Heritage Gateways

Pioneer Date Summary

Previous | Next

07/30/1847 - Crockett

Date: July 30, 1847

Salt Lake Valley, Utah:
The Saints continued their efforts to plow and plant. They were planting all kinds of seed. Howard Egan tried on a new pair of buckskin pants made by Brother Baird. He said they were "the neatest and best fit I ever had."

The Twelve held a large Council Meeting in a tent with Captain James Brown and the other officers of the battalion. It lasted three hours. Brigham Young thought it best to send Captain Brown and some others, piloted by Samuel Brannan, to San Francisco, California, to present himself to the Army and make a report of the state of the battalion left behind at the valley. They also discussed much about what occurred on the battalion march. Dr. Sanderson's deadly use of medicine was discussed and the brethren felt he would be cursed for his crimes against the brethren.

After the meeting was concluded, they mounted horses and rode to the warm springs and also visited the hot spring. They were fascinated by it and felt that the water could cook an egg in a few moments. They returned to camp and the brethren visited with many of the soldiers.

In the evening, at 8:00, a general meeting was held for all the brethren in the camp. The meeting was opened by three hosanna shouts ("Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb forever and ever amen") for the soldiers of the Mormon Battalion. Brigham Young, standing on a wagon made into a platform, expressed his warm feeling toward the battalion. He said they saved the Saints. He rejoiced that they were together again. He explained to the men that it was very necessary to raise the Mormon Battalion because if they would not have complied with the government requisition, "they would have treated us as enemies, and the next move would have been to have let Missouri and the adjoining states loose on us, and wipe us from the face of the earth." This was how the Mormon Battalion saved the Saints.

He stated that Joseph and Hyrum Smith would yet dwell with them on earth in a resurrected state. After the Saints died, they would shortly come forth out of their graves with resurrected bodies that no mob could kill.

He asked the battalion to start construction on a bowery to be put up on Temple Square. They would use it for their meetings. The meeting concluded at 10 p.m.

Mormon Ferry, Wyoming:
The Kearny detachment journeyed on. John W. Binley was officially discharged by General Kearny and remained with the ferrymen.

On the North Platte River, Nebraska:
More of the companies passed by Chimney Rock. Eliza R. Snow wrote: "The bluffs truly present views wildly magnificent. We arrive nearly opposite the peak which we saw yetsterday morning & encamp [Chimney Rock.] The sun has been scorching thro' the day tho' the nights are like October." Others reached Scotts Bluff. Jesse W. Crosby wrote: "Some men went to visit these heights; they found some creatures and killed them; that they called Mountain Goat; they resemble our sheep except the wool."

California:
The men killed all their beef cattle (about twenty-six) and worked at drying all the meet and packing it away.

Sources:

• William Clayton's Journal, p.327
• Watson, ed., Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 568
• Howard Egan Diary, Pioneering the West, 112
• Luman Shurtliff Journal, typescript, BYU, 75
• Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 3:243-44
• Bagley, ed., The Pioneer Camp of the Saints, 245
• Jesse W. Crosby Journal, typescript, BYU, 38
• The Journal of Robert S. Bliss, Utah Historical Quarterly, 4:112
• Journal of William Empey, Annals of Wyoming, 21:143
• Beecher, ed., The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow, 188

Source: 150 Years Ago Today ©These materials have been created by David R. Crockett. Copies of these materials may be reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit must be given to David R. Crockett. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of Mr. Crockett, Tucson Az, crockett@goodnet.com.