Elder John Taylor,

Dear Brother: I presume ere this reaches you, that you will have seen Elder Daniel Spencer, and learned of him the result of our labors in fitting out the emigration, and that Elder Milo Andrus, as well as myself, is homeward bound. The last company left Mormon Grove on the 3d inst., and Elder C.H. Bassett, and myself left for Salt Lake at 2 1/2 P.M. of the same day, in company with the mail, traveling in our carriage drawn by four mules. We passed the last three companies of our emigration before we reached the Big Blue, and Hooper and Williams' two trains at that stream. The five first companies are still far in advance of us. We expect to overtake their rear (Bro. Bablantyne's [Richard Ballantyne's] Co.) in the vicinity of Fort Laramie. We have been meeting and passing, every few minutes, trains passing up and down, conveying Government stores to the Forts.

There are now at Fort Kearny five companies of Infantry and two of Dragoons, also two companies of each at Laramie. Gen. Harney, with other troops, was expected at Fort Kearny about the 12th. The commanding officer at that place informed us that he was under orders to hold himself and forces in readiness for a sixty days' campaign, and was then weighing their rations into their wagons, and for that reason could not send an escort with the mail. We have, however, had no use for one, not having seen any signs of Indians since we passed the Pawnees, on Little Blue.

We understood at Fort Kearny that the expedition would be first directed toward the Sioux's, over in the direction of Fort Lapier, or between here and the Missouri River. We met the Salt Lake mail for July, on Little Blue, it had laid by twelve days at Devils Gate waiting for an escort. We hope to meet the August mail in a few days and I embrace this opportunity, while in camp, to drop you these few lines to send by it.

Wishing you and Elder Felt every needful blessing in your labors and triumphant success of "The Mormon," I remain your brother in the gospel of peace, Erastus Snow.