Crossing of the Kaw River—Indian Farmers—Fierce Storm on Stone Coal Creek—Crossing a Creek with Precipitous Banks—Ruins of an Ancient City—Wagonload of Sick Upset in a Stream—Sad News of Col. Allen's Death—Dispute over His Successor—Military Rules Disregarded In Settling The Question—Troops Dissatisfied—Sickness In Camp—Harshness of the New Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Smith—Brutality of the Doctor —Doses of Objectionable Medicine in an Old Iron Spoon—In the Comanche Indian Country—-Abuse from Lieutenant Colonel Smith—Scarcity of Fuel—Buffalo Chips—Cooking Food under Great Difficulties—Increase of Sickness—Up the Grand Valley of the Arkansas—Detachment of Sick Sent to Pueblo—Mirages—Herds of Buffalo—On the Sick List—Reach the Rocky Mountains—Prehistoric Ruins—In Mexican Villages—Arrival at Santa Fe.
Exemplary Conduct of the Mormon Troops—Lieutenant Colonel P. St. George Cooke Arrives and Assumes Command—A Welcome Change—Another Detachment of Sick, also the Laundresses, Sent to Pueblo—Selecting Men to Continue the Journey to California—Reducing the Baggage—Difficulties of the 1,100 Miles Journey Ahead—Poor Equipment Therefor—Leave Santa Fe—Roads of Heavy Sand—On One-third Rations—Hardships Increase—Galled Feet and Gnawing Stomachs—More Sick Men for Pueblo—Leaving the Last Wagons—Mules and Oxen In a Pack Train—In an Unknown Country—Hunting a Pass over the Mountains—Alarm of an Enemy—A Beaver Dam—Crossing the Rio Grande Del Norte—Great Suffering Among the Troops.
Pushing to the West—Overhearing a Conversation with Col. Cooke—The Colonel Fears the Men Will Starve—No Berries, not even Bark Of Trees, for Food—True State of Affairs as to the Outlook Kept from Most of the Troops—Hides, Intestines, and even soft Edges of Hoofs and Horns of Animals Eaten—"Bird's Eye Soup."—In a Snowstorm—Relics of Ancient Inhabitants—Camp without Water—Old Silver and Copper Mines—Hardest Day of the Journey—Men Appear as if Stricken with Death—The Writer so Ill as to be Unable to Travel Longer, and Expects to Die—Uncle Alexander Stephens Comes with Water and Revives Him—Awful Suffering in Camp—Reported Sick Next Morning—Brutal Dr. Sanderson Gives a Deadly Dose of Laudanum, but the Writer Vomits it After Being Made Fearfully Sick—In Terrible Distress for Days—Healed by the Laying on of Hands of the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
On the Summit of the Rocky Mountains—Crossing the Backbone of the North American Continent—Review of the Journey—Graves Opened by Wolves—Mutilated Bodies—An Unparalleled Journey of Hardship—The Prospect Ahead—A Matter of Life and Death—Start Down the Pacific Slope—Descending the Cliffs with Wagons—One Vehicle Slips and is reduced to Kindling Wood and Scrap Iron—Into a New Climate—Change in the Character of Vegetation—Wild Horses and Cattle—Attacked by Wild Cattle—Several Men Hurt and one Mule Gored to Death—A Number of Cattle Killed—Supply of Beef—Reach the Pan Pedro River—Traveling Through a Heavy Growth of Mesquit and Chapparal—Approach the Mexican Garrisoned Town of Tucson—News of Approach of a Large American Army Sent to the Mexicans—Order Issued by Colonel Cooke.
On the Trail to Tucson—Excitement In the Town—Meet Mexican Soldiers—Our Numbers Overrated by the Indians—Mexican Commander under Orders to Oppose us—Colonel Cooke Announces his Wish to Pass on Without Hostilities—Arrest of Corporal Cassaduran, son of the Mexican Commander at Tucson, and other Mexicans who are Held as Hostages for the Return of our Interpreter—The Interpreter is Liberated—An Armistice Proposed—Surrender of Tucson Demanded—Mexican Prisoners Released—Surrender is Refused—Colonel Cooke orders the Battalion to Prepare for Battle—Advance toward the Town—Flight of the Mexicans—At the Gates of Tucson—Our Line of Battle—Address by Colonel Cooke—We Enter the Town, and Pass Through to Camp—Purchases of Wheat, Corn, etc.—The battalion nearly Starved—Night Alarm of a Mexican Attack—Difficulties of Getting into Line—No Enemy in Sight—Start Across the Gila Desert—Agony on the Burning Sands and Alkali Flats—Strengthened by the Divine Blessing—Reach the Gila River.