On the Gila River—Pima Indian Village—Welcome Gifts from the Pimas—Among the Maricopa Indians—Asleep on the Trail—Visit from a Bear—Loss of Provisions Through an Attempt to Float a Quantity Down the Gila—Hard Traveling—Crossing the Colorado River—Gloom In the Camp—Lower and Upper California—Terrible March over the Tierra Caliente, or Hot Lands—Digging Wells for Brackish Water—Advance Guard Reach a Mountain Spring—Water Carried back to Revive the Fainting Troops—Last Spoonful of Flour Used—Dividing the Rations—In the Canyons of the Sierra Nevada—Hewing Roads through Rocks and Brush—Feeding on Live Acorns and Green Mustard—News of Victories by United states Troops in California—Preparing to Engage the Retiring Mexican Army—First House Seen in California—Beef Without Salt—Trade for Acorn Mush—Heavy Storm and Flood In Camp—a Few Pounds of Flour Secured—Dancing in Mud and Water—Receive Orders to go to Los Angeles—Discover a Body of Troops in Line of Battle—Advance to the Attack—Supposed Foe Proves to be Friendly Indians—Presence of the Mormon Battalion prevents an Intended Attempt by Mexicans to Retake California, also an Uprising of Californians Against the United States—On a Battlefield where General Kearney had Fought—Relics of the Encounter—Prophecy of President Brigham Young and its Fulfillment—Source of His Inspiration.
Ordered to San Diego—First View of the Pacific Ocean—Rumors of the Enemy—Complimentary Order, by Lieut. Col. Cooke, on the Achievements of the Mormon Battalion—Reported Hostility of Col. Fremont to Gen. Kearney—Living on Beef Alone—Obtain some Flour—Routine of the Camp—Ordered to Los Angeles—Damage by an Earthquake—Wild Horses and Cattle Driven Into the Sea—Arrival at Los Angeles—Rumors of an Attack—Constructing a Fort—Guarding Cajon Pass—Surrounded by Wild Cattle—Take Refuge In a Ravine—Col. Fremont Arrested—Site of San Bernardino—Getting out a Liberty Pole—Brush with the Indians—Clearing Los Angeles of Dogs—Wickedness in the Town—Brutality of Bull Fights, Horse Racing, etc.—Always Ready for an Attack—First Raising of the Stars and Stripes on a Liberty Pole in California.
Term of Enlistment Expires—Battalion Members Preparing to Return to their Families—One company Re-enlists—An Insolent Spaniard—Pistol Snapped in the Writer's Face—Almost a Deathblow—Desperate Fight Stopped by Bystanders—Serious Trouble with Another Spaniard—Learn the Lesson to Avoid those who Gamble or Drink Intoxicants—Spanish Character—Class of California's Inhabitants in 1847—Condition of the Country—Appearance of the Towns and Villages—Difficulty in Securing an Outfit for Members of the Battalion to Journey Eastward.
Mormon Battalion Mustered out of Service—One Hundred and Fifty Members Organize to Return Fast to the Rocky Mountains—Start on the Journey—Difficulties of the Route—Dealing with Wild Horses and Cattle Stampede of a Pack Animal—Chase Into an Indian Camp—Lost All Night in a Swamp—Suffering on the Desert for Lack of Water—Arrive Near Sutter's Fort—On the Site of Sacramento Party Decide to Remain Over for the Year, and Obtain Employment—Meet Captain J. A. Sutter and James W. Marshall—Proposition to Capt. Sutter—Engaged to Work on a Sawmill—Proceedings at the Millsite—Mill Started Up—The Writer Engaged to Direct Indians Laboring at the Tail Race—Conversation with Mr. Marshall—Marshall Talks About Finding Gold—He and the Writer make a Search for Gold, but Finding None, Defer the Investigation till Next Morning—Marshall's Faith in his Being Successful In Discovering the Precious Metal.
Arrival of the Members of Mormon Battalion at Sutter's Fort Opens the Way for the Discovery of Gold In California—James W. Marshall out Early on January 24, 1848—"He is Going to Find a Gold Mine"—Regarded as a "Notional" Man—"Boys, I have got Her Now!"—Testing the Scales of Metal—"Gold, Boys, Gold!"—First Proclamation of the Great Gold Discovery—Second and Third Tests—All Excitement—Three or Four Ounces of Gold Gathered—Agree to Keep the Discovery Secret—Find the Precious Metal Farther Down the Stream—How the Secret Leaked out—More Discoveries—First Publication of the News made in a Mormon Paper—Washing out the Metal—First Gold Rocker—Gathering Gold—Part taken by Mr. Marshall, the Mormons and Capt. Sutter in the Discovery—Misfortunes of Sutter and Marshall—Account of the Gold Discovery Certified to by Several Eye Witnesses