History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST MAIL. 283
ones, under Brigham Young and H. C. Kimball, with
several subdivisions. 23
The first letters received at Great Salt Lake City
from Brigham came twelve months after his departure
from the valley, and were sent on in advance from the
encampments. The excitement was great as Taylor
and Green rode into the city and distributed the
letters, without envelopes, tied round and round with
buckskin thongs, and bearing the cheering news that
a large body of brethren was on the way, and bringing
plenty of food. 24
In June and July two small parties left the city to
meet the immigration, and another in August. In
September Brigham and the first companies arrived;
and under the organization of the president and his
two counsellors, Willard Richards and Heber C. Kimball,
during the autumn months most of the brethren
from Winter Quarters and other camps reached the
valley. 25
Before the expiration of the year, there were nearly
23 The first division consisted of 1,229 persons, with 397 wagons, 74 horses,
91 mules, 1,275 oxen, 699 cows, 184 loose cattle, 411 sheep, 141 pigs, 605
chickens, 37 cats, 82 dogs, 3 goats, 10 geese, 2 hives of bees, 8 doves, and 1
crow; the second of 662 persons, with 226 wagons, 57 horses, 25 mules, 737
oxen, 284 cows, 150 loose cattle, 243 sheep, 96 pigs, 299 chickens, 17 cats, 52
dogs, 3 hives of bees, 3 doves, 5 ducks, and 1 squirrel.
2i As recorded in Mrs Clara Decker Young's very valuable manuscript.
She shows now the first letter received, still tied with buckskin thongs.
25 The first companies under Brigham arrived on Sept. 20th; Kimball's
party reached the valley a few days later. At the beginning of August
Lorenzo Snow, A. 0. Smoot, and others, with 47 wagons and 124 yoke of oxen,
were sent from Salt Lake City to assist the emigrants. On the 2Sth of the
same month a party well supplied with wagons and cattle was sent back
to Winter Quarters from the camp of the president, then on the Sweetwater.
Utah Early Records, MS., 33. The companies under Richards
reached their destination toward the end of October. Richards' Nam.,
MS., 38. In relating the incidents of his journey, Richards states that his
was the last party to leave Winter Quarters during that summer. His men
were ill supplied with provisions; feed was scarce, and many of the cattle died
from drinking alkali water, so that he was compelled to yoke to the wagons
even his yearlings and his milch-cows. Many families, including the children,
were compelled to walk the entire distance; yet not a single death occurred. Id.,
34-5. ' The companies behind were kept well informed of the progress of those
in advance. . .Sometimes a copy of the camp journal was written and placed
in a notch in a tree, . . .sometimes in a post stuck in the ground; but whenever
a large buffalo skull or other suitable bone was found, . . .some particulars were
written on them.' Cannon, in Juv. List., xix. no. 3, 36.