MARTINS MARlIN A S B l 4 1 I COMPANY 1856 1 i By JosIah Rogerson No 4 Finishing article No 3 with the roadside death of William Edwards opposite Fort Kearney Neb I resume my narrative with a paragraph as to the order and discipline of the camp campI I From the date we left Iowa hill hillI I Iowa July 26 56 Brother Drother John Watkins Wat Watkins kins was our bugler and his cornet was waa heard every morning to wake wako up between 5 and 6 Then again we heard his cornet to strike tents and to meeting not later than 6 or 7 a m These meetings every morning last lasted lasted lasted ed from fifteen minutes to half an hour when prayer was offered a verse Terse or two sung from one of our hymns then thena a few remarks from Captain Martin MarUn Tyler and the captains of the hundreds as to the health and condition of their companies and suggestions as to facil facile e stating our progress then our break breakfast breakfast breakfast fast cooked and partaken of with haste hasto the tho tent poles and about this date the tents were taken to the four 1 I mule team the bedding rolled up the cart packed and we wo were generally In Inline inline line Itne in single file and on our journey by to 8 a m at the tho latest Mode and Manner of Traveling Father George P Waugh then be between between between tween 65 and 70 years of age would be bl seen and heard calling between the tents tent for tor his company to muster be between between between tween 7 and a m These consist consisted ed of all the aged that could walk at atall atall all alland and not required to pull at the carts our fathers and mothers from 45 IS ISto to 86 Away they would start ahead of our seven wagons and the carts singing and talking and cheering each other with the hallowed reminiscences of at the tha early days of the tile gospel in the British Isles and the days of Orson Hyde Parley P Pratt and Willard Villard Richards Traveling three to five miles mUes or more moro in this manner the mother with the babe in arms and one by the hand h nd the widow and the aged widower with their walking cane and staff would rest a few minutes for our com coming comIng coming ing in is sight then on at it again till noon but betimes leaving the little ones and the young oung for tor their father tather with the cart to pick up and bring to camp The oldest and most feeble of this advance guard would be picked up by the tho wagons as often as possible and as the loads were lightened by our dally rations The able and hardy of this advance guard Captain Martin would general generally generalI ly I ride ahead of ot us a few tew miles and locate the noon camp would be there the matron and the sire also with their flour and packs filled with fuel to cook the noon meal An hour or two for our noon rest then were were going again the same aged advance guard ahead of ot us with Father Waugh who was returning from his mission of three thre years ears to Scotland and one of at the most devoted Scottish worthies that ever came to Utah Stopping for tor noon we all aU dropped our carts single file in linein line Une linein in our several hundreds At nights we made camp Climp In n the same manner the tents in line Une one above or below the other and the carts un an unloaded unloaded loaded at the back or rear of the tent and a rod or more space between each line Une of tents as ns the location and evenness of at the ground would permit At times and nd particularly from the th I Loup Fork to Fort Kearney and to Fort Laramie our and provi provision provision provision sion wagons the wagon and the light spring wagon of Captain I Martin would be placed In the center of the camp on account of at the hostility of the Cheyenne Indians that had had hada a brush or two with the United States troops near there a week or two before and of which the commander at Fort Kearney apprised us by his letter nailed on a cracker box on a apost apost apost post as we passed in front of at Fort Kearney Our mules were picketed at nights and over ocr then a very vigilant watch was waR kept The oxen and fifty head of cows and some beef cattle were guard el faithfully by b Tylers platoons night nightly ly h There were three companies of Unit United United United ed States troops stationed at Fort Kearney at this time and I find In Captain John A Hunts journal a few days after we wo passed that the com commander commander commander mander there thero or one of his captains seeing Hunts wagon company passing rode rodo out and cautioned him to see to their arms be on their guard day and night till they passed Laramie advis advising ing them of the recent decent trouble with the and that the Sioux ahead were not more to be trusted than the Guard Duty I Our night guarding begun as soon as the oxen were unyoked and the mules not later than 6 to 7 p m The moment we dropped our cart we had to spring to this arduous duty every over other night for tor six hours One week every night as soon as we reached camp until midnight our out mothers fathers or sisters bringing us usa usa usa a bito of supper after they got it cooked and while still on guard and the next week every other night roused from our quilts by midnight t tand and on guard till 6 a m when the oxen and mules were ordered to be brought for tor yoking and harnessing harnes and und one of