Letter about Winter Stay-- As is evident this letter to George Miller and the Captains of Fifties deals with plans for the westward move of the Church. The proposition before President Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve was to find a suitable place where various portions of the body of the Church could spend the winter.
Dear Brother Miller and Captains of Fifties, Greeting: The Council of the Twelve, with about three hundred wagons, are now encamped about four miles west of the Missouri River, and scores of wagons, are still crossing. The health of the camp on this side of the river is generally good; on the other side considerable sickness prevails. Many of the Saints on the other side intend wintering on the Potawatomi lands, on or near the rush bottoms.
About five hundred of our brethren have volunteered in the U. S. Service for California; they were marched from here some few days since, all in good spirits; this has left us quite destitute of men to manage our flocks and teams.
We are now in council and have taken into consideration the propriety of wintering on the Missouri. We have concluded to go up the river forty miles and winter near the headwaters of the Elkhorn, or between that and the Missouri. We intend to turn our old cattle into the great ranges of pea vines on the Missouri and fatten them for beef. There is also a great quantity of rushes on the opposite side of the river, where we think our cattle will do well. Moreover it will be far more convenient for us to be near the settlements (of Missouri) where we can procure provisions, grain, etc. We intend sending to St. Louis for two runs of mill stones, casting, etc., and to get up our carding machine.
We think it would be wisdom for as many Saints as can well be sustained, to winter at the Pawnee village; the balance to winter at Grand Island, or some point nearby, and in the spring we will overtake you all and cross the mountains togetherÃÂ. A small company, say twenty to thirty wagons, can go to Fort Laramie and winter there, if you choose, but we do not think it advisable for any of you to undertake to cross the mountains this fall. {1846-August 1-RCH 2:165}
[source: Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
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