The family and the other members of the Garden Grove Company have spent the last few days being ferried across the Missouri River. By Wednesday, July 2nd 1851, they are camped at Winter Quarters. They have traveled about a mile from Kanesville, or Council Bluffs. This is where the first company of pioneers spent the winter of 1846/7.

Susan Zimmerman writes that "when we got to Winter Quarters our team consisted of one yoke of oxen, one of steers, one of cows. When we got near the old camp ground, our lead steers turned and led the team into a slew to get a drink and turned our wagon over into the water. Our things including the bedding were all wet. We camped two nights and had a gay time drying our things and a good time sleeping with most of our bedding wet but none of us took cold.

By "slew," Susan means a slough, a swamp, or a creek in a marsh. Before the trek, most would have only known this word from Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress where the book’s hero, Christian, is nearly overcome at the Slough of Despair. That Susan and her sisters had a "gay time" drying out their belongings was probably said tongue-in-cheek.

Driving the oxen was no easy matter.

In Frederick Piercy’s Route from Liverpool to Great Salt Lake Valley, published in 1855 there is a good account of what it was like to learn to drive an ox team and wagon. The Brother Miller described in the following was the wagon master.

"The road was rather rough, and so were the cattle, and, in the hands of raw teamsters, nearly unmanageable. Elder Miller was here and there and every where, giving untrained teams, and teamsters in training, many practical illustrations of the art. "Geeing" and "hawing" were most forcibly taught, and of course learned in proportion to the ability of the pupil. The teamster should drive with the team to the right. When he cries "Gee," the team should go from him, and when "Haw," come towards him. When the teamster cries "Haw," it is usual, with a lazy team, to let them feel the whip over their necks, and when "Gee," over their backs. The consequence is, that whenever a piece of rough or difficult road is encountered, the shouts and cries of "geeing" and "hawing," and the cracking of the whips, are most terrific. In a large company voices of all kinds and modulations mix up in the most curious manner. When a slight movement to the right or left is required, the command to "gee" and "haw" is given in a very mild tone, but when there is danger of running against a rock, or getting a wheel locked in a tree, the command is sure to be given with the full volume of the teamster’s voice. During the first few days the teams and teamsters were constantly at variance. Nearly every man had the worst team in the company! Some steers would not "gee," others would do nothing else, and then would come an appeal to Elder Miller - "O, brother Miller, do come here and try to make my lead steer "haw," for the stupid brute does nothing but run away from me." "Very well," brother Miller would say, "but let me see you drive a little first." Directly this request was made the raw teamster knew he was going to make an exhibition of his ignorance, and sure enough he did so, for instead of keeping behind his leading oxen he went rather before them, which was sure to frighten them and cause them to scamper to the right again. Elder Miller would bring the oxen back, and with his good-humoured smile say - "Now you are a pretty teamster, aint you, to go and place your ugly body and long dangling whip right before their eyes, instead of keeping back as you ought." Then away he would go, shouting and hallooing to a man, who, in defiance of the sacred laws of teaming, would be driving on the right hand side of his team instead of the left. Before Elder Miller could get to him, or make him comprehend his blunder, the oxen would get frightened at the strange sight of a man on the "off" side, and consequently violently swerve to the right, and cramp the wagon, and perhaps narrowly escape turning it over. Thus wisdom was gained by experience, and, however singular it may appear, a blowing up from Elder Miller only proved the kindness of his heart."

That evening most of the company probably visited what was left of the original pioneers’ camp. Rebecca Walton, the sister-in-law of Captain Walton, writes that "when we arrived at Winter Quarters, there was not much left of that historic place; a few old chimneys were still standing - the wild mustard had grown and completely covered the ground. It was as tall as the chimneys and was in full bloom. In the evening, my husband and I visited the City of the Dead on a beautiful high Bluff. There at rest, we found old Brother Bosley and his wife. This was a great surprise to my husband, Dana, as the winter before the Saints left Nauvoo, he and his father had worked for Mr. Bosley."

Rebecca then writes "Many instances worthy of note happened but space will not permit." Something "worthy of note" had happened two weeks before on June 18th, that no one in the company recorded. The six-month-old son of Captain Walton and his wife Francis had died on the trail. His name was George Ossian Walton. The first death of the trek.

On Thursday, July 3rd, the company left Winter Quarters. Because of the high waters, the decision was made to go north to the head of the Elkhorn River and find a place where it could be safely crossed. This will result in a long detour of several hundred miles. The company was already nearly a month behind in their schedule. They hoped the detour would ultimately save them time, and precious commodities. Other companies camped at Winter Quarters decided to wait until the waters recede.

Rebecca Walton reports that they made "but a short drive" on July third, "for tomorrow was our national holiday."

On Friday, the Fourth of July "to our surprise, two royal visitors drove into camp. They were Brother Orson Hyde and Judge Brocchus. They were on their way to Salt Lake City. They stayed and helped us celebrate. They unloaded a small cannon and while it rang out in that wild country, the flag was flying and music playing. They enjoyed our picnic, then loaded up the "little sow" as they called the cannon, bid us goodbye and left us." Judge Brocchus was a federal official sent by Washington to oversee government affairs in the Utah Territory.

As part of the festivities on the Fourth of July, the company must also have celebrated Rebecca Walton’s birthday, she turned sixteen.

On Monday, July 7th, Elizabeth Carson Griffith celebrated her 29th birthday.

By this date, Elvira Carson, John’s wife, probably realizes that she has become pregnant.

Next week the family will have its first encounter with the Indians, and the first stampede.

Part 3

Part 5