This is another in a weekly series of day-by-day summaries of what transpired 150 years ago during the Saints' 1846-47 trek from Nauvoo, Ill., to the Salt Lake Valley. The compiler, David R. Crockett, is a member of the Church Pioneer Sesquicentennial Committee.
Sunday, Dec. 6, 1846:
It was a cold day in Winter Quarters, with snow and sleet. No public Sunday meeting was held.
Monday, Dec. 7:
Many of the Saints in Winter Quarters were busy at work, building their houses and laboring in various other activities. Harriet Young, wife of Lorenzo Dow Young, spent the day dipping more than 300 wicks for candles. The Stillman Pond family lost another child, their eighth to die since they started their journey to the West.
Tuesday, Dec. 8:
The sun broke through the clouds, making it a pleasant day in Winter Quarters. Sister Harriet Young visited the mourning Pond family. Her husband, Lorenzo Dow Young, recorded that she "found them in a suffering condition. One of their daughters lay a corpse in the house, and one they buried yesterday and another 5 days previous. They are truly an afflicted family. I sent some beans and some onions to them."
Wednesday, Dec. 9:
At 3 a.m., six gunshots were heard in the camp, followed by "the most hideous cry" and the barking of dogs. Big Head, an Omaha Indian chief, was camping north of Winter Quarters with his family and relatives. They had been attacked in their sleep by a band of Iowa Indians. Big Head was severely wounded in the head, arm and hand. A squaw's arm was shattered, and later had to be amputated. Another brave had a severe head wound. The Saints rallied to help this wounded family, and brought them into their homes for protection and medical attention.
The Missouri River was frozen solid. Three wagons crossed over on the ice.
Thursday, Dec. 10:
The weather was cloudy and cold. Hosea Stout was proud of his latest creation: "Today I made myself a pair of leggins after the real rude Indian fashion which was of more real service against the `chilling blast' than I had before imagined and I confess that I am much taken with them."
Friday, Dec. 11:
During the morning, the Mormon Battalion experienced the only skirmish of its long march - "The Battle of the Bulls." As the battalion marched down to the San Pedro river bottom, a few wild bulls charged toward the ranks. One bull trapped Sgt. Albert Smith with his horns. Sgt. Smith's ribs were severely bruised, but the horns passed harmlessly on both sides of his body. After these bulls were killed, as the men were watering their mules at the river, many more wild bulls charged.
Great confusion soon reigned as guns were fired and soldiers ran for the protection of wagons or trees. Levi Fifield was pursued by a bull, but could not find safety. His only choice was to throw himself flat on the ground. The bull jumped over Pvt. Fifield and left him unharmed.
When the dust cleared, Battalion members counted about 20 bulls lying on the battle field. Cpl. Thomas Dunn predicted, "This is a day that will long be remembered by some and perhaps most of the Battalion."
Saturday, Dec. 12:
Maj. Miller, Indian agent; and Logan Fontenelle, interpreter; visited Willard Richards to investigate the shooting of Omaha Chief Big Head's family. Afterwards, Fontenelle stayed to discuss the routes to the west. He did not recommend taking a northern route, to the head waters of the Yellowstone River. He said that the soil there was sandy and contained clay, making it unsuitable for raising grain. Instead, he recommended that the Saints travel to the mountains on the Platte River. They would have to build ferries at certain locations because bridges would be quickly washed away. Fontenelle described the Great Basin and mentioned, "The South side of [the Great] Salt Lake has the best Soil."
Sources: Manuscript History of Brigham Young, pp. 470-73; Wilford Woodruff's Journal 3:97; The Diary of Hosea Stout 1:216-17; Journals of John D.
Lee, pp. 31-2; The Personal Writings of Eliza R. Snow, p. 149; Amasa Mason Lyman, Pioneer, p. 158; "Stillman Pond, a Biographical Sketch," in Sterling Forsyth Histories, typescript, pp. 4-5; Diary of Lorenzo Dow Young, Utah Historical Quarterly 14:152; Autobiography of Pioneer John Brown, p. 71; Philip St. George Cooke, Exploring Southwestern Trails 1846-1854, pp. 135-46; A Ram in the Thicket: The Mormon Battalion in the Mexican War, pp. 392-400; Mormon Battalion and Butterfield Trail, pp. 38-48; Concise History of the Mormon Battalion, pp. 215-19; Thomas Bullock Journal.
