[William Clayton Journal] The morning very fine, warm and pleasant. All is still and quiet as a "summer's morning," the Camp well and in good spirits and a feeling of peace, union and brotherly love seems to dwell in every breast. My mind revolves back upon bygone days and then to the present, and I truly feel thankful to my God for his mercies to me and for the privilege I now daily enjoy. The idea of dwelling with my family in a land of peace, in the midst of the saints of God is better felt than described, but the mild, still, scenery of this morning puts me in mind of it. At 9 o'clock we pursued our journey, the stream we passed over is called by Grosclaude the "Raw Hide."54 Elder Kimball let me have his horse to ride. I went in company with George A. Smith who was on foot carrying his gun in fulfillment of President Young's prophecy at the Pawnee Mission station. The wagons went on till half past 11 and then halted for noon. We were about a mile a head of them. The distance they travelled was 4 1/2 miles. At half past 1 started out again and travelled til a little after 4 and saw Fort Laramie about 4 miles to the South West. Elder Kimball and President Young then came up to where Brother Woodruff and I were looking out for feed, and we started on, President Young having stopped the wagons, and went to the ford opposite to the Fort. It was finally concluded to form our encampment here on the banks of the river. Several men soon came down from the Fort which is about 2 miles from here and made themselves known as a part of the Mississippi company from Pueblo. They have been here two weeks. It caused us much joy to meet with brethren in this wild region of country and also because we should have some news from the brethren in the army . . .
The brethren seemed pleased to meet us. Brother [Robert] Crow reports deaths, in the Pubelo detachment since Brothers [John] Tippets and [Thomas] Woolsey left viz. Melcher Oyler, Arnold Stevens and []. They also state that Soloman Tindall was on the point of death. The other portion of the Battalion they had not heard from. The Pueblo brethren are expected to receive their pay and start for this point, at latest by this date, and will probably be here in about 2 weeks . . .
[source: George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
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