Pioneer 1847 Companies

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1847: April 17-23 Good Progress Over the Flat Nebraska Plain

Date: April 17, 1847

The fairly level Nebraska prairie allowed the Mormon pioneers to make good time as they followed the north bank of the Platte River.

Each day the company paused for an hour or two in the middle of the march to allow the animals to rest, drink and graze. Otherwise the teams would exhaust themselves before it was time to make camp in the evening.

The pioneers passed a large Indian village on April 21 near what is now Columbus, Neb., and more than 200 Pawnee turned out to greet them and ask for gifts.

Late in the week, the Loup River took the company away from the Platte and forced the pioneers to cross the wide stream to get back to the banks of the Platte. Attempts to ford the Loup were frustrated on April 23 because of quicksand under the shallow water

Source: 111 Days to Zion

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