The next day, Mormons from all over the territory gathered to hear the sermons at the conference. Apostle Richards, still oblivious to the precarious circumstances of the handcart companies, said in his address that the Lord would ‘overrule the storms that may come in the season thereof, and turn them away, that their path may be freed from suffering more that they can bear.’ Fortunately, Young had no illusion as to the realities of a thousand people walking in the snow across the unforgiving land that would become known as Wyoming.

There was no better forum for the immediate call for goods and volunteers. In sharp contrast to Richards’ optimism, Brigham Young called for 60ñ65 horse teams, 12ñ15 wagons and 40 teamsters to haul 12 tons of flour and clothes, to include ‘hoods, winter bonnets, stockings, shirts, garments and almost any description of clothing. You may rise up now and give your names.’ Young had hardly finished his remarks when hundreds stood and volunteered. Several of the returning missionaries, including William Kimball and Joseph Young, son of Brigham, and others volunteered to assist in the rescue. Many of the travelers were converts that these men had brought into the church. With Franklin Richards sitting in the congregation, Brigham Young publicly denounced the tragic decision to urge the companies to make the attempt that season. Although Richards was never dropped from his position in the church, he would suffer Young’s wrath and never again have the full confidence of the councils of the church.

By October 7, George D. Grant and William Kimball led the first rescue group of a half-dozen wagons loaded to overflowing with goods. They made good time and reached Fort Bridger on October 13. There they cached flour and other goods with the Mormons who owned the fort, thereby saving some of the provisions for the last leg of the return journey. Soon afterward they left Fort Bridger, braving the severe storms of the high Plains.

After a few more days of exhausting struggle, Joseph Young split the party and sent a wagon and a few men in advance to locate the handcart companies and notify them that a rescue effort was in progress. Young, Kimball, Grant, Abel Garr and Cyrus Wheelock pushed on ahead with a wagon and a few mounts.

But on October 19, even the rescuers were forced to stop and wait out a raging blizzard. The next day, James Willie and Joseph Elder wandered into their camp after a heroic march. Contact had finally been made with the handcart people. Within minutes the camp was struck, and the men hastened through the storm to find the starving and freezing members of the Willie company.

Nine people in the company had been found dead that morning and dozens more were freezing. The only food remaining was two day’s rations of crackers. Soon fires were burning, and potatoes and beef were cooking in soup pots. Blankets, buffalo robes and clothing were distributed. Chislett recorded the immediate effect the rescuers had on the miserable travelers: ‘That evening for the first time in quite a period, the songs of Zion were to be heard in the camp, and peals of laughter. The change seemed almost miraculous, so sudden was it from grave to gay, from sorrow to gladness.’

William Kimball stayed with some provisions to nurse the Willie company on toward Utah. George Grant and others left, through deepening snow, to find the Martin company, believed to be at Devil’s Gate.

Another week passed before Grant was forced to stop. His rescue party had passed Devil’s Gate and was several days beyond the point where they had expected to find the Martin company. Grant sent Young, Garr and Daniel W. Jones ahead with saddled horses and packed mules to make one final effort to locate Martin. Two days later, October 28, they located the Martin and Hodgett companies, both stranded for days in the snow. The Willie company had been in bad enough condition, but now finding the Martin company, Young and the others could find no words to describe the awful sight. Fifty-six people had already been lost. At first no one seemed to realize that rescue was at hand. Young had no food, only good news for the freezing travelers. The only thing left to do was to get the company moving again–which would be no easy task.

Jones and Garr left the Martin company to find the Hunt wagon train, still two days east. After finding and getting the Hunt company moving, they returned and helped lead the handcarters struggling up Avenue Hill toward the Sweetwater River. Jones captured the scene in his own words: ‘A condition of distress here met my eyes that I never saw before or since. There were old men pulling and tugging their carts, sometimes loaded with a sick wife or children–women pulling along sick husbands–little children six to eight years old struggling through the mud and snow. As night came on, the mud would freeze on their clothes and feet. There were two of us and hundreds needing help. What could we do?’

Far away in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young had wasted no time gathering and organizing a much greater effort. Some 250 wagons loaded with goods had already departed. The companies slowly struggling westward would soon meet the eastward-bound relief wagons–but not before still more died on the way. At Willow Creek, the Willie company lost 15 people in one night.

On November 2, the Willie company survivors entered the valley, exhausted, but safe at last. The company had lost some 62 members. The Martin company would arrive in broken groups through the end of November, with 130 to 150 fewer people than had started back in July. Many survivors would bear the scars of amputated feet, fingers and toes. Stories of individual efforts to help and rescue the handcart travelers would be told and retold for generations.

Perhaps one of the most poignant stories showing the emotions of a handcart survivor involves Margaret Dalglish, a Scot from the Martin company. Upon reaching an overview point of the Great Salt Lake Valley, Dalglish pulled her cart to the rim of the canyon, and with a mighty effort pushed it over and watched as it crashed, scattering hundreds of pieces far below.

---

This article was written by Sherman L. Fleek and originally appeared in the June 1997 issue of Wild West.

For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Wild West magazine today!

Pages: 1 2 3 4