--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young, Seymour B. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 25 number: 7 published: 1922-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Seymour B. Young, "Lest We Forget—VII," *Improvement Era* 25, no. 7 (May 1922): 608–614.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2507unse 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: improvementera2507unse start_page: 608 end_page: 614 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1922-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2507unse publication_year: 1922 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 1922, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Lest We Forget—VII Lest We Forget By Dr. Seymour B. Young, of the First Council of Seventy VII. The Snake River Expedition On the night of July 15, 1862, a small band of Indians visited the ranch of Jack Robinson, one of the oldest mountain- eers inhabiting the Bridger country, his camp about six miles above the Fort. They succeeded in running off upwards of three hundred head of horses and mules, of which number thirty returned on the following morning. Captain Smith with his command was encamped near the old Fort, and was notified by Mr. Robert Hereford, son-in-law of Jack Robinson, of the theft of the mountaineer's animals. Immediately after the bugle call, boots and saddles were in order, and in about three hours' time sixty men, including Mr. Hereford, were mounted and ready for the chase. There were ten pack animals carrying the camp outfit and general supplies, with ten days' provisions. The following is a list of names of the Expedition: Captain Lot Smith; First Lieutenant J. S. Rawlins; Second Lieutenant John Quincy Knowlton; Wagon Master Solomon H. Hale; Sergeants S. W. Riter, Howard 0. Spencer; Corporals S. B. Young, W. Bringhurst, Newton Marrick, Andrew Bigler, H. B. Clemens; Privates Joseph Goddard, L. A. Huffaker, Jesse Cherry, Landon Rich, Tom Harris, Wood Alexander, E. M. Shurtliff, James Sharp, Tom Caldwell, Theodore Calkins, John Cahoon, Mark Murphy, Joseph Fisher, Albert Randall, Henry Bird, William Long- stroth, William Lutz, William Grant, Hyrum Kimball, Peter Corney, E. A. Boble, Isaae Atkinson H. B. Simmons, Donald McNichol, Lewis Osborn, E. M. Weiler, Joseph Terry, Charles Burnham, George Cotterill, A. S. Rose, Laconius Barnard, Robert Hereford, J. M. Hixon, WiUiam Rhodes, Hugh D. Park, Jimmie Wells (alias Paddy Miles Boy), Lars Jenson, James Carrigan, Edward Brown, John Arrowsmith, Frank Cantwell, Moses Gib- son, John R. Bennion, Samuel Bennion, Jimmie Larkins, James Green, James Finlay, Francis Prince and Wm. Bess. The tracks of the stolen animals indicated that the In- dians had taken a northwesterly course which the pursuers fol- lowed for twelve days, going as far as the head of the Snake River Valley, near the Three Tetons, about 135 miles northeast of Fort Hall. Their first ride in the afternoon was thirty-five miles to the Muddy, through which the company had to swim and drag their pack animals with ropes, submerging the packs, provisions and clothing. The Indians, in their hasty flight, LEST WE FORGET 609 here abandoned two ponies and three of the stolen colts. Second Day: — The company started at daylight, passed an abandoned mule, traveled fifteen miles and breakfasted at a small spring. Three miles farther they crossed Ham's Fork where, from the tracks of the animals at the crossing, the Indians appeared to have had great difficulty in keeping together their booty; three more colts had been abandoned. The company swam with their animals over the Fork and traveled seventeen miles before dinner. After resting their animals a couple of hours they resumed their march and made thirty-five miles, ar- riving at Fontenelle, a fork of Green river, five miles north of Sublett's cut off. Third day. — Started at daylight, and rode eighteen miles before breakfast, traveled twenty-five miles farther, stopped to take dinner and rest the animals on an island of Green River, five miles below the Lander road. During this ride they found the first camping place of the thieves since they had left Bridger. Here the Indians appeared to be as far in advance of the pursuing party as at the start from Bridger. They having kept thus far in advance, suggested to the soldiers the neces- sity of preparations for a longer expedition than was contem- plated at starting. Accordingly, Captain Smith and Lieutenant Knowlton rode ahead to the Lander Cut Off, to a camp of emigrants, to obtain provisions; but they were unsuccessful. The expedition afterwards came up and continued on fifteen miles