Wagon Train Law

This "association club" law we have been discussing arose not to circumvent the court, but to provide them, not because the machinery of government was too complicated, but because there was none, and not to neutralize institutions already there but to fill the vacuum from lack of them.  

Not only did this "citizen law" exist in communities and mining towns, but also along the wagon trails going West.  One such story is of a member of a traveling party who made known his intentions to steal an Indian horse.  He had got the rope and had gone to do the deed.  This kind of act had serious consequences for the whole wagon train company.  

The whole company headed by Captain Hastings became the "legislative body" and set about deciding whether this man had violated criminal law in their eyes.  Prosecution and defense speeches were heard.  It was found that since he had as of yet not done any crime except state his intentions to do something, he was acquitted.

After the trial, however, it was clear they needed to establish a legal code of sorts.  What they adopted was stated as "in its opinion, no code of laws were required other than the moral code enacted by the Creator of the universe and what was recorded in the heart of every man."  Not all the company agreed.

Their first try at legislation on fundamentals was a decree against all dogs.  This law required "the immediate and indiscriminate extermination of the whole canine race, young and old, male and female wherever they were found within their jurisdiction."  A few dogs were killed before dog owners threatened to kill anyone who killed their dogs.  The decree was hastily repealed by an unanimous vote.  Captain Hastings said it was the first and last attempt at legislation. Probably a good thing...

Next time...Order in the West

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Today in Pioneer History: "On July 9, 1877 the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club begins its first lawn tennis tournament at Wimbledon.  Twenty-one amateurs showed up to compete in the singles tournament (for men only).  The winner took home a 25 pound trophy.   The winner was William Marshall, a Cambridge tennis player.

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.

Women's Independence on the Trail

One would think that men and women wrote of completely different subjects in their pioneer journals, wouldn't you? Men would write of hunting, dangers, fights, travel progress, the health of the livestock...while women would write of family matters and values, the beauty of the countryside, the sicknesses and things of a household nature.  In actuality, a great many journals of both men and women were interchangeable with no distinctions to which sex wrote which journal!

Riding in the same wagons, side by side, women did not always write about the call to free land or see the success of the journey.  They were full of reservations, oppositions and doubt.  For example one woman wrote of Indians as "helpful guides" and sellers of necessary services, far more so than of enemies.  Yes, they feared them, but they also noted often that their husbands were lousy buffalo hunters - settling for trading shirts for dried salmon or coming back entirely empty handed instead.  Women didn't need to prove their bravery or prowess, so they wrote of how Indians became a part of daily trail life.  An entirely different perspective from the male version.

Commonplace in the life of the 1800s pioneer wife were the long absences of their men for weeks and months at a time.  Back home, women were expected to serve as the heads of households, as well as the farm, mill or store owner.  So on the trail, a widowed woman was expected to continue alone and file her own claim alone.   No widow ever placed her wagon or her family under the protection of another family.

Can't wait to get started on the trip, can you?

Next time...illness and diseases on the trail.
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Today in Pioneer History:  On May 20, 1873,  Levi Strauss secures the necessary patents for canvas pants with copper rivets to reinforce the stress points, The Blue Jean was born!

Wagon Train Captains and Pilots

Wagon Trains had 2  principal officers - the captain and the pilot.  Captains were men who organized the caravan initially, or were elected once the train was formed.  He was the administrator and also the judge.  He established the order, drew up the roster for duty and settled quarrels which were many and bitter.

Pilots,  or guides like Walker, actually led the train once it started westward and made the day to day
tactical decisions.  Pilots were responsible for where they traveled, how they traveled, where they made camp, as well as how they guarded livestock, forded creeks, made and mended equipment, dealt with the Indians, and survived the trip in general.  Pilots were usually veterans and the ones to soothe fears and boost morales.

A perfect role for Captain Walker...

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This Day in History:  On October 16,  1815, the sadistic and murderous western gunman,  William Preston Longley, later known as Wild Bill,  is born in Austin County, Texas.

Next time...Inexperienced and Packin' Heat

Missing Walker Changes Careers?

Between 1842- 1843, nothing is known about the whereabouts of Captain Joseph Walker was - it is assumed he returned to his wife's people in Snake country.  Maybe they started their family during this period?

Walker emerged driving a pack train in 1843, loaded with furs and sold them at Fort Laramie where he found his first party of settlers headed west.  For the next several years, Walker led wagon trains west.  Most of the trains were settlers from Missouri who no doubt knew Captain Walker from his days of Sheriff and landowner. 

Walker's rate for piloting settlers to California was $300 - there was such a thing as the Oregon Trail in California.  California was a foreign land and travel was unknown and extremely difficult. At that time Oregon was thought to be a more suitable, respectable place to live whereas California was thought to be wild country, full of Mexicans, cowboys, sailors and Catholics :)
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This Day in Wild West History:   On October 13, 1845,  a majority of the citizens of the independent Republic of  Texas approved a proposed constitution, that when accepted by the Congress, made Texas the 28th American state.
Next time...Walker the Pilot

Wagon Train Trivia

Today we will finish up some loose ends on the trail...

