Upper crossing of the Platt
President Young
Dear Sir
We received a visit a few days since
from Brothers Stratton & Hanks As messengers from the
valley Their visit Has truly cheered our hearts & not ours
ownly but the Hearts of all the moveing camps of Israel who
are wending their way through these mountains to their desired
Home. It Has caused our souls to rejoice not ownly in the
interest the presidency of the Church manifest for our welfare
but also of the Glad tidings & good report they bring of the universal
prosperity & Blessings of God upon the Saints in the valleys of
the Mountains. I wish to say a few words concerning my present
condition & circumstances & the company with me I received
your letter of instructions while in the east concerning the gathering
of the Saints from the Eastern Lands. I laboured with all
disligence to carry out the instructions given me. It was a
Barren field & like the gleaning of grapes after the vintage was
done yet in my gleanings we Baptized about 800 & gathered
about 500 for the vally & the remainder who are in the faith
will leave the east for the valley next Spring. I started from
Boston the 9th April with 209 of the Saints the Philadelphia company
started a week before in consequence of freight Baggage &c we
Had to take slow tra[i]ns or Emigrant trains which made it somewhe
somewhat late in ariving at Kanesville. I sent two men early
in the season to St Louis with what means we could raise
to procure teams for our journey but Nothing ^was^ bought untill
my arival the great flood of gold emigration Had drained
the country of cattle & most of the emigrating Saints had
also bought before we purchased & it seemed almost imposs-
ible to obtain teams at all, & we had to purchase mostly
wild unbroke steers or old oxen, However through the Blessing
of God we were enabled to organize a company of over sixty
waggons & crossed the Mo River the 16th June the majority of which
were our Eastern Brethrn, but many Had to stop that expected to
come in consequence of the High price of oxen & the count of
Measures. We first organized our company into two divisions
Robert C Petty was Appointed Capt of Hundred. Leonard Hardy
Captain of first fifty Edson Whipple captain of 2nd 50.
At Ash Hollow two of my waggon wheels were broke to peaces
which had to be filled with new spokes besides may tyre set
I did not think it wisdom for the whole company to wait
for the work to be done so by Advise some of both Divisions stoped
with me to assist me which formed a third Division of our company
the 1st Division with Captains Petty & Hardy went on. Also the 2nd Division
under captain Morfet. Captain Whipple stoped with with me
we Now form the 3rd Division of our company containing
26 waggons 12 of which are my own or under my immediate care
& responsibility. we are in the rear of the other Divisions.
The first Night after leaving the La Bonte we lost 75 Head of
oxen which strayed from the [ground] in the Night which
Detained us 4 days were all found but 4 Heads I purchased
66 Head of oxen & 30 cows for 12 waggons each carrying about
20 Hundred I have lost but 4 Head out of that Number
as yet 2 died & 2 strayed But the fore part of our journey
was not muddy roads which was Hard upon our whole
steers their Necks were badly galled & quite a Number are
Now breaking down Neck & foot sore, & failing, & we are
Now finding but little feed, but I spare No pains to
search for feed whare their is any prospect of finding it
I am endeavoring to travel every day as far as cercumstances
& the strength of our cattle will permit. I think the 1st & 2nd
Division of our company with common prosperity & the Blessings of God
will mostly be able to reach the valley with the oxen they Have
But Brother Strattan will be able to judge of it as He prefers
Now as His return those of us who are in the rear are the
worst off. I think according to present appearances that myself
& the company with me will not be able to reach the valley
with ^all^ our waggons except we could get the assistance of some
12 or 15 yoke of oxen & we should be vary thankful if any
of our friends in the valley could meet us with that amount
of team in the mean time we shall do our best to progress
as fast as possible the first & second Divisions of our company
one two or three days in advance of us A. O. Smoot, Heywood
& Woolley & HEdward Hunter are from 1 to 4 days in the Rear However
Elder Stratton will give an account of them.
At the commencement of our Journey Journey we Had some
sickness in our company as was the case with all the company
Herd from their was 7 deaths in our company 3 children, 2 woman
2 women & 2 Men, one of which was Samuel Smith. Our encamp-
ments are in the enjoyments of good Health, & spirits at
present. I Believe Brothers Stratton & Hanks have laboured
faithfully to accomplish the object of their mission
which will prove a benefit to the camps in general
We feel that we are remembered before the Lord by our
Brethren in the valley And that the Blessings of our
Heavenly Father may continually rest upon you & all
the faithful in Zion & the Travelling camp of Israel
is our daily prayer
Yours in the Gospel of Christ
W Woodruff