When we had traveled about two miles we saw the smoke
arising from our old camp. The Mormons after
taking what goods they wanted and could carry off,
had set fire to the wagons, many of which were loaded
with bacon, lard, hard-tack, and other provisions,
which made a very hot, fierce fire, and the smoke
to roll up in dense clouds. Some of the wagons
were loaded with ammunition, and it was not long before
loud explosions followed in rapid succession.
We waited and witnessed the burning of the train,
and then pushed on to Fort Bridger. Arriving at
this post, we learned that two other trains had been
captured and destroyed in the same way, by the Mormons.
This made seventy-five wagon loads, or 450,000 pounds
of supplies, mostly provisions, which never reached
General Johnson’s command, to which they had
been consigned.
HARD TIMES.
As it was getting very late in the fall, we were compelled
to winter at Fort Bridger; and a long, tedious winter
it was. There were a great many troops there,
and about four hundred of Russell, Majors & Waddell’s
employees. These men were all organized into militia
companies, which were officered by the wagon-masters.
Some lived in tents, others in cabins. It was
known that our supplies would run short during the
winter, and so all the men at the post were put on
three-quarter rations to begin with; before long they
were reduced to one-half rations, and finally to one-quarter
rations. We were forced to kill our poor worn-out
cattle for beef. They were actually so poor that
we had to prop them up to shoot them down. At
last we fell back on the mules, which were killed and
served up in good style. Many a poor, unsuspecting
government mule passed in his chips that winter in
order to keep the soldiers and bull-whackers from
starvation.
It was really a serious state of affairs. The
wood for the post was obtained from the mountains,
but having no longer any cattle or mules to transport
it, the men were obliged to haul it themselves.
Long lariats were tied to the wagons, and twenty men
manning each, they were pulled to and from the mountains.
Notwithstanding all these hardships, the men seemed
to be contented and to enjoy themselves.
The winter finally passed away, and early in the spring,
as soon as we could travel, the civil employees of
the government, with the teamsters and freighters,
started for the Missouri river; the Johnson expedition
having been abandoned. On the way down we stopped
at Fort Laramie, and there met a supply train bound
westward. Of course we all had a square meal
once more, consisting of hard tack, bacon, coffee and
beans. I can honestly say that I thought it was
the best meal I had ever eaten; at least I relished
it more than any other, and I think the rest of the
party did the same.
