130. Samuel Miles, in Nauvoo, and in the Mormon Battalion, and Sutter's Fort when Gold was discovered.
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS BLOG # 128, ABOUT SAMUEL MILES JR., NAUVOO, AND HIS TIME IN THE MORMON BATTALION AND IN CALIFORNIA AT SUTTER'S FORT WHERE GOLD WAS DISCOVERED!
We moved to Nauvoo in the fall of 1839. Then we bought a lot on the hill of the upper part of the city and a short distance to the south of the Temple site. We built a small log house on our lot and were prepared for winter.
My brother Ira who was married to Mary K. Bent before we moved from Missouri and my brother Joel made their homes in Nauvoo. Father by working at his trade (a tailor) was able to build a comfortable house the following year after we settled in the city. I attended school and became well advanced in my studies. Facilities for acquiring education were quite limited. The saints were struggling to make homes and raise something to live on. Many were prostrated with sickness, the fever, and ague so prevalent in this section. We then moved into our new house.
I taught a primary school in our log cabin at the age of 15 and the following summer went into the eastern part of the county between La Harpe and Ramus where some of our people had settled.
I obtained from a board of examiners a certificate to teach the common branches of a then common school education which followed my now occupation as a teacher. I taught 3 months and then attended school in Nauvoo in the winter months. I had the privilege of attending school taught by such men as Orson Pratt, Jesse W. Fox, William H. Woodbury, Lorin Farr, Howard Corey, Mr. Wilber and others.
The University of the City of Nauvoo was chartered by the Legislature as also a liberal City Charter for Nauvoo. I received recognition from Professor Orson Pratt as a student in the University through cards which I still retain and appreciate as a relic of it’s officers and the exertions put forth by it’s learned professor to train the youth of the saints though not permitted to remain in Nauvoo long enough to build a home for this institution of learning.
I taught at La Harpe and vicinity during the year 1843 and continued my studies in Nauvoo during the winter, and in the summer of 1844 took a school at Blandenburgh in McDonough County adjoining Hancock County on the east, here I taught 6 months. While here the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum were martyred in Carthage. Many of the mob who committed this act lived in the county where I was teaching.
I thus learned very soon of the foul act and rode to Nauvoo, to be present on the day of the funeral. As I rode home I passed through Carthage and viewed the jail and scene of the murder. I stayed in the city a few days witnessing the gloom that had come over the saints by the death of the prophet.
After the close of my school, I returned to Nauvoo shouldered my gun and took part in repelling the mobocratic outbreaks against our defenseless settlements. The gathering in of the Apostles and other elders soon followed. Father had taken a mission in the eastern states visiting many of his relatives and friends. The Temple now nearing completion was pushed ahead with much energy by the saints. I took advantage of an opportunity to visit my Uncle William Marks and family who lived at Shabery’s grove in De Kalb County Illinois where he obtained a farm in exchange for his Nauvoo property.
My uncle was very much unsettled in his mind as to who should lead the Church after the death of the Prophet. When he removed from Kirtland at the time of the exodus from Missouri he settled in Nauvoo. He was put in as president of the stake. After favoring the pretensions of different would-be leaders of the Church he at last assisted to the youthful son of the Prophet as leader. I remained through the winter of 1844-5. I returned to Nauvoo in the latter part of the year. The Temple had been completed, the saints receiving their endowments therein, Father and mother having this privilege. (Samuel Sr. and his wife Prudence Marks. Our enemies would give us no peace until we agreed to leave the state. Preparations had been going on through the winter by making wagons etc. to commence our journey to the mountains early in the season. The first company crossed the river on the ice, the twelve taking the lead of the Church with President Brigham Young as the head of the apostles.