before camping for the night. In conversing with the emigrants, it was ascertained that on the Thursday previous the Indians had stolen four animals from an emigrant train bound for Salmon river. Seven of the emigrants followed them, and had a fight, resulting in one of the white men being killed and three wounded. Nothing was recovered. On the night preceding the arrival of the expedition, some Indians at- tacked an emigrant train, wounding one man, stealing a horse and some cattle. Fourth day: — The expedition rested their animals in the morning during which time Lieutenant Knowlton, Seymour B. Young and Solomon Hale returned to the Lander Road, and tried to purchase provisions from another train of eight wagons, but could obtain none. The immigrants refused to furnish any- thing, though the boys were willing to pay them any price. In fact, the style of the immigrants was anything but compli- mentary, underlying which was something like the suspicion that the expedition was probably connected with the Indians who had attacked the immigrants already noticed. Broke camp at noon and marched thirty-five miles, and camped on a small stream near the base of the Green River 610 IMPROVEMENT ERA i ii< Mm i, i m-. On the way, we eame upon a camp that had been suddenly abandoned by the Indians, in which was found a good deal of fat beef, the remnants of five oxen; but having ap- parently been too long exposed to the hot sun was unfit for use. The Indians had evidently been surprised, as there were evidences of a very sudden departure, and indications of a fight. Among other things, an emigrant cap was found lying on the ground perforated with a bullet. Fifth day: — Started at daylight, and traveled twenty-one miles, crossing the north fork of Green river. Rested two hours, here was another animal abandoned. Five miles further, struck the south fork of Green river. Crossed to the other side, and traveled thirty miles down the stream over a fearfully rough road. The trail taken by the Indians here was over land slides, rocks and loose stones; some places hundreds of feet above the river, where one misstep would have sent horse and rider precipitately into the stream. On this trail, the company found evidences of other thefts, such as the tracks of large American horses, mules and cattle. This justified the conclusion that the original band, pursued from Bridger, had gathered strength in numbers during their flight. By taking such a direct route, the red men probably intended to mislead the pursuer into the belief that the Crow Indians had been the aggressors. But for this, the Indians would certainly have taken another trail than the dangerous one passed over during the day. The ex- pedition swam the main fork of the river, and camped for the night. From the freshness of the tracks, and the remnants of a sage hen, the Indians seemed here to have been not more than six hours ahead of the expedition. An abandoned white horse was found here. At the end of the day's march, on the twenty-first day of July, a council was called, and officers and men, all agreed that the company was too large and that with a smaller allotment of men, it was believed they could make better progress in pursuit of the Indians. On inspection it was found that about twenty horses were lame, for the reason that they were unshod when they left the camp at Fort Bridger, and their feet had become exceedingly tender and sore with the constant contact of the gravel and rocks over which they had passed during the five days' hasty march; consequently twenty disabled horses, with their riders, were ordered to return to camp near Bridger, these troopers in charge of Lieutenant Rawlins, there to re- main and await further orders. Sixth day: — This morning the smaller division of our com- mand in charge of Lieutenant Rawlins broke camp and after bidding goodby to their comrades, who were to continue their LEST WE FORGET 611 journey north under Captain Smith, they began their return march to the encampment near Bridger. The names of returning comrades are as follows: Lieut. Rawlins com- manding the party, with Corporal Newton Myrick, privates William C. Allen, Joseph Terry, Charles Burnham, George Cottrell, Allie 9. Rose, James M. Hickson, Hugh D. Park, William Rhodes, Lars Jensen, James Carrigan, Ebenezer Brown, John Arrowsmith, Frank Cantwell, James Green, Joseph Imlay, Francis Prince and Lewis A. Huffaker, Josiah Eardley, and Wm. Bess. After starting, this portion of the company on their return to the main body of the command traveled ten miles through a very rocky, thickly-wooded canyon and continued eight miles further to one of the tributaries of