On the Trail from Dawn to Dusk

May 1843, Independence, Missouri - 1,000 pioneers set out for Oregon Country led by Jesse Applegate, who would go on to be instrumental in the building of a government for Oregon's statehood in later years.  He wrote about the journey and here is his story as it is preserved for history.  Maybe you can become part of his story.  This is "Morning", in his words...

"It's 4 o'clock in the morning.  The sentinels on duty have discharged their rifles - the signal that the hours of sleep are over, and from every wagon and tent are pouring out tenants. Slow-kindling smoke begins largely to rise and float away on the morning air.  Sixty men ride out from the corral, spreading as they ride through the vast herd of cattle and horses that form a semi-circle around the encampment, the most distant perhaps maybe two miles away.

By 7 o'clock the herder begin to contract the great moving circle, and the well-trained animals move slowly toward camp, clipping grass on the way.  In about an hour, 5000 animals are close up to the encampment and the teamsters are busy selecting their teams and driving them inside the corral to be yoked. 

From six to seven o'clock is a busy time - breakfast to be eaten, tents struck, the wagons loaded and the teams yoked and brought up in readiness to be attached to their respective wagons. It is on the stroke of seven that the rushing to and fro, the cracking of the whips, the loud confusion of the last few minutes is over.  Everyone has been found and every teamster is at his post.  The clear notes of the trumpet sound from the front, the pilot and his guards mount their horses and the leading divisions of wagons move out of the encampment in the line of march as the rest fall into place with precision of clockwork, until the spot, so lately full of life, sinks back into that solitude that seems to reign over this broad plain. 

Feel it?  You must be a pioneer at heart!

Next time...All in the day's journey
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Today in Pioneer History: On February 6, 1891, the Dalton Gang commits their first in a long line of train robberies.