Many were unable to sell their property or get means to make a fit out. We sold our place in June for a light team of mules and all started for the headquarters of the emigrating camps in Iowa. We arrived at Council Bluffs in July as the Mormon Battalion was being raised to fill a requisition of the government for a Battalion of 500 men to march to California to take part in the Mexican war then being waged against Mexico. While this seemed a great hardship for the saints, President Young was inspired to comply with this requisition. Many men volunteered that we might make up the number who had families left to the care of the exiled saints. I enlisted freely. The Battalion was comprised of five companies, I being in Company B. Ira and his wife were among the first to leave Nauvoo. My brother Joel and wife left Nauvoo with the Lyman Wright Company. My brother Alphonso Edwin married Louisa Shoemaker. She died before we left Nauvoo. He went off to work and we have not heard of him. (Note by Pal -- We checked, and Louisa Shoemaker hadn't had her Temple work done, and she and Alphonso had not been sealed, so we had that done. We wouldn't have known about it if Samuel hadn't written his journal!)
Our date of enlistment was July 16th 1846. Capt. Allen of the U.S. Dragons was our commander. We had our own brethren as Company officers. We were marched to Fort Leavenworth where we received our arms and pay to buy our clothing for the year, our time of enlistment. Our family, Father, Mother, brothers William, Orson and sister Sarah traveled some of the way with us down into Missouri to find employment and prepare for the winter.
The saints who were thus gathered on the frontier made preparations to go to the mountains the following season. Those who were left in Nauvoo for want of means to leave with the first companies were forced by their enemies to leave the city and cross the river and make their way west as best they could.
(PAL'S NOTE: SOME OF THIS HISTORY OF THE BATTALION IS RATHER DETAILED, BUT I DIDN'T CONDENSE IT, AS IT GIVES A BETTER IDEA OF THE PROBLEMS THEY HAD IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ IT AS HE WROTE.)
The time to the 13th of August was spent at the Fort breaking mules for our teams and making preparations for our long march to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Brother William Hyde and I had bought an Indian pony which we rode alternately making our journey much less wearisome. After some delay waiting for the companies in the rear and also the sick left in the Hospital, the Battalion were all together and resumed our march August 22nd.
I kept a brief daily journal. Capt. Allen our leader who had remained behind at the fort from sickness, died August 23rd 1846. We realized that we had lost a kind, sympathetic friend. While Capt. Jefferson Hunt our senior Capt. was the choice of all to take charge of the Battalion, Lt. Smith a regular army officer left by Gen. Kearney to bring up the rear of the army marching west to California now arrived at our camp and it was thought best by our officers to give him the command of the Battalion. This putting of Lt. Smith in command when it was the right of Capt. Hunt to succeed, proved a hardship to the Battalion. Much sickness was experienced while Dr. Sandersen our physician forced his medicines down the men against their will so that our situation through these cruel officers was very hard on us. (There is a lot written about this Dr. Sandersen, and how his medicine was bad for the men.) I was blessed with good health. I assisted the orderly or first Sergeant of our company in making out his reports of the company, etc.
A small detachment was sent under Capt. Higgins of the sick and some of the families to winter up on the Arkansas River. They parted with us on the 16th of September. We continued our march and arrived in Santa Fe on the 9th of October. The Battalion was here put under the command of Lt. Col. Philip St. George Cooke. Another detachment under Capt. Brown was sent from here to winter at Pueblo mostly of the sick and those not able to make the long march to California and most of the women.
On the 19th of October, the Battalion resumed its march. Our draft animals were mostly worn down by the long journey from Ft. Leavenworth. We were now reduced to 344 rations. Our route lay down the Rio Del Norte.Bro. William Hyde and I sold our mule to Lt. P.C. Merrill on the 2nd of November on his appointment as Adj. of the Battalion.
On the 10th of November a detachment of 55 men under Lt. Willis, mostly sick, were sent back to Pueblo. After traveling on the river over 300 miles we left it, turning to the west. Our route lay over an unknown country to our guides. We crossed the backbone of the Rocky Mountains taking our wagons down with great difficulty by unloading them and packing our supplies on mules. We shortly reached an old Mexican deserted ranch where we found wild cattle. We killed and dried some of the meat which satisfied our hunger after being so long on half rations and some of the time on much less.
We passed through the old Mexican town of Tucson where was posted a body of soldiers who vacated the post on our approach. We found wheat stored here, some of which we used for ourselves and animals. After resting a couple of days we resumed our march over desert country of 75 miles to the Gila River where the Pima Indians were located. Much hardship and suffering were the result of this long march with little water.
