Transcript
Transcript for James Pace papers, 1846-1861, Autobiographical sketch, circa 1861, 7-8
. . . honorably discharged on the 16th of July 1847. At a distance of 2500 miles from our place of Enlistment which I traveled on foot and under the most heart rending circumstances that an Army was ever called to march, being placed upon short rations and required to make forced marches through Deserts and mountain regions that had never been traveled by white man. A number of us amediately commenced fitting up for Home and on the 23rd we organized our company of 163 men, I being elected Captain.
On the 24th we set out on our Journey through the Great Joaquin Valley (to Sutters Fort thence via Fort Hall) homeward bound, with pack animals[.] On arriving at Sutters Fort, on the 26th of August a number of our brethren were compelled to stop through the winter, for want of sufficient outfit to take them through to the States.
On the 27th after purcasing a fresh supply of provisions, and exchanging some of our poorest animals we set out again, crossing the great Sierra Nevada Mountains on the Truckey [Truckee] River Route passing the remains of a Camp of Missourians that had perished there during the Fall of 46 subsisting on human flesh until their number were reduced to some four or five before assistance came to their relief, which was in accordance with the predictions made by the Prophet Joseph while in Missouri.
On the 9th of September we met Captain James Brown with an Epistle from Prest. [President] Young and Council also letters from our families and friends. From this Epistle we learned of the location made by them in the Great Salt Lake Valley, and the consequent scarcity of provisions. That would probably be during the Winter coming, in consequence of which many of our young men and such as could not go through to the States for want of an outfit returned back to Calafornia [California] to work over winter.
On the morning of the 8th we parted with those returning to Calafornia, and proceeded on our way to great Salt Lake Valley (via Fort Hall) where we arrived on the 16th of October.