the Snake river. Here was found two young colts, two mules, and other colts further down the stream, all of which had been abandoned by the Indians in their hasty flight. These mules in possession of the In- dians had probably been stolen from some emigrant company, for they were not of the Bridger stock. Seventh day: — That portion of the command under Cap- tain Smith continued following the trail of the Indians, which led over the divide on a chain of mountains from which issue the head waters of Green river, Wind river and Snake river, the Wind river flowing to the east from this divide, and the Snake river to the west. The trail of the Indians turned west- ward, following the tributaries of the Snake river. On the 24th day of July, the trail led us through an elevated mountain valley with altitude, supposed, between seven and eight thousand feet above sea level, and through a dense forest of beautiful pine timber, reminding us of the celebration of this glorious pio- neer anniversary day, in years gone by, at the headwaters of Big Cottonwood canyon. From here the march was continued, the course of the Snake river being followed which became larger and larger as we struck the lower mesas and valleys of the Teton range. No halt was made, however, in this beautiful glade of timber, as we were led to believe, from the signs on the trail, that we were getting closer to the Indians who seemed to be crowding their band of stolen horses to the limit. They no doubt realized that we were gaining upon them. At this stage of our march our provisions were nearly exhausted, and the company was placed on less than half rations, but yet we pressed on regardless of the pangs of hunger that were begin- ning to be felt, for we were in hopes of overtaking and cap- turing the Indians before they reached the crossing at the big Snake river. On the 25th day of July, we struck the main canyon of the Snake river, continuing on the trail leading us in a westerly direction over the steep ledges and rocks hundreds 612 IMPROVEMENT ERA of feet above the whirling torrent, where one misstep of a horse would have sent the rider and horse into the foaming river a thousand feet below. Here the trail showed more evidences of other thefts by the Indians. Tracks of American horses, mules and cattle were clearly indicated. Yesterday, in passing through the beautiful glade of timber, reminding us of the 24th of July celebration, we found cut in the bark of a tree the name of J. Hardman, supposed to be one of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The date of his passing on this trail was July 11, 1833. Some of the comrades expressed much satisfaction on be- holding the signs of white men who had preceded the command over this wild mountain trail more than thirty years before. We emerged from the mouth of this wild gorge where the river turns abruptly to the north, while the expedition main- tained its course in a westerly direction, through beautiful glades of timber and meadow valleys in one of which was found ripe strawberries. Here, in this beautiful little glade, the Indians had taken advantage of their opportunity, and had widely scat- tered their band of stolen horses, in order to confuse and throw their pursurers off the trail. On entering this valley, a halt was made, and while the horses hastily nipped a few bites of the luxuriant grass the troopers dismounted and ate the strawberries. Too soon the orders came to mount and march, and then, after searching for more than an hour, the trail was again discovered and the march was continued to the east bank of the great south fork of the Snake river, into which the trail of the Indians was found to enter. After some consideration by the commanding officer, the order was given for the volunteers to prepare to swim the river by removing their clothing and binding the same to the saddle with their belts, and then when thus prepared they be- gan their struggle to cross this mountain torrent some two hun- dred yards in width. In this the expedition had much difficulty. The Indian trail led over a bar formed at the junction of three large streams now immensely swollen by the melting snows from the Tetons. Captain Smith led the way, the men following in single file, and after much difficulty he, with several others of the command, succeeded in landing on the west bank of the river. On look- ing back, those who had reached the shore safely saw that Donald McNichoFs horse had become unmanageable, refusing to breast the current. He was swept down the stream several yards, McNichol apparently trying to guide him against the cur- rent, when suddenly it fell into a deep underflow and