Wagon Trains always traveled near water, crossing 40-50 rivers and streams without bridges on their way west. The Platte River, North Platte River, Snake River, Sweet  Water River, Green River, and the Bear River were just a few of the main ones.

Traveling near water wasn't for the obvious reason of drinking because pioneers rarely drank the river waters.  In fact, they rarely drank plain water at all, but drank it mixed with tea, coffee, lemon syrup...one of the greatest causes of death on the trail was disease from polluted water - cholera, vomiting and diarrhea causing dehydration killed many in one day. 

Another cause of death on the wagon trail was scurvy -  a lack of vitamin C gotten from fresh greens, dried fruits).  Lice infestations were common as were accidents with wagons, guns and storms.

"Nooning" was stopping the wagon train for the noon meal and a rest.  Children were free to play and older children to hang out with friends from other wagons.  Women collected buffalo chips in bags for the evening cooking, wrote in journals or diaries.  Animals were free to graze, rest and drink because animals were more important to the health and success of a wagon train than the people.  A healthy animal = a healthy wagon train.

A typical noon meal consisted of leftovers, dried buffalo meat, cold beans and possibly hard tack which were stiff crackers softened by frying in oil or soaking in water.  Not your typical Subway meal!

The altitudes of the Rocky Mountain Trails presented its own problems...it created illness in animals and people.  Wagons had to no brakes to speak of, so they used ropes tied through the spikes which obviously was dangerous.

At higher altitudes, water boiled at lower temps, food took longer to cook.  Breads were not baked on the trail but fried as biscuits or cornmeal pancakes.  Yeast actually was limited by the time the pioneers reached the halfway point on the trail west... sheets of "saleratus" found on the ground could be used for yeast to make a salt like powder and make bread rise.


The cooking fire was very specific - 2 Y shaped poled called "crotches" were placed on either side of the fire.  A pole was secured in the Y where pots and kettles were hung.

A Dutch Oven was the most valued cooking possession.  Weighing 30 pounds, each was 4" deep, with 3-4 stubby legs.  They were impossible to break, chip or crack.  A Dutch Oven was named after a Pennsylvania Dutch who used them to cook soup and stews.  Lids served 2 purposes by turning them upside down to fry foods.  A very versatile cooking pot!

Speaking of Food - Let's do some Pioneer Recipes for Thanksgiving...next.

Pioneer Holidays

It's Holiday Season so let's look at the most important holidays in a pioneer's life...

Independence Day - pioneers dedicated Independence Rock a huge piece of granite rock in Wyoming.  128 feet tall, 700 feet wide and 1900 feet long.  Pioneers would carve their names and dates on the rock as they passed through to the Pacific Coast.  Independence Rock became the point on the trail of "keeping on schedule".  If the party arrived at Independence Rock by a certain date, it was certain that they would make it through the mountains before winter set in.

For Independence Day, special food was purchased along the trail at Fort Laramie including pies,  lemonade and fresh bread. Flags were sewn from scraps of fabric, dances were held and the name carvings all marked the 4th of July on the pioneer trail.

Fort Laramie was 1/3 of the distance on the Oregon Trail.  A US Army post since 1849, it was the main stop on the way west where pioneers purchased fresh animals (horses, oxen and mules), supplies, and had repairs done.  It was quite expensive and many had to turn back east when they got this far.  Most heavy items were left at Fort Laramie - like stoves and furniture because going over the mountains was difficult enough without extra weight to carry. 

One of the landmarks that told the pioneers they were near Fort Laramie was Chimney Rock which measured 325 feet high from the base.

Weddings - Weddings on the frontier were quite different than ours are today.   Shot guns went off, kettles and pans were banging and the couple's wagon was shaken until late into the night.  This celebration was called a chivaree with fiddles and banjos providing the music. Weddings were anything but quiet, subdued affairs!!

Of course we can see where we get the tying of cans and streamers to the "Just Married" cars today, as well as the music for the reception.  However, today we don't usually shoot off shot guns to announce our weddings :)

Next time we will finish up the Wagon Train and then share some recipes for a Thanksgiving Dinner. 

Evening's Entertainment

Dinner's done, the dishes done, the moon is high - time for some R & R.

The night time entertainment is devoted first to children's games like tag, hide and seek.

Once the children are to bed, we party, dance and play a little fiddle until the moon. We danced so much that we left the prairie grass flatten from our dancing feet!

On Sundays each family had the freedom to choose how they would pass their time. Some folks attend the church services, some would rather race horses with the Indians (at the same time the church services are going on) and some just lounge around enjoying the day off. We don't travel on Sundays in our wagon train.

Next time - water runs deep...