July 30^th 1850 [FIGURE]
Our encampment or the first division of it was called
to passe through one of those Horrid scenes today which are
so much dredded by all emigrating companies on the plaines
which was A stampede of all the ox teams with the family
waggons of the first division with the exception of the 10
Baggage who were in the rear. No person who has not
experienced or witnessed one of athose dredful scenes cannot
form any correct idea of them And it is almost impossi-
ble to give A correct description of it for to behold 30 or 40
ox teams from 2 to five yoke of oxen in each team Attached
to a family waggon of goods & women & children All in
an instant like the twinkling of an eye be deprived of
all reason, sens, & government & be filled with madness
frantic & fright & all dart off with lightning speed each
running their own way, roaring bellowing rolling & tumbling
over each other waggons upsetting smashing their
wheels exes [axles] & tongues spilling the goods women & child
in the street, for the next teams to trample under
their feet as they roar & charge on their way with
their yokes bows & chains flying in evry direction is
A scene not easily imagined or described. A stampede of
ox teams is much more horrid than Horse teams As there
is Bits in the Horses mouth that He may in a great measure
be guided though under full speed, but not so with the
ox. He goes whare ever his fancy or will may lead him
This stampede in the folling manner commenced. Willford
commenced getting onto his Horse & while getting on
William Murphy started his horse into A run & the Horse
flung Wilford over his head onto the ground the saddle turned
under His belly & He run And As He Approached one of
the waggons Mr Cannons team became frantic & dart
off with great speed & in A moment 20 or 30 Teams
followed the same example And the whole encampment
Apparently was rushing into the jaws of Death. I was by
my carriage when it commenced drawn by A Noble fine
black steed Rhoda Foss & Susan Woodruff was in the
carriage at the Head of the company. At this moment
I saw Mrs Woodruff rush into the midst of the scene whare
she was in danger of her life evry instant with many
other women & children I told Rhoda to let the Horse run
into the Bluffs & do the best she could I hit him A Blow
to start him into a run & left them to their chance &
the care of providence & rushed into the midst of the
stampede to try to save the life of my wife & as many
others as possible but I had hard work to save my
own life Mrs Woodruff soon found An opening & fled
out of the midst of it Brother Pettys two waggons was turned
over my family waggon with 4 yoke of oxen ran ove[r] one
of his waggons & A waggon run over one of his children
Brother Badlam^s waggon or team ran over one of Samuel
Hardys children Prescott Hardy was knocked down by his own
team & badly wounded in the thigh & arm whareever I