After The Gold Rush

The expedition back to the gold site was small - only 12 and Captain Joe Walker.  As they crossed the Colorado below the Virgin River, Walker led the men directly to the gulch on the Colorado where 23

years before Ralston had found the gold.  However, this time there was no gold.  In fact, no notable discoveries were ever found in the area.

The left the Little Colorado in the fall, going to Albuquerque and then on to Colorado remaining in Denver for 6 months before returning to New Mexico in late summer 1862. 

There were some modest gold found in the Denver and Pike's Peak area -but Walker and his men did not find any of it.

100,000 would-be miners swarmed into Colorado from 1859-1861.  In 1862 Walker led his men out of Colorado and headed to southern Arizona to look for gold there.  Walker had obtained a military pass which identified his party and allowed them free travel in Arizona territory.  While going to New Mexico to get a similar pass for that territory, they were stopped by cavalry and whatever was said between them, Walker was never interfered with again.  His men said "the old captain had outfaced the young officer". 

Next time...One Last Hurrah

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This Day in History:  On January 12, 1838,After his Mormon bank fails in the Panic of 1837, Joseph Smith flees Kirtland, Ohio, to avoid arrest and heads for Missouri to rebuild his religious community.