Preparations for the vanguard or pioneer company. The following is an extract from Heber C. Kimball’s diary:”Nauvoo Temple, Dec. 31, 1845:—President Young and myself are superintending the operations of the day, examining maps with reference to selecting a location for the Saints west of the Rocky mountains, and reading the various works which have been written and published by travelers in those regions.” It took from April 5 to April 16, for the vanguard company to all finally assemble 35 miles west of Winter Quarters on the Elkhorn River and get fully organized. They started with 144 men, 2 boys and 3 women. All but Ellis Ames, who returned to Winter Quarters, April 18, because of bad health made it to the Salt Lake Valley by July 24, 1847. A cannon was brought by the Rich Company.
Route
The pioneers followed the north side of the Platte River to Ft. Laramie, then followed the Oregon Trail to Ft. Bridger, then followed the Donne-Reed trace to the Salt Lake Valley. The route became a national historic trail in 1978.
Pueblo. May 24, 1847. The rest of the Mississippi Saints left Pueblo, followed by the sick detachment of the Mormon Battalion under command of Capt. James C. Brown, May 29. [The Mississippi Saints were a group of 14 families and slaves mostly from Mississippi that followed the Oregon Trail through Kansas and Nebraska to the Platte River, hoping to rendevous with other emigrating Mormons in 1846. They continued on to Ft. Laramie. Finding no other Mormons en route, they went south to Pueblo (now Colorado) to winter. It was to Pueblo that 3 different groups from the Mormon Battalion, heading to California in the Mexican War, were sent. Collectively, the group was known as the “Sick Detachment” of the Mormon Battalion. Soldiers and Saints in Pueblo numbered about 275 persons.]
June 4. Robert Crow’s extended family (of Mississippi Saints from Pueblo) joined the second division of the camp. It consisted of 17 persons. This company had 5 wagons, 1 cart, 11 horses, 24 oxen, 22 cows, 3 bulls, and 7 calves. This small company left Pueblo the first part of May, had their share of problems along the way, and suffered the first Mormon death in the Salt Lake Valley when Crow’s grandson, Milton H. Therlkill, age 3, drowned in City Creek, 16 days after the family entered the valley.
July 29. About 100 more of the Mississippi Saints and about 150 of the Mormon Battalion, including wives and children, arrived. They had 29 wagons, one carriage, 100 horses and mules and 300 head of cattle. The population swelled to about 450 (Aug 2).
Aug 16. 71 men (incl. 31 Battalion members) returned to Winter Quarters.
Sep 19 – Oct 2. Members of the “Big Company” arrive, most between Sep 19-24.
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