Transcript

 

Head Quarters of the
tale end of the Mormon
Emigration in Camp 21 Miles
below Chimney Rock
Sunday 11 Oclock Sep 9/55

 

Dear President Young

It is with heart felt gratitude to God our heavenly Father that I am yet among the living & have the pleasure of droping you a few lines to let you know how things exist with us & what has taken place that will be of interest to you since Elder Erastus Snow left me at Mormon Grove[.] I will therefore begin with the Mrs. Dafrene affair & "Queen"[.] I should say of all the devilish spirits in hell & on Earth. h as was anticepated she hurried through in connection with many spirits like herself which the States abound with, got the attachment laws of Missouri extended over Kansas Territory & sent an United States Marshal for said Territorry with an attachment for any Mormon train against the property of B Young, H.C. Kimball & J.M. Grant. He came up with Bro [John S.] Fullmer about 15 Miles out from Mormon Grove, with 2 or 3 of our Waggons. I was in the advance from 15 to 20 Miles with the balance of the Company a distance of about 35 Miles from Atchison, at that time we had been unable to move the Company in Mass in consequence of lacking, broke cattle & drivers. while we was at prayers in the evening on the 8^th Aug. it was announced that Bro Fullmer had arrived in Company with the Marshal, but I paid but little or no attention until I fully satisfied myself in prayer before the Lord asking him to give me power over all evil spirits whether in men in high places or low ones or in our animals that we eventually might have the Victory & bring the people & property placed in my charge to the home of the Saints. after prayers I was introduced to Mr. Clarke U.S. Marshal for K. Territory & was informed by him of his business, & informed likewise that he would ease the Matter of by taking me from the Midst of the Camp at this critical moment back to Atchison & get sufficient good security from amongst the Citizens there to secure the debt & cost to which I replyed to Bro Fullmer that I would see them damned before I would go an inch or suffer any attachment to be made in Camp[.] I claimed that I had the property of neither of the Gentlemen named in the attachment. it was a Company's property & in my hands has an Agent. about this time Mr Clarke was taken with the bellyache & wanted a little brandy which I redely furnished him also had supper provided & then took him in the Carriage with me for a nights lodging, and made him Smell the breath of one old hard headed Mormon & I think it done him good for his heart was much softened & he felt as though it was all injustice & said also that he had told the Council for the prosecution that it would result as it now had but in order to make an appearance of doing his duty he served the G[u]arnatee on Pace Allred, Barlow & myself, to appear at the term of U.S. Court to be held at Leavenworth City, on the 3^rd Saturday in October to answer to any interogatorys in regard to having the property of the above named Gentlemen in possession[.] after Mr. Clarke had got away from the influence that the Lord had caused to come upon him & seeing he had not done his duty according to the instructions of those who had sent him he went back to Mormon Grove & to keep up appearances of doing his duty he attached 4 or 5 Waggons that we had left there and a few lame Cattle & above all McGaws Calves[.] any thing farther in regard to the Marshal & his proceedings this deponant knoweth not[.] After a fruitless attempt of 2 days to move the Camp in Mass I decided to leave the P.E. Fund Thrashing Machine at the same time Bro Allred left in charge of the same man your Engine Boiler & fixtures making 5 Waggons load load we then made our attempts to start[.] we thought we should camp together the following night but I went behand my expectations 5 miles & he did not come up to his into 8 which throwed us apart & I have not seen him since but have heard once that they were getting along tolerably well. Now a breaf stretch of our Journeying circumstances is all I can lay before you at the present time[.] Elder Erastus Snow will be able to bear testimony to what I am about to say in regard to Cattle[.] we had several Yoke of old well broke cattle that had been used constantly for hawling freight & provisions from Atchison to Mormon Grove. because the drivers were unable to handle wild ones than we had many yoke of the smallest unbroke cattle that had been purchased this Year in connection with both of the above we had several yoke of California Cattle which ought to have been shut up with Mrs. Dufrene & her legion of devils rather than to have been here[.] they in connection with our Small unbroke Cattle have disabled many of our older Cattle & the[y] begin to fail but still we are in travelling condition & can make w[h]ere there is not deep beds of Sand from 15 to 20 Miles per day[.] our losses in stock considering the kind have been comparitively light[.] our greatest loss was last night lost 20 oxen & 2 Cows from something the[y] had eat or drank. we are shoeing to day such has have their feet worn out preparing for our start tomorrow & expect the present week to reach Fort Laramie were I have concluded if I can do so on time to buy 10 Yoke of good cattle. if I should not succeed in that our chance in getting in before the Snows will be somewhat doubtful[.] we have 7 weeks rations now in Camp[.] you can calculate from that what our situation will be for food. I can bring the Company in that time if no preventing providence and unforseen accident occurs by adding the strength of team at Laramie that I have named[.] I am well aware that much imposture has been practiced in the starting of this Company I am fully satisfied that there is from 3 to 5 hundred of stuff on each waggon that [h]as not been weighed[.] I purpose weighing one load today to make a text from which I calculate to preach, a Sermon on discharging of old freight & charge the partys 25 cents per pound for hawling it thus far & if the[y] grumble steak them out on good feed by the side of it[.] you will see by our report accompanying this letter the number of deaths & the diseases[.] I will say the health of the Camp in general is good. My own health is very much impaired since I started[.] the lack of experienced men to carry out the measures makes the burthen upon me ten fold greater than it ought to be but I often feel after prayers in the evening as though Bro Brigham & the brethren in <the> Valley and also my wives had all prayed that Bro Milo might live & have power with the Lord to bring the Company in his charge safely to the Valley & under the influence of such feelings I rise up early in the Morning & say in my heart, let the weak say I am strong & so push along & keep moving & still believe under the blessings of kind heaven that we shall see you about the 20^th or 25^th of October & then be released from one of the hardest burthens that I have been called to bear in the midst of Israel during my sojourn in mortality. I will now close with my kind love to Yourself Bros Heber, Jediah & not forgetting my late president Elder Erastus Snow[.] may Grace Mercy & peace be abundantly multiplied unto you all through the revelations of Jesus Christ is the prayer of your humble Servant for the Kingdom of Heavens Sake

 

Milo Andrus

 

P.S. I would just say that Cap Harper & Company are in the advance of us about 15 Miles in good traveling condition, enjoying in good health. Company all in good Spirits. I have omitted to say until now that General Hearney had an engagement with the Indians near Ash Hollow on the 3^rd & on the 5^th sent over one of his aids with his compliments, to me stating that the last report from the battle field showed 120 Indians Killed 58 Prisoners mostly women & children, 4 soldiers killed & Wounded. this report is the nighest authentic of any that I can get[.] He wished me to keep an advanced guard which I try to carry out by humbling myself before the Lord & asking my brethren to do the same asking the Lord to be our front & rear guard & that the spirit may control the Lamanites that they come not upon us showing to the Lord by our works that we are as willing to watch as we are to pray[.] I should have no fear in passing through the Red Mans land if other men that know not God neither the origin of the Red Man had not been turned loose to kill & waste them away & increase their thurst for blood, but all of these circumstances we cheerfully submit to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and hope to live in such a manner as to secure its guide & all will be right[.] I can think many things but have no time to write M. A.