Transcript

Following is the camp journal of Capt. Robert T. Burton's Relief train, which returned to G. S. L. City with Edward Martin's hand cart company:

"Tues, Oct. 7. Left G. S. L. City, going east, to meet the emigrating companies. Camped tonight at the foot of the Big Mountain.

Wednesday, Oct. 8. Passed over the Big Mountain, and camped in East Kanyon [Canyon]; had a light snowstorm.

Thursday, Oct. 9. Had good roads: camped in Echo Kanyon [Canyon].

Friday, Oct. 10. Camped near a little grove at the head of Echo.

Saturday, Oct. 11. Traveled down the 'Old Pioneer Road;' camped tonight at a big hollow, good feed and water.

Sunday, Oct. 12. Arrived at Fort Bridger. Left some of our flour, feed, etc., at this place. Got some beef, etc. Camped here tonight.

Monday, Oct. 13. Left Fort Bridger; camped tonight on Black's Fork; met Brothers [Abraham O.] Smoot, Dan Jones and others; some teams returning that had been back on the road <and> got tired of waiting.

Tuesday, Oct. 14. Brother Smoot returned with us to meet his son; camped tonight on Black's Fork. Again sent on an express to meet the company and report back to us their situation, whereabouts, etc. <The express was carried by> <Cyrus> H. Wheelock, <Joseph> A. Young, Stephen Taylor, <Abel> Garr.

Wednesday, Oct. 15. Traveled to Green River. Left some flour, feed, etc. Camped tonight on Big Sandy at 8 o'clock.

Thursday, Oct. 16. At the Big Sandy, <we> met Capt. Smoot; camped here tonight; let him have some flour, beef, and teams and 18 men.

Friday, Oct. 17. Started late; camped on Little Sandy. Feed scarce; looked like a storm.

Saturday, Oct. 18. Clear and fair, storm passed to the right and left us. Camped tonight on the head of Sweet Water. Good feed and wood. Looked like a storm.

Sunday, Oct. 19. Killed one beef. Started <in the afternoon> in p.m.; camped below the mouth of Willow Creek. Tonight commenced storming; very cold; good feed.

Monday, Oct. 20. Stayed in the same place today. Brother [James G.] Willie came to us near night fall.

Tuesday, Oct. 21. Started early in the morning to meet Capt. Willie's company; camped with them tonight; dealt out flour and clothing to them. William Kimball and several others returned with him with teams, etc. Snow deep.

Wednesday, Oct. 22. Traveled 17 miles. Snow growing deeper and deeper all the way. Camped tonight under the Wallahualtah Rock.

Thursday, Oct. 23. Stayed in the same camp. Snow deep; could not travel.

Friday, Oct. 24. Clear and fair, some warmer; started on. Camped tonight below the Three Crossings of Sweet Water. Snow still deep. Saw a large herd of buffalo three miles distant.

Saturday, Oct. 25. Wind blowing hard; camped tonight below the Wallahualtah Rock. Snow going away slowly. Weather some warmer.

Sunday, Oct. 26. Traveled 19 miles; camped near the Devil's Gate; found the express that had been sent on at this place, waiting further orders. Had heard nothing from the company behind.

Monday, Oct. 27. Remained in the same place. Feed tolerably good. From this point sent on another express to the bridge on Platte River, <Joseph> A. Young, Abel Garr, Dan Jones, to find the company, if possible, and report back their situation, whereabouts, etc.

Tuesday, Oct. 28. Remained in the same camp. Weather fine; snow going away. At night cloudy; snow began to fall fast. After prayers, ceased snowing.

Wednesday, Oct. 29. In the same camp. Fine warm morning; continued through the day.

Thursday, Oct 30. Good weather; snow going away slowly; remained in the same camp. Express returned tonight at 7 o'clock <and> reported <that> the companies on the Platte River had been camped there several days, not far apart.

Friday, Oct. 31. Find and clear; started this morning to meet the company of hand carts; met them on Greasewood Creek; camped with them tonight; dealt out to them flour, clothing etc.

Saturday, Nov. 1. Started back to <for> the Valley. Brothers Grant and Robt. T. Burton went back <further East> to meet Brother [William B.] Hodgett's company, four or five miles back; about noon <it> commenced snowing. Snowed until late at night; camped near Independence Rock.

Sunday, Nov. 2. Camped tonight at Devil's Gate, snow deep, very cold.

Monday, Nov. 3. Remained at same place. So cold that the company could not move. Sent an express to <G>. S. L. City, Joseph A. Young, and Abel Garr, to report our situation and get counsel and help.

Tuesday, Nov. 4. Cold continued very severe. People could not move; stowed away the goods of the trains in the houses. Capt. Martin's camp moved 3 miles and camped.

