Transcript

Early in the spring of 1848, We parched corn for weeks and put it in sacks, and about the first part of May we started across the plains. In the company we traveled in 10s. Howard Egan was captian of our 10. My brother Charley drove the oxen on our wagan with the help of the men in the company at the heard places.

There was a hunting wagon that went out each day with two mounted men and brought in wild game and divided it out among each company. But as there was no wood to build a fire, we had to use Buffallo chips to cook with. At night we made a camp by stopping the wagons in a circle and chaining the front wheel of one to the hind wheel of the next, as the tongues were on the inside and this enclosure was used as a corel [corral] for the oxen, also as a fort when the Indians caused trouble. At night the men took turns as guards and herding the oxen, several times we were attacked by the Indians. Sometimes they got what they asked for. They usually asked for guns and ammunition. They looked quite desperate when they rode up in their war-paint and demanded something, and if we refused we knew what it would mean.

We traveled along the road made by those who had gone before and in some places saw bones and sculls of some who died and were buried so shallow and without any box or coffin that the wolves dug them up. A few of our company died and were buried, it was a sad sight to see a Mother lose her child and with very little ceremony leave it buried in a shallow hole without a coffin and know it would be dug up before many day[s] and not a board or stone to mark the place.

Our train was not afflicted with clorea [cholera] as some of those who come after and therefore we did not lose so meny, but there was no doc, and but very little medicine so if any one took anything serious they usually died.

After we had traveled a few weeks the buffalo were more plentiful and along the Platte River. They used to come to the River to drink and as we were along the River for days and days every morning about 10, o,clock they would get so thick that we would have to stop and camp, or they would cause a stameped of our oxen and upset the wagons and often the wagons were tipped over and at times some were hurt.

We passed thru Fort Lar[a]mie and Fort Bridger and untill we came to Salt Lake thru Echo Canyon. We only stayed in Salt Lake overnight and Capt. Brown had already bought Goodyear Fort at Ogden and sent Alex to meet us, so we came right on to Ogden.