After resting a few days and getting some supplies from the friendly Pima Indians, we resumed our march down the Gila River to its junction with the Colorado River which was forded by our teams. The men and baggage were taken across in our pontoon wagon boxes. Here our last tedious march of nearly 90 miles across sandy country with very little water (which was obtained by cleaning out dried up wells) was made. Some supplies of beef cattle met us on this long stretch which helped to relieve our suffering. We reached San Diego on the Pacific Coast the 20th of January 1847.
We remained here only a few days when the Battalion was ordered to Garrison San Luis Rey, some 50 miles distant where we arrived on the 3rd of February. Here we were exercised in the regular Army drill by the Col. On the 15th of February Company B to which I belonged were ordered to Garrison San Diego. I acted as Commissioned Sergeant while here.
The march of the Mormon Battalion is considered the longest infantry march in history.
I assisted the Alcalde or Judge to administer the Common law now in force in California, kept his court record and made out his report to the acting Military Governor. Our company remained here until the time of our discharge when we were marched to Los Angeles where with the other Companies of the Battalion who were quartered here were all discharged on the 16th of July which completed the term of our enlistment.
Some of the Battalion sufficient to make up one company (30 men) reenlisted for another year to Garrison San Diego. A large company intending to return to our families and friends, being a majority of those who did not reenlist, was organized. On the 21st the pioneer company started our route which lay near the base of the California mountains some 600 miles to Sutter’s Fort on the Sacramento River. One pack animal and one or more riding animals to each man.
We reached Sutter’s Fort after traveling through a wild and seldom traveled region crossing large streams with rafts. We now added to our store of provisions and started to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains by the Emigrant wagon road. While in the mountains I was taken with the chills and fever which caused me much distress to travel and attend to my animals. I requested the brethren to administer to me which they did and I was healed not having another chill.
We passed the camps of the immigrants who were caught in the mountains the previous winter where many perished by starvation, the remains of some being still in view. (The Donner Party) After passing over the mountains we met Samuel Brannon returning to California he having gone out to meet the pioneers with President Young. We were shortly met by Capt. Brown of the Pueblo detachment going to California to draw their pay. He brought word from President Young and the authorities at Salt lake that on account of the scarcity of provisions at the Valley that those not having families there or not intending to go through to the station to winter had better remain in California for the winter. This word caused about one half of our company to return.
We of the return company made our way immediately to Sutter’s Fort where most of the Brethren obtained work from Capt. Sutter. Bro. Zadok Judd and myself made our way on horseback to San Francisco most of the way being an unsettled part of the country. On our way we passed through a settlement on the San Joaquin River made by some of the saints who came to California in the ship Brooklyn with Samuel Brannan as their leader in 1846-7. They were among the first families of Americans to colonize California and build the city of San Francisco. Here we found our brethren and employment. I remained here about two months chopping cord wood on the sand hills near the town and other labor. There were others of the discharged members of the Battalion here who had made their way up the coast.
I now obtained employment as clerk in a store in Benicia on the bay through a recommend from Samuel Brannan to Mr. Von Phister, the owner, who came to California in the ship Brooklyn as a passenger with the saints. Most of the customers being native Californians, I had a good opportunity to add to my understanding of the Spanish language both in the store and in traveling among the customers on the borders of the Suesumbag and vicinity to collect grain sent by launches to the San Francisco market. After being here about six months the gold mines just discovered at Sutter’s Mill caused a great rush to that part of the country and Samuel Brannan was making arrangements to sell goods at Sutter’s Fort. He came to Benicia and requested my employer to let me go with him to assist in the business and as Capt. Von Phister also decided to close his store and go to the mines he gave his consent for me to go.
I remained clerking in the store of Mr. Brannan about two months at Sutter’s Fort. The trade at the store was very large being then the only place of supplies near the placer mines lately discovered. The time had now come (July 1848) for the brethren to start for the Salt Lake Valley. Most of them had done well in washing out the gold from the river sands most of them being near the spot at the discovery. I was able to make a good fit out for the return home. A company with teams preceded our pack company across the mountains making a new road by the Carson River route. Our pack company overtook them and assisted them. Our company numbered about fifty, mostly those who had returned after meeting Capt. Brown the previous season.