Wednesday, Nov. 5. Weather continued cold; neither of the companies moved. Capt. Hunt's company arrived here at 8 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 6. Colder than ever. Thermometer 11 degrees below zero. Stowed away the good of Capt. Hunt's train. None of the companies moved; so cold the people could not travel.

Friday, Nov. 7. Remained very cold. Could not travel. Stowing away goods, trying to save the people, stock, etc.

Saturday, Nov. 8. Wind did not blow so hard; some warmer this morning; hunting up the horses and cattle to move on the morrow; camped at the same place.

Sunday, Nov. 9. Fine, warm morning. Hand-cart company and Capt. [William B.] Hodgett's company moved on at 11 o'clock a.m. Capt. [John A.] Hunt's company not yet done 'catching' goods.

This evening had a meeting of the officers of the companies to appoint brethren to remain with the goods left here by Captains Hodgett's and Hunt's companies. Dan Jones left in charge or President F. M. Alexander and Benjamin Hampton counselors, with 17 other brethren from the two companies. The brethren were instructed in their duties.During our stay here, we had meetings ever evening to counsel together and ask the Lord to turn away the cold and storm, so that the people might live.

Monday, Nov. 10. Very fine morning. Capt. Hunt's company fixing to start, getting up cattle, etc. The last wagon moved on about 2 o'clock. Capt. Grant, <Cyrus> H. Wheelock, Stephen Taylor and Robt. T. Burton moved on at 3 o'clock; camped tonight with Capt. Hodgett.

Tuesday, Nov. 11. Started early in the morning; overtook the hand cart company at 10 o'clock. Brother <Ephraim K.> Hanks was with them from the Valley, brought good news; camped tonight on Bitter Cottonwood.

Wednesday, Nov. 12. Fine morning, warm for the season; sent on an express to the South Pass. It returned at 5 o'clock this morning, and four teams with some flour. Camped above Three Crossings.

Thursday, Nov. 13. Very pleasant morning. Companies all moving on finely. Camped again on the Sweet Water, at the lower end of the 16 mile drive.

Friday, Nov. 14. The weather very pleasant; all the companies moving on. Camped on the 16 mile drive, about 4 miles from Sweet Water. Good feed, not much wood. No deaths in camp tonight. Capt. [John A.] Hunt's company ahead, Capt. [William B.] Hodgett near.

Saturday, Nov. 15. Weather continued fine and warm; traveled on 8 miles and camped on Sweet Water; not much wood, not very good feed.

Sunday, Nov. 16. Met 10 teams from the Valley, Brother Call's company, on Rocky Ridge; camped in a little cottonwood grove; good wood and feed.

Monday, Nov. 17. Fine, warm day; camped on the branch of Sweet Water.

Tuesday, Nov. 18. Cloudy, snowing in afternoon; met several teams, Wm. Kimball, <James> Ferguson, J. Simmons, <Hosea> Stout and others; camped tonight at our station on Sweet Water.

Wednesday, Nov. 19. Snowing in the morning; sent an express to the City. Company moved on, all in wagons; 3 o'clock, Capt. Grant and Robt. T. Burton, after seeing the ox trains, moved on after the company. Camped tonight on Dry Sandy.

Thursday, Nov. 20. This morning Brothers Grant and Kimball, and others started for the City. Robt. T. Burton was left in charge of the companies; camped at bend on Big Sandy.

Friday, Nov. 21. This morning looked like storm; in the afternoon snowed a little; met some teams with flour, and camped tonight on Green River.

Saturday, Nov. 22. This morning fair, but cold; met more teams; sent some back to the ox-trains with flour, etc. Camped on Black's Fork.

Sunday, Nov. 23. Fine day, some cloudy; snowed again at night. Camped at Fort Bridger.

Monday, Nov. 24. This morning took in supplies for the company from Brother Lewis Robison's. Started late. Camped on the Muddy, good wood and feed; very cold.

Tuesday, Nov. 25. This morning started another express to the City, by <Cyprus> H. Wheelock, Bullock and others. Sent two other teams to the ox-trains. Camped on Bear River; plenty of wood.

Wednesday, Nov. 26. Cold, but clear. Camped tonight in the head of Echo Kanyon [Canyon]; met Brother Little and others from the City.

Thursday, Nov. 27. This morning snowing a little; camped tonight on <the> Weber River. Had another express from the president.

Friday, Nov. 28. Today the road was sideling; got all the wagons over safe. Camped in East Kanyon [Canyon]; met several of the brethren here.

Saturday, Nov. 29. Passed over the Big Mountain, snowing fast. Stopped snowing after noon. Passed over Little Mountain; camped in the head of Emigration Kanyon [Canyon]; met supplies.

Sunday, Nov. 30. This morning started early; arrived in S. L. City a little before noon with all the hand cart company and several families from the ox-trains.

Had in the trains 351 horses and mules, 104 wagons and 32 oxen."