at the tho most trying and im important important important of ot our annals right here in place lace that the most mo hardy and sound of body that ever eer crossed the plains of Nebraska and Wyoming could en endure endure endure dure was six whole nights straight ahead guarding one week pulling DUlling the cart every overy day twenty to miles a day da between Kearney and La Laramie Laramie ramie and the only winks the writer got In this service was from 6 to 7 a aTO tn TO while his mother was cooking him R n little breakfast Recorder Bleak steaks speaks of a heavy thunder shower during this week which I well wen remember though only a aboy aboy aboy boy of 15 years ears of age It was between midnight and 3 or 3 a m My com corn companion companion panion on guard had sung out the hour r and all an well The rain clouds seemed only a few feet teet from the grass ass on which our oxen were trying to till nIl up for the next days journey journe Dark as pitch the rain commenced to fall as asIt asIt asit It only does fall tall on the meadows of oC Iowa and the prairies of Nebraska and the vivid lightning flashed so that we could see clearly the shape of the th ox and his color Exhausted and weary wear beyond endurance by the loss of six nights sleep and rest I laid down in tho he rain in a red blanket with my United States unloaded gripped d dIn In my hands and fell asleep in th t I shower and slept till tm the guard com coming comIng coma I a ing for tor the watchword found me In tic lilt water It was reported to Tyler tad at the meeting next morning I confession to the whole camp for tor rc of o duty Hand Carts Ox Teams and Pullman P Sleeping Cars What a contrast in j the plains of America then with A Il hand handcart handcart cart and now a Pullman sleeps slee terl fI 1 Well Wellmay Wellmay may maya a few of the tho l i l of oC th revolutionary fathers and the not too t o many sons and daughters still livi 1111 y In Salt Lake of the pioneers of 1847 1547 take an Interest in the perpetua perpetuation tion of their memories and the vaton aton t at of their records but the future will say that none the less lead nead of praise is due and none the themore nore more worthy Of pf record that th t ever crossed the tho plains or demonstrated their firmness of or faith and adherence to Mormonism than the tho members of the handcart companies of 1856 Journey From Ft Kearney to Larae Laramie Lara e mie Again to our diary and travels Tuesday Sept 16 Traveled nine miles Some of the Jaen went in search of buffalo but turned unsuccessful and we must read that notwithstanding notwithstanding notwithstanding standing we had ad uw nAP traveled In and I across the annual trail of the bison for tor the last two weeks our captain and the shots In the camp had not killed one and only seen some at a distance in the field glass and telescope It has hass been a wonder since then why we see hundreds and thousands as aJ the trains in the years ars previous had to goad and scare them hem off the road as the ox teams passed and the absence and dearth of at the buffalo continued throughout our entire jour journey journey journey ney Wednesday Sept 17 17 Traveled fifteen miles A Avery very high wind all day and blowing against us all the day Thursday Sept 18 Traveled twenty twentythree twentythree twentythree three miles mUes According to William Claytons guide book took written in 1847 1817 we are now miles nilles from Winter Quarters Friday Sept 19 Traveled seventeen miles to Pawnee swamp Saturday Sept 20 Traveled thirteen miles A very wet afternoon Sunday Sept 21 Traveled five miles Did not start till tm the afternoon Monday Sept 22 Traveled eight miles No Incident but making good progress through the sandhill country Tuesday Sept 23 Traveled twelve miles mUes We Ve are now miles from Salt Lake City Some of the wagon wagon com companies companies Hunts and Hodgetts who had dad been traveling close to us since pass passIng p passing ss Ing Fort Kearney killed da a buffalo today lo to loday day which they kindly presented to tous tous tous us A very sandy road today and we we passed the remains of Colonel Bab Dab Babbitts Babbitts bitts wagon agon which had been burned by the Indians to the right of at the road and near a a small spring of f water coming com coming comIng ing out of the toot foot f ot of a sandhill Wednesday Sept 24 Traveled fit fifteen fifteen teen miles Today we ve some ar articles articles of clothing stained fth t th blood bloodw w i The wagon company picked up parts of ofa ofa ofa a mans body which was waa supposed to belong to Thomas Margetts Thursday Sept 25 Traveled thirteen miles Friday Sept 26 Traveled eleven miles mUes Saturday Sept 27 Traveled seven miles Sand very soft sott and deep very hard pulling and hauling Amy Web Webster Webster Webster ster the daughter of or the late Francis and Elizabeth Webster of Cedar City Iron county Utah for over fifty years was born here today on the south side of the Platte river Making Good Time to Laramie Sunday Sept 28 Traveled sixteen miles Monday Sept 29 Traveled twenty miles Tuesday T Sept 3 Traveled eleven miles mlle a ry o A Wednesday Oct 1 Traveled twenty miles Thursday Oct 2 Traveled eighteen miles Today we met some somo apostates returning from the valley Utah also some soldiers hunting Indians and