Transcript

The Journey Across the Plains

When we got our luggage loaded in the wagons, and the Cattle had rested a few days, we were ready to Start Across the Plains. There is history enough in that journey to make a good sized book but I will just state a few facts, Ansol [Ansel P.] Harman was the Captain of our train, and Elder John T.D. McCallister [John Daniel Thompson McCallister] was Chaplian, he had been the Leader of our company all the way from Liverpool, assisted by Samuel L. Adams, while in shipboard, but Bro. Adams left us crossing the plains. Our train consisted of about Fifty Wagons, with three or four yoke of Cattle to a wagon. The provisions were rationed out to the families, and each family done its own cooking. We made an avarage of about 15 miles per day. The Captain would go a-head and select the camping places both for noon and for night, where grass and water and fire wood were most plantifull. One wagon had to carry the baggage, tents and cooking utentials for 18 persons, and where there were some sicke, and wemen with small children, who had to ride, every man woman and child who were able to walk had to walk, and I am sorry to say, many who were not able kept on walking untill some lay down by the way side and died. But these things could not be avoided, and the Lord has a place prepared for all such, and their reward is great in heaven. The wagons "Correlled" at night in two Semi-circles, leaving an opening at both ends where the Cattle could be drove in & "yoked up"[.] The wagon-tongues were all on the outside of this "Correll", so were the camp fires and tents of the emmigrants [illustrated by author here] correll. The stout young men of the Company were appointed to dig the graves, and we buried our dead deep in the earth with due respect and reverenece, where the wolf and wild Indian might tramp above their heads, yet leave them undisturbed.

We had our Black-smith shop for repairing wagons, sho[e]ing Catle and horses &c. Our commircy [commissary] wagon for our provisions & and a wagon for the night herders to sleep through the day. We got up in the mornings a little after day light, cook breakfast and eat it[,] rolled up our tents and loaded them, assembled for prayers, and then the "Foot-man" would start out a-head. At noon we camped for rest and dinner, then on again till night. My Dear wife, Jessie [Freckleton], was all right on the Sea, but this long journey was too much for her. She was too proud to seek to ride where the wagon was already crowded so it was my turn to help her now. We tramped [the] whole distance from the Missouri River to Salt Lake City, and were very glad when we arrived.

On the 5^th day of October, 1862, we camped on the Eighth Ward Square, Great Salt Lake City, Utah, tired and foot-sore.