almost instantly disappeared. McNichol, however, was seen to come LEST Wfc FORGET 613 to the surface and was swiftly carried with the current down the stream beyond all human aid. The captain and Sergeant Spencer ran down the bank of the stream to his assistance, but the current was so rapid that he was carried quicker than their utmost speed, and very soon went out of sight. Comrade McNichol was one of the best swimmers in the company, but having his clothes, boots, and six-shooter on his person, he was unable to battle successfully with the watery element and his comrades saw him swept out of sight by the swift torrent. On arriving on the west bank of the stream the Adjt. called the roll and found no answer to the names of Comrade Mc- Nichol, Lieutenant Knowlton, and Corporal Young, who were missing from the ranks. On inquiry it was learned that the two last mentioned missing comrades had not been seen since the scattering of the force in search of the Indian trail, in Straw- berry valley, several hours earlier in the day. Captain Smith immediately called for volunteers to return on the trail in search for the missing men. Sergeant H. O. Spencer imme- diately responded, and stated that he was willing to return alone on the trail in search of the missing comrades if Sergeant Riter would loan him the use of his horse on which to recross the river. The reason for this request was apparent, in the fact that Comrade Riter's mount was a very fine, large sorrell mare, one of the largest and best in the command, and it was con- cluded that this animal would be able to face the rushing cur- rent of the stream with Sergeant Spencer on her back. Comrade Riter willingly accepted the proposition, and on this splendid animal Spencer succeeded in breasting the swift current and returning to the east bank of the stream, from whence he re- traced the steps of the company toward the little valley in the timber, where the two lost comrades were last seen. After about four miles travel on the trail, he met them and gladly piloted them to the crossing of the river. The three following the same direction in crossing given by the captain to those who pre- ceded them. They succeeded in making the west bank safely, and were warmly greeted and welcomed by their comrades. Sergeant Spencer was cautioned on starting back on the trail not to mention the drowning of Donald McNichol until the arrival of the two on the west bank with the rest of the com- mand. The Indians at this point could not be far in advance of the expedition, but there were not six horses fit to travel an- other day, at the same rate of speed, and the command being entirely without rations, it was concluded that unless the Indian trail should take a direction in which the expedition might 614 IMPROVEMENT ERA find means of subsistance, the pursuit would have to be abandoned. On the 26h of July, at sunset, all but Donald McNichol had succeeded in crossing the Lewis Fork of Snake river, and after a small ration the boys retired for the night by spreading their blankets out in the open, for they had no tents, guards chosen and set, and a quiet night ensued. At 5 a. m. early on the 27th, camp called and on assembling a proposition was made to the men to decide what would be best: to still pursue the Indians to their stronghold and take chances in a rough and tumble fight with them, with men and horses fairly jaded with their long and furious chase, with firearms wet and rusty, or should we withdraw from the trail and follow the course of the river in quest of game. The latter course promising the best results was concluded upon. Mr. Hereford, who was more interested in the recovery of the stolen horses than any other, expressed himself as satisfied with the efforts already made, and said that Captain Smith and his men had done all that men could be required to do. As we had neither rations for men or horses, he advised that we leave the Indian trail and seek for food, and the most direct way back to civilization. Accordingly, we took our course westward, followed an old trail over the divide between Jackson Hole and the entrance into the Teton Basin. A Prayer Dispenser of all pleasant gifts, Look Thou into my heart; From all that's evil cleanse Thou me, And aid me in my part. Help me to love Thee, day by day. With heart and soul and might; In battle be my shield and stay, That I may win the fight. That I may love my neighbor, too, In justice serve him right; Help me to bear his heavy load, To make his burden light. A doer of Thy holy will, A hearer of Thy call, Be Thou my constant strength and help, My Savior1 and my all. Manaia, Taranaki, N. Z. Arthur W. Gudmundsvt,