JOURNAL ENTRIES

The Mormon Battalion departed Council Bluffs, Iowa Territory, on July 20, 1846 and arrived at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, on August 1st. After traveling some 200 miles camping out along the way, the Battalion was issued 100 plus tents, with instructions that each tent would be used by 6 men. Two days later on August 3^rd, the men drew some 500 rifles, “...US flintlock muskets, with a few cap lock yaugers [sp] for sharpshooting and hunting purposes.²

William Coray -“A few of the hunters received new cap-lock yaugers [sp].”³

Henry W. Bigler - Each man was issued “guns and knap sacks [sp] and cartridge boxes in each of which were 36 rounds of ammunition.”⁴

Robert S. Bliss - “We are cheerful and happy notwithstanding we have to carry our guns, accoutrements, napsacks [sp], canteen, haversacks, and push our waggons [sp] all day over hills which are not few nor far between.”⁵

Henry W. Sanderson - “We arrived at the fort, where we were furnished a musket, cartridge belt, and bayonet, two blankets each, a canteen and $40.00 in money.^”6

Zadok Knapp Judd - “In due time we arrived at Fort Leavenworth. Here we were armed with

[a] flint lock musket. It was said to carry an once ball one mile. Its weight was twelve or fifteen pounds. Its accouterments were a large cartridge box with heavy leather belt two and one fourth inches wide to carry over the left shoulder, a similar belt with bayonet and scabbard attached to carry over the right should and then a waist belt correspondingly wide and heavy all white leather, and we were required to keep them clean. Our muskets had to be cleaned often. Also a knap-sack in which to carry our clothing and any other little necessities. It was so arranged that a strap came in front of each shoulder and under the arm with a long strap to reach around our bedding. With all these straps in front and the filled knap-sack behind, we were nearly covered from neck to waist. We were required to carry all these fixtures, our clothing and bedding and a few rounds of ammunition and then a canteen in which would hold three pints of water, and then a small cotton sack called a hover-sack [sp], in which to carry our dinner and sometimes a day or two rations. These also were made to swing over our shoulders. But to ease up on us a little the officer allowed each company to club together and buy a four mule team and wagon, in which to haul our knapsacks and bedding, each man to bear an equal share of the expense. This was a great relief for a while, but when hard times came on, wagons broke down or teams gave out, we had to shoulder our knap-sacks and bedding. Here at Fort Leavenworth we were given cooking utensils, a camp kettle, frying-pan and coffee pot.”⁷

Christopher Layton - “On the third of August, Companies A, B, and C drew arms which consisted of a United States flintlock musket with bayonet, twenty-four cartridges, belt, and cartouches; we also drew a haversack, a knapsack, a blanket carried on top of the knapsack and provisions.”⁸