Category Archives: Uncategorized

Wednesday, 21st. Our route today was much better than expected, though in any other place than the mountains it would be considered horrible. Capt. B. with his 7 or 8 overtook us, but we heard nothing of J. John. Distance … Continue reading →

Wednesday, 20th. Men went in different directions to see if there was any possibility of extracting ourselves from this place without going back. They returned and reported that it was utterly impossible to go down the creek. One young man … Continue reading →

Fortunately for the Bidwell-Bartleson Party, the winter storms had not yet come to the Sierra Nevada mountains. (The Donner-Reed Party was not so lucky.) Even so, it was a struggle. Monday, 18th. Having ascended a about half a mile, a … Continue reading →

Friday, 15th. Advanced upstream about 12 miles and arrived at the base of very high mountains. The creek had become a small spring branch, and took its rise at no great distance in the mountains. But we saw plainly it … Continue reading →

The Know-Nothing Party got its start in New York in the 1840s. The movement spread to other states and in 1845 nativist groups united as the Native American Party. (Nothing to do with what we now call Native Americans, of … Continue reading →

October 9th found the emigrants following the trail of Captain Bartleson, who had abandoned the company and rode on ahead. They trudged through sand hills and came to a swamp, the water of which was “very nauseous.” They had reached … Continue reading →

Now we have been found fault with long enough, and we are going to California. If you can keep up with us, all right; if you cannot, you may go to hell! Captain John Bartleson’s words still rang in John … Continue reading →

Tuesday, 5th.  Today was very warm, and the oxen were not able to keep up with the horses. Traveled about 30 miles and stopped on the river about dark – grass plenty, willows – this going so fast was the … Continue reading →

There were rapid changes in the American political scene during the 1850s.  The Whig Party, led by Henry Clay, was fading. The Democratic Party, the party of Andrew Jackson, was in control. But not for much longer. Sectionalism, slavery, and … Continue reading →

Our ignorance of the route was complete. We knew that California lay west, and that was the extent of our knowledge. Some of the maps consulted, supposed of course to be correct, showed a lake in the vicinity of where … Continue reading →