July 1997 will mark the sesquicentennial of the arrival of the pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley. Continuing through December 1997, the Church News will publish articles on the epic trek and the establishment of the Church in the Rocky Mountains. The series began in June 1995. This is the 19th article in the series.

Winter Quarters was a hub of excitement by the end of March 1847, as final preparations were made by the Vanguard Company to leave for the West. On March 29, 25 men reported to President Brigham Young that they were ready to commence the trek. Another 32 reported they would be ready to leave within a few days.The next few days found President Young and other members of the Quorum of the Twelve sending W. W. Phelps east to procure a printing press; turning the flouring mill over to John Neff to continue its operation; writing a letter to Lucy Smith, mother of the Prophet Joseph expressing their love for her and her family; and holding a meeting on April 2 with Bishop George Miller who advocated the removal of the Church to Texas. In this meeting President Young prophetically told Bishop Miller that "his views were wild and visionary, that when the Saints moved hence, it would be to the Great Basin, where they would soon form a nucleus of strength and power sufficient to cope with mobs."1

Further preparations included having Thomas Bullock make a sketch of John C. Fremont's topographical map of the road to Oregon and the sending of Tarlton Lewis and Stephen Goddard on April 4 to build a raft at the Elkhorn River, 34 miles to the west of Winter Quarters, to ferry the pioneers across when they arrived.

William Clayton described the Elkhorn as "a beautiful River about 150 feet wide and about four feet deep."2 It rained hard the morning of April 5 but by early afternoon the rain had stopped and Heber C. Kimball with six wagons and a small company of men became the first to leave Winter Quarters and go three miles to the west where they camped for the night. The following day, general conference was convened at Winter Quarters, under the direction of President Brigham Young.

The General Authorities of the Church were first sustained in their respective callings and much valuable instruction and counsel was then given to the members of the Church.

On April 7, President Young and most of the pioneer company left Winter Quarters and traveled about 10 miles before camping for the evening. The next morning Orrin Porter Rockwell rode into camp with the news that Parley P. Pratt had just arrived at Winter Quarters, and John Taylor was also expected to arrive at any time. Anxious to learn of their mission to England, President Young and other members of the Twelve returned to Winter Quarters.

That evening Elder Pratt reported on his mission to England and the progress of the Church there. He explained that he had left Elder Taylor at St. Louis to travel by boat up the Missouri River with equipment they had obtained in England, while he had traveled overland 400 miles by horse. When Elder Taylor did not arrive as soon as was expected, President Young left Winter Quarters on April 10 to rejoin the pioneers and give them further instructions. He then returned to Winter Quarters on April 12 to wait for Elder Taylor who finally arrived the evening of April 13.

That same evening Elders Taylor and Pratt met with President Young and other leaders of the Church until after midnight. They gave a favorable report of the work in the European Mission, and then turned over to President Young 469 sovereigns [coins] in gold collected in England as tithing, two artificial horizons, one circle of reflection, several thermometers, two sextants, two barometers, and one telescope that were packed and taken with the pioneer company. Elders Pratt and Taylor were directed to begin preparations to lead companies out of Winter Quarters as soon as they could be organized and follow the trail of the Vanguard Company.

The Twelve took final leave of their families at Winter Quarters on April 14, some under difficult circumstances. George A. Smith wrote: "Took leave of my family and started for my camp at about 9 o'clock a.m. Left my youngest child, Nancy Adelia, with inflamation of the brain, it was the opinion of most that she would not live but a few hours. Two others of my family were sick. I left corn meal enough to last my family three days, but no other provisions."3 His daughter died two days later. Wilford Woodruff recorded in his journal that he had never felt more weight upon his mind while leaving his family to go a mission than he did at this point. The pioneers had crossed the Elkhorn on April 11 and were directed by President Young to go about 14 miles further west and camp by the Platte River and wait until the Twelve, who needed to return to Winter Quarters, could join them. President Young joined the pioneer company again on April 15. He found the pioneers had been making needed repairs to their wagons and equipment, and that under the direction of Stephen Markham they had sent four men on ahead to survey the area and the route west. In the evening the camp was called together to receive instructions from President Young. He counseled the pioneers to be faithful and humble, always pray, be vigilant, take good care of the teams, avoid light mindedness, retire early to their beds, rest on the Sabbath day and "to act in a manner that they could claim the blessings of heaven."4

At 7:30 a. m. on April 16 the pioneer company assembled at the rear of Brigham Young's wagon where the camp was organized. President Young had the company kneel and he offered a prayer dedicating the mission and all they had to the Lord. Elder Smith spoke to the camp upon the importance of strict discipline, and was followed by Elder Kimball, who talked about obedience and the importance of following their leaders. President Young spoke, promising the company members that if they would abide his counsel they would be able to travel safely and be preserved from every enemy.

Stephen Markham and Albert P. Rockwood were nominated by President Young to be captains of hundreds, while others were selected to be captains of fifties and captains of tens.

The pioneer company was composed of 143 men, three women, and two boys. An inventory of the camp showed that there were 72 wagons, 93 horses, 52 mules, 66 oxen, 19 cows, 17 dogs, and some chickens. A letter was written in the afternoon by Willard Richards, under the direction of the Twelve, and given to Bishop Newel K. Whitney to carry back to John Smith who had been left in charge at Winter Quarters. The letter gave counsel and direction to the leaders as well as the members of the Church.