NEXT ENTRY TELLS OF RETURNING TO SALT LAKE VALLEY, MARRYING, EVENTUALLY BEING CALLED TO HELP SETTLE ST. GEORGE, UTAH, IN 1862.
We moved to Nauvoo in the fall of 1839. Then we bought a lot on the hill of the upper part of the city and a short distance to the south of the Temple site. We built a small log house on our lot and were prepared for winter.
My brother Ira who was married to Mary K. Bent before we moved from Missouri and my brother Joel made their homes in Nauvoo. Father by working at his trade (a tailor) was able to build a comfortable house the following year after we settled in the city. I attended school and became well advanced in my studies. Facilities for acquiring education were quite limited. The saints were struggling to make homes and raise something to live on. Many were prostrated with sickness, the fever, and ague so prevalent in this section. We then moved into our new house.
I taught a primary school in our log cabin at the age of 15 and the following summer went into the eastern part of the county between La Harpe and Ramus where some of our people had settled.
The University of the City of Nauvoo was chartered by the Legislature as also a liberal City Charter for Nauvoo. I received recognition from Professor Orson Pratt as a student in the University through cards which I still retain and appreciate as a relic of it’s officers and the exertions put forth by it’s learned professor to train the youth of the saints though not permitted to remain in Nauvoo long enough to build a home for this institution of learning.
I taught at La Harpe and vicinity during the year 1843 and continued my studies in Nauvoo during the winter, and in the summer of 1844 took a school at Blandenburgh in McDonough County adjoining Hancock County on the east, here I taught 6 months. While here the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum were martyred in Carthage. Many of the mob who committed this act lived in the county where I was teaching.
I thus learned very soon of the foul act and rode to Nauvoo, to be present on the day of the funeral. As I rode home I passed through Carthage and viewed the jail and scene of the murder. I stayed in the city a few days witnessing the gloom that had come over the saints by the death of the prophet.
After the close of my school, I returned to Nauvoo shouldered my gun and took part in repelling the mobocratic outbreaks against our defenseless settlements. The gathering in of the Apostles and other elders soon followed. Father had taken a mission in the eastern states visiting many of his relatives and friends. The Temple now nearing completion was pushed ahead with much energy by the saints. I took advantage of an opportunity to visit my Uncle William Marks and family who lived at Shabery’s grove in De Kalb County Illinois where he obtained a farm in exchange for his Nauvoo property.
My uncle was very much unsettled in his mind as to who should lead the Church after the death of the Prophet. When he removed from Kirtland at the time of the exodus from Missouri he settled in Nauvoo. He was put in as president of the stake. After favoring the pretensions of different would-be leaders of the Church he at last assisted to the youthful son of the Prophet as leader. I remained through the winter of 1844-5. I returned to Nauvoo in the latter part of the year. The Temple had been completed, the saints receiving their endowments therein, Father and mother having this privilege. (Samuel Sr. and his wife Prudence Marks. Our enemies would give us no peace until we agreed to leave the state. Preparations had been going on through the winter by making wagons etc. to commence our journey to the mountains early in the season. The first company crossed the river on the ice, the twelve taking the lead of the Church with President Brigham Young as the head of the apostles.
Many were unable to sell their property or get means to make a fit out. We sold our place in June for a light team of mules and all started for the headquarters of the emigrating camps in Iowa. We arrived at Council Bluffs in July as the Mormon Battalion was being raised to fill a requisition of the government for a Battalion of 500 men to march to California to take part in the Mexican war then being waged against Mexico. While this seemed a great hardship for the saints, President Young was inspired to comply with this requisition. Many men volunteered that we might make up the number who had families left to the care of the exiled saints. I enlisted freely. The Battalion was comprised of five companies, I being in Company B. Ira and his wife were among the first to leave Nauvoo. My brother Joel and wife left Nauvoo with the Lyman Wright Company. My brother Alphonso Edwin married Louisa Shoemaker. She died before we left Nauvoo. He went off to work and we have not heard of him. (Note by Pal -- We checked, and Louisa Shoemaker hadn't had her Temple work done, and she and Alphonso had not been sealed, so we had that done. We wouldn't have known about it if Samuel hadn't written his journal!)
