hundred fish from a small lake which afforded our camp a rich repast. By the way, I had forgotten to mention that when we returned from Winter Quarters to tha Horn, President Young secured and brought with him Father Eldredge's leather skiff for the use of the fishermen. It was placed on the running gear of a light wagon in the stead of a box, and carried the fishing apparatus and was drawn by two horses. 21st. About one o'clock ws passed a new trading post on the Loup Fork, and halted to bait about a mile above, where we were thronged by the Pawnees. Among others was the grand Pawnee chief, with a certificate from Sarpee, the trader. He, with the rest, was very friendly and wanted presents. After collecting a quantity of powder and lead, tobacco, salt, flour, and other trinkets and presenting to the chief, President Young proposed to shake hands and part in friendship, but he refused, and appeared very angry. Upon inquiring into the cause of his passion,he stated,through his interpreter, that the heap (presents) was too little. The whites were rich, and had tea, coffee and sugar, and an abundance of everything, and we had given them little, etc. He said we would kill and drive away their buffalo, and that we should go back, and we should not go on, and other talk of the same import—all of which showed to us the influence the traders, the Missourians and others were using with the Indians against us, and which bade us be on our watch. We traveled about eight miles in the afternoon, and at night prepared the cannon for action and placed out on guard fifty at a time, including ten picket guards. The Indian fires we saw all around us and near our camp opposite on the south side of the Loup Fork, but a few guns and other demonstrations let them know that we were on hand. 22nd. The morning came in quietness, and we resumed our journey as usual. We crossed Looking Glass Creek early in the morning and baited at noon at the crossing of Beaver Creek, and camped at night at the old missionary station, having traveled sixteen miles. Here we found an abundance of hay and corn fodder for our teams, saved by the brethren who were here last fall. This FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE. 819 is a place of surpassing beauty, and the selection of the site and the arrangement of the farms, buildings and fixtures show much taste in the former occupants. The farm houses and shops and all government improvements had been burned by the Sioux a few months previous to our arrival, and the missionary buildings alone were standing. 23rd. We did not leave our encampment until afternoon. A portion of our men were engaged in examining the different fords of the Loup Fork, t) find the best crossing. In the afternoon we moved up to the old ford, four miles above the missionary station, and commenced to cross some of our best teams with light loads, but the current was so rapid and the quick sands so deep, it was very difficult crossing here. We therefore camped for the night, and concluded to build a raft with which to cross with most of our loading, aided by our leather skiff, that our teams might be able, by doubling, to go through without difficulty. The stream is about eighty rods wide in this place, and we were obliged to go diagonally up the stream about half a mile to get out. Saturday 24th. On the morning of the 24th, the skiff began to ply between the shore and a sand bar across the main channel, and the teams, with four or five yoke of oxen, or two or three span of horses attached to parts of loads, began to cross at the fork and by following in the same track they found the track packed and became hardened, so that the teams began to move over with more ease, and finally most of the company forded with their loads by putting about three times the amount of the ordinary team, but many of the wagon beds had to be raised from the bolsters, and rails put under to prevent the water from entering. About four o'clock we were all safely over and moved up the river about four miles, where we found considerable blue grass for our teams. There we spent a pleasant Sabbath and had an interesting meeting. All the camp appeared in first-rate spirits. A little before daylight on Monday morning our guards discovered six Indians, who crept along the margin of the river into the very borders of our encampment. They were doubtless after horses. The guard fired upon them, and they struck and ran. The bugle sounded an alarm, and in about fifteen minutes all hands were under arms ready to repel any attack that might 820 IMP HO VEMENT ERA. be made by the Indians, but the first fire of the guard and the sound of the bugle were all the fighting we had to do. When the sun arose, there were various conjectures as to their identity, but one possessing some knowledge in the matter pronounced their track to be that of the Sioux Indians instead of Pawnees. This day we traveled up the river without any trail, and stopped at noon nearly opposite an old, dilapitated Pawnee Indian village, situated on the north bank of the river. About half-past four p. m., we passed directly opposite the site of another, on the south side of the river, and camped for the night on what we supposed to be Sand Creek (having traveled about fifteen miles) where a few scattering willows afforded us a scant allowance of fuel. As far as we have traveled on the Platte and the Loup Fork,both streams are very broad and full of sand bars, with very little timber, bordered with extensive bottoms, dry and sandy. On the north side of the Platte, from the mouth of the Horn to the Loup Fork (the bottoms) would average ten miles in width. The Loup Fork, as far as we have traveled seems to run a little north of east. I believe this creek to be the first that we have found with a rock bottom. Here also we found late signs of Baffalo. During most of the day yesterday there were four antelope feeding on the north side of the river opposite our camp, which were the first that we had seen. I forgot to mention that last night a company of hunters was selected and organized expressly to hunt for the company, that there might be an end to every man running ahead with his gun and scaring away the game. Early in the evening, while encamped on Sand Creek, it was ascertained that two horses were either strayed or stolen. Some ten or fifteen horsemen, myself among the company, made a diligent search far and near, until about eleven o'clock, aided by a clear sky and a bright moon, but found them not. Next morning 0. P. Rockwell, Thomas Brown, Joseph Matthews and John Eldredge started on horseback on the back track in quest of them. The company crossed this creek and moved in a direction about twenty degrees west of south toward the Platte. We traveled about twelve miles and baited on the heights of the land, where we had a fair vie# of the Platte in the distance. Near here our hunters killed an antelope. We traveled about eight miles further and FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE. 821 found a beautiful prairie stream, where we camped early in the evening. Today we had good roads, but very dry and sandy most of the way, and no water for our teams. Some of the ox teams failed before night, and we had to send back horses to help them up. As we were camping for the night, the four horsemen who left us in the morning came up and said that they had not found the horses They went back almost to our last encampment, and were surprised by fifteen Pawnees, near a point of timber on the river. The Indians made a rush on them with a view to getting their horses, but they leveled their pieces on them and beckoned to them to go back, which they did, and as they retreated, fired six guns at our men and then broke for the timber as hard as they could run. At Prairie Creek one of the most valuable mares in camp was shot, through the accidental discharge of a gun. 28th. We crossed Prairie Creek this morning, and traveled nearly south ten miles and struck the Platte, traveled about six miles up the river and camped upon a beautiful site, where we found excellent feed and a small stream of clear water running on the north side of what we supposed to be Grand Island. This is probably from the river. The country we have passed over today is the most beautiful I ever beheld. A continuous, unbroken plain covered with green grass, from one to six inches high, as far as the eye can see in all directions, without any timber or other objects to obstruct the view, except the timber on Grand Island, south of us. 29th, seven o'clock p. m. 1 am now watching my horses as they fill themselves with rushes on the border of Grand Island. Our camp is tonight on waters that are evidently out of the Platte above. The clear stream we camped on last night proved to be Wood Creek, which we crossed after four miles' travel this morning, and have followed up about an equal distance between it and Grand Island all day, having traveled about eighteen miles. Wood Creek is a beautiful stream with gravel bottom, slightly scattered with timber as far as we have followed its course today, parallel with Grand Island, which is said to extend seventy-five miles. It (Grand Island) is mostly covered with rushes and the timber usually found on the islands and bottoms of all these western streams. (to be continued.)