we wc sighted Chimney rock this morning Friday Oct 3 Traveled seventeen miles Passed Chimney rock this afternoon aft afternoon afternoon Now we are about eighty five miles from Fort Laramie Wyo Saturday Oct 4 Traveled fifteen miles mUel and nd passed through Scotts bluffs Apostle Parley P Pratt and anda a company of missionaries going to the states and other points cast passed at atthe atthe atthe the same time to the north of the bluffs and between there and the Platte river During the last seven days we had made miles with only a few deaths averaging nearly seven seventeen seventeen seventeen teen miles per day and every member i four miles losing nearly neary a day ay in the walking the entire distance that was able to walk Sunday Oct 5 Traveled fifteen miles Monday Oct 6 Traveled only eight miles in consequence of ot a sister having been missed She went to the river to get some come water last night but return After a fruitless search this morning we found she had been with Captain Hodgetts company all aU night j We passed Rawhide creek on our Jour Journey journey I Iney ney today Tuesday Oct 7 Traveled seventeen s miles and passed a trading post 1 Wednesday Oct 8 Traveled foun teen miles mlle today and camped In sight of and about three or four miles to the northeast of Fort Laramie Wyo V Dur During Dur During DurIng ing the last four tour days we covered fifty y Continued on Page 12 3 1 9 ti Martins Handcart Company 1856 Continued from Page 7 search for the missing sister ster on the and making miles In eleven eleen days Fort Laramie During the afternoon while resting here numbers If It not all that had any money left went to the fort and pur purchased purchased purchased chased from the Butler there some Borne tea coffee cortee sugar Babbitts and soda black and cayenne pepper crack crackers ers bacon etc of which our supply that we had brought from Florence Neb had been getting gettins short for the past week or two Hints were made to tous tous tous us while here as to the early fall of snow which we might look for in the next to miles but the days were sunshiny and pleasant and the nights only cool enough to sleep good There were three companies of United States Infantry and cavalry stationed here company G In charge of Cap Captain Captain tain Ketchum company C In charge of Captain William Foote and company com company pany any D In charge of First Lieutenant CarUn Carlin commanding the captain of this company being east at this time and Colonel Huffman was the com commanding commanding commanding manding officer at the fort Provisions and Rations Up to this point and since leaving Iowa Jowa City we had covered 14 mils Including all aU delays as recorded In days or ten weeks with I the cleanings up of that years em emigration emigration and comprising the halt lame feeble and from the babe In the arms armsto armsto armsto to the East Indian veteran Father Wood aged 86 who weathered the journey to Fort Bridger but there suc succumbed succumbed succumbed Our rations during these ten weeks was one pound of flour per day for adults six sir ounces for the children un under under under der 9 years a few ounces o of bacon in proportion to the flour and the adults and children and once or twice a week a few ounces of tea and sugar to the family aged and feeble with some of Babbitts and soda to leaven the bread therewith but which in too many Instances made the unleavened dough cake look as though it had a abad abad bad attack of Jaundice Even with the above rations limited in variety and quantity the able bodied adults and had stood the Journey fairly well and were all right and good for another miles mUes but tout the every other night guarding for six hours was beginning to tell on the fathers of families and the less hardy young men who were now showing the effects of such hardship In their lean and haggard faces and frames Enlistments at Laramie The three companies of United States troops at Laramie were not full In their enrollment and lacked from to men in each company Inducements and persuasions persua persuasions persuasions were offered and made to num numbers numbers numbers bers of or our young oung men to enlist that had lad gone to the fort in the he afternoon and not risk their lives Jn n the farther O miles mUes Journey from there them to Salt Lake that season The comfortable adobe ad be quarters and the snug and warm log rooms were quite tempting for a winters rest with plenty to eat and though none stopped that day Wed Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Oct 8 yet on the evening of the second day following after we had h hl traveled and gone seventeen midwest miles mid l west of Laramie William Ashton a married man with a wife and five chil chili children dren left them all and the company i this thin evening with Samuel Sam eel Blackham and land I Aaron Harrison the two tw latter 1 M single men and another young man a 3 cripple aged about 22 years ears walked that night back to Laramie and en enlisted enlisted enlisted listed The cripple was Justified in so doing as we certainly certain should have buried him miles east of Utah but the married mans wife died before reach reaching reachIng reaching ing Utah and three of her children got in In fairly good health James Thomas and Mary Jane Thom Thomas as both