Our date of enlistment was July 16th 1846. Capt. Allen of the U.S. Dragons was our commander. We had our own brethren as Company officers. We were marched to Fort Leavenworth where we received our arms and pay to buy our clothing for the year, our time of enlistment. Our family, Father, Mother, brothers William, Orson and sister Sarah traveled some of the way with us down into Missouri to find employment and prepare for the winter.
The saints who were thus gathered on the frontier made preparations to go to the mountains the following season. Those who were left in Nauvoo for want of means to leave with the first companies were forced by their enemies to leave the city and cross the river and make their way west as best they could.
(PAL'S NOTE: SOME OF THIS HISTORY OF THE BATTALION IS RATHER DETAILED, BUT I DIDN'T CONDENSE IT, AS IT GIVES A BETTER IDEA OF THE PROBLEMS THEY HAD IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ IT AS HE WROTE.)
The time to the 13th of August was spent at the Fort breaking mules for our teams and making preparations for our long march to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Brother William Hyde and I had bought an Indian pony which we rode alternately making our journey much less wearisome. After some delay waiting for the companies in the rear and also the sick left in the Hospital, the Battalion were all together and resumed our march August 22nd.
I kept a brief daily journal. Capt. Allen our leader who had remained behind at the fort from sickness, died August 23rd 1846. We realized that we had lost a kind, sympathetic friend. While Capt. Jefferson Hunt our senior Capt. was the choice of all to take charge of the Battalion, Lt. Smith a regular army officer left by Gen. Kearney to bring up the rear of the army marching west to California now arrived at our camp and it was thought best by our officers to give him the command of the Battalion. This putting of Lt. Smith in command when it was the right of Capt. Hunt to succeed, proved a hardship to the Battalion. Much sickness was experienced while Dr. Sandersen our physician forced his medicines down the men against their will so that our situation through these cruel officers was very hard on us. (There is a lot written about this Dr. Sandersen, and how his medicine was bad for the men.) I was blessed with good health. I assisted the orderly or first Sergeant of our company in making out his reports of the company, etc.
A small detachment was sent under Capt. Higgins of the sick and some of the families to winter up on the Arkansas River. They parted with us on the 16th of September. We continued our march and arrived in Santa Fe on the 9th of October. The Battalion was here put under the command of Lt. Col. Philip St. George Cooke. Another detachment under Capt. Brown was sent from here to winter at Pueblo mostly of the sick and those not able to make the long march to California and most of the women.
On the 19th of October, the Battalion resumed its march. Our draft animals were mostly worn down by the long journey from Ft. Leavenworth. We were now reduced to 344 rations. Our route lay down the Rio Del Norte.Bro. William Hyde and I sold our mule to Lt. P.C. Merrill on the 2nd of November on his appointment as Adj. of the Battalion.
On the 10th of November a detachment of 55 men under Lt. Willis, mostly sick, were sent back to Pueblo. After traveling on the river over 300 miles we left it, turning to the west. Our route lay over an unknown country to our guides. We crossed the backbone of the Rocky Mountains taking our wagons down with great difficulty by unloading them and packing our supplies on mules. We shortly reached an old Mexican deserted ranch where we found wild cattle. We killed and dried some of the meat which satisfied our hunger after being so long on half rations and some of the time on much less.
We passed through the old Mexican town of Tucson where was posted a body of soldiers who vacated the post on our approach. We found wheat stored here, some of which we used for ourselves and animals. After resting a couple of days we resumed our march over desert country of 75 miles to the Gila River where the Pima Indians were located. Much hardship and suffering were the result of this long march with little water.
After resting a few days and getting some supplies from the friendly Pima Indians, we resumed our march down the Gila River to its junction with the Colorado River which was forded by our teams. The men and baggage were taken across in our pontoon wagon boxes. Here our last tedious march of nearly 90 miles across sandy country with very little water (which was obtained by cleaning out dried up wells) was made. Some supplies of beef cattle met us on this long stretch which helped to relieve our suffering. We reached San Diego on the Pacific Coast the 20th of January 1847.
