Transcript

Under this date Wm. Thompson, clerk of Heber C Kimball's camp, wrote the following:

 

"Fort Laramie, July 23, 1848.

Mr. Willard Richards and Amasa <M.> Lyman,

 

Beloved Brethren; It seemeth good to write you a few lines at this time, to let you know how we are, where we are, and how we prosper. We left the Elkhorn River on Wednesday, the 7th of June, with one hundred and eighty-nine wagons and five hundred and fifty-seven souls. We organized our companies and appointed our officers after crossing Shell Creek on the 9th. We moved along in peace and order every thing harmonizing like clock work until we came opposite the old Pawnee village. Going down a little pitch Brother [Jehu] Cox's daughter Lucretia fell off the wagon tongue and was run over, the body by the fore wheel and over the neck by the hind wheel of the wagon; and <she> died almost instantaneously. We interred the body on the north side of the road; probably you have seen the grave. We moved off in the morning, camped in the evening near the upper ford of the Loup Fork, opposite President Young's camp. In the morning the brethren belonging to President Young's camp brought over their cattle to help us across. This was a sight that would have truly pleased you, to see and hear the brethren greet each other. Every heart was glad, and every countenance smiling. We crossed over all the wagons <over> safely in a few hours. We spent the Sabbath together and moved off the next morning, being the 19th. We arranged our traveling so that we caped close together occassionally. I felt thankful to my Heavenly Father, to see the spirit that was and is manifested in our camp. There are no murmurings or complaining, no finding fault, in our camp. Every day appears like the Sabbath, when we are in camp. All is still except where the brethren and sisters meet together to sing and pray, or, where the father is calling upon the Lord by the side of the wagon, with his family around him. We see <saw> no buffalos on our way till June 29th. Brother Hopper shot one a few miles east of Skunk Creek. On Sunday July 2, Brother John Pack baptized a man and his wife, that started from McDonough county, Illinois, for the Bay of San Francisco, Saturday, July 8th. Finding that we were leaving the buffalo <country,> the camps stopped to rest our cattle and do up our washing on Camp Creek. The brethren went out on a hunting expedition. Brother Ferguson's horses and he was not found got scared and left; he got in company with some wild horses and he was not found.

Thursday, July 13, We had the pleasure of greeting several of the brethren from the Valley with some of the California boys. Reports from the Valley favorable.

July 16 President Young and I divided our camps into four camps each, for the purpose of giving our cattle a better chance to feed.

Monday 17th, We crossed the Platte about six miles above Chimney Rock. This ford is about a mile across. We generally had to put on the strength of three wagons, as the felloes of each wagon generally buried themselves in gravel and sand. Commencing a little past five, we crossed one hundred and eighty wagons till dark all safe. The rest of my company, or the company with Brother Henry Harriman, crossed next. Camped half a mile west of the Ford and President Young is three miles further west, on the Platte bottom. I consider that by crossing the river, six miles above Chimney Rock, we saved about ten miles travel, and the road is much the best. Our wagons, oxen, and horses stand the journey well. The brethren and sisters feel well; they can realize that we have been blessed, and we are blessed.

"William Thompson, clerk."

<Orig letter on file>