Though a lengthy letter, the following excerpt shows the character and prophetic vision of President Young and the Twelve - "Beloved Brethren: We have now completed the organization of the pioneer company, of which we are members, and whom we are about to lead to the mountains, or over the mountains, as we shall be commanded by our leader, in search of a resting place for ourselves, our families and all who desire to follow us and work righteousness, and by doing this we prove to you and all the world, that we do not wish to be a whit behind the first of you, in leaving our wives, children, friends, or any of the enjoyments of social life; and that we are willing to take our full share of trouble, trials, losses and crosses, hardships and fatigues, warning and watching for the kingdom of heaven's sake, and we feel to say! Come, calm or strife, turmoil or peace, life or death, in the name of Israel's God we mean to conquer or die trying. We mean to open up the way for the salvation of the honest in heart from all nations. . . ."5

Hosea Stout, who was over the police force at Winter Quarters, stated that the letter was read to the Saints on Sunday, April 18 at 6 p.m. in the council house.

The following rules established by the various captains were also read on that day to the pioneer company:

" The horn or bugle shall be blown every morning at 5 a.m.; when every man is expected to arise and pray, then attend to his team, get breakfast and have everything finished so that the camp may start by 7 o'clock.

" Each extra man is to travel on the off side of the team with his gun on his shoulder, loaded, and each driver have his gun so placed that he can lay hold of it at a moment's warning.

" The brethren will halt for an hour about noon, and they must have their dinner already cooked so as not to detain the camp for cooking.

" When the camp halts for the night, wagons are to be drawn in a circle, and the horses to be all secured inside the circle when necessary.

" The horn will blow at 8:30 p.m., when every man must return to his wagon and pray, except the night guard, and be in bed by 9 o'clock, at which time all fires must be put out.

" The camp is to travel in close order, and no man to leave the camp twenty rods without orders from the Captain.

" Every man is to put as much interest taking care of his brother's cattle, in preserving them, as he would his own, and no man will be indulged in idleness.

" Every man is to have his gun and pistol in perfect order.

" Let all start and keep together, and let the cannon bring up the rear, and the company guard to attend it, traveling along with the gun, and see that nothing is left behind at each stopping place."6

A large leather boat used in crossing the Missouri River was placed "on the running gears of a wagon and used as a wagon box."7 It was referred to as the "Revenue Cutter" and as the "boat wagon" and proved invaluable to the pioneers.

On April 20, John S. Higbee, Luke S. Johnson, Stephen Markham, and a few others took the boat and went to a lake about two miles from the camp and caught 200 fish. The fish included buffalo fish and carp and were evenly distributed among the camp.

The next day the pioneers arrived at a large Pawnee camp which included 100 lodges. President Young and others gave them powder, lead, salt and flour and even though friendly they manifested some dissatisfaction because they did not receive more. A strong guard was maintained that evening.

As the pioneers traveled along the north side of the Platte River they traveled in double file. Crossing the Platte proved extremely difficult at times because of quicksand and sand bars.

Wilford Woodruff records crossing the Platte on April 24 by stating that Orson Pratt led with a strong team of horses while he followed with his oxen. "I immediately saw as soon as I started that the Cattle did but little good. Were slow and in the way. We would stop and begin to sink. I jumped out of my carriage into the water up to my waist,"8 wrote Brother Woodruff. Others immediately came to his rescue and had to pull the wagon out with ropes.

Orson Pratt "in trying to cross the second stream had sunk into a bed of quick sand and all men had to go to his relief to get his Horses and waggon out," continued Wilford Woodruff. "The Horses were taken from the waggons

,T the load taken out and carried to shore by hand and the waggon drawn out by the help of men."9

The wagons were unloaded and the boat was used to carry over the cargo. Horses and cattle were driven loose back and forth across the river to pack the quicksand. The lightly loaded wagons were then driven across the river. At the end of the day, Howard Egan recorded that he was glad that the next day was the Sabbath so he could rest.

Several valuable horses were lost during the month of April that the pioneers could ill afford to loose. Phineas Young lost a horse that was "tied to a stake with a chain near a steep hole in the ravine, and either stepped back or lay down and rolled over into the hole, and the chain being short he was choked to death."10

Two horses, on April 26, were stolen by Indians and an attempt to get them back failed. A front leg of a fourth horse was broken when it was accidentally shot and had to be destroyed.

The closing day of April dawned, cloudy and cold with a strong wind from the north causing the men to put on their overcoats. The pioneers traveled 18 miles on that day and camped by the Plane River not far from Grand Island, Neb., a distance of about 220 miles west of Winter Quarters.

NOTES

1 Journal History. Located in the Historical Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, April 2, 1847.

2 William Clayton's Journal. (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Deseret News, 1921) p. 78.

3 Preston Nibley. Exodus to Greatness. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press, 1947) pp. 361-62.

4 Journal History, April 15, 1847.

5 Journal History, April 16, 1847.

6 Ibid.

7 Exodus to Greatness, p 363.

8 Wilford Woodruff's Journal 3:157.

9 Ibid.

1 0William Clayton's Journal, p. 94.