We remained here only a few days when the Battalion was ordered to Garrison San Luis Rey, some 50 miles distant where we arrived on the 3rd of February. Here we were exercised in the regular Army drill by the Col. On the 15th of February Company B to which I belonged were ordered to Garrison San Diego. I acted as Commissioned Sergeant while here.
The march of the Mormon Battalion is considered the longest infantry march in history.
I assisted the Alcalde or Judge to administer the Common law now in force in California, kept his court record and made out his report to the acting Military Governor. Our company remained here until the time of our discharge when we were marched to Los Angeles where with the other Companies of the Battalion who were quartered here were all discharged on the 16th of July which completed the term of our enlistment.
Some of the Battalion sufficient to make up one company (30 men) reenlisted for another year to Garrison San Diego. A large company intending to return to our families and friends, being a majority of those who did not reenlist, was organized. On the 21st the pioneer company started our route which lay near the base of the California mountains some 600 miles to Sutter’s Fort on the Sacramento River. One pack animal and one or more riding animals to each man.
We reached Sutter’s Fort after traveling through a wild and seldom traveled region crossing large streams with rafts. We now added to our store of provisions and started to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains by the Emigrant wagon road. While in the mountains I was taken with the chills and fever which caused me much distress to travel and attend to my animals. I requested the brethren to administer to me which they did and I was healed not having another chill.
We passed the camps of the immigrants who were caught in the mountains the previous winter where many perished by starvation, the remains of some being still in view. (The Donner Party) After passing over the mountains we met Samuel Brannon returning to California he having gone out to meet the pioneers with President Young. We were shortly met by Capt. Brown of the Pueblo detachment going to California to draw their pay. He brought word from President Young and the authorities at Salt lake that on account of the scarcity of provisions at the Valley that those not having families there or not intending to go through to the station to winter had better remain in California for the winter. This word caused about one half of our company to return.
We of the return company made our way immediately to Sutter’s Fort where most of the Brethren obtained work from Capt. Sutter. Bro. Zadok Judd and myself made our way on horseback to San Francisco most of the way being an unsettled part of the country. On our way we passed through a settlement on the San Joaquin River made by some of the saints who came to California in the ship Brooklyn with Samuel Brannan as their leader in 1846-7. They were among the first families of Americans to colonize California and build the city of San Francisco. Here we found our brethren and employment. I remained here about two months chopping cord wood on the sand hills near the town and other labor. There were others of the discharged members of the Battalion here who had made their way up the coast.
I now obtained employment as clerk in a store in Benicia on the bay through a recommend from Samuel Brannan to Mr. Von Phister, the owner, who came to California in the ship Brooklyn as a passenger with the saints. Most of the customers being native Californians, I had a good opportunity to add to my understanding of the Spanish language both in the store and in traveling among the customers on the borders of the Suesumbag and vicinity to collect grain sent by launches to the San Francisco market. After being here about six months the gold mines just discovered at Sutter’s Mill caused a great rush to that part of the country and Samuel Brannan was making arrangements to sell goods at Sutter’s Fort. He came to Benicia and requested my employer to let me go with him to assist in the business and as Capt. Von Phister also decided to close his store and go to the mines he gave his consent for me to go.
I remained clerking in the store of Mr. Brannan about two months at Sutter’s Fort. The trade at the store was very large being then the only place of supplies near the placer mines lately discovered. The time had now come (July 1848) for the brethren to start for the Salt Lake Valley. Most of them had done well in washing out the gold from the river sands most of them being near the spot at the discovery. I was able to make a good fit out for the return home. A company with teams preceded our pack company across the mountains making a new road by the Carson River route. Our pack company overtook them and assisted them. Our company numbered about fifty, mostly those who had returned after meeting Capt. Brown the previous season.
NEXT ENTRY TELLS OF RETURNING TO SALT LAKE VALLEY, MARRYING, EVENTUALLY BEING CALLED TO HELP SETTLE ST. GEORGE, UTAH, IN 1862.
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