The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-08-08


and heavy snowstorm that continued all day We camPed
on the slope Of hill
On the sh attempted to pass hill that lay in advance
Of us and which supposed be he divide between
the waters Of the Del Eorte and Grand river Several
mules dropped dead the TRAIL and pack and riding sad
dies stTewn about When reached the summit OF
the hill severe storm of wind and pOade barred fur
Their progress and glad 10 hasten back TO our old
fires. We not the hill more than hall an hour
but in that brief period the cold intense that eleven
were frosbitteu in various places Old Bill laid
down die but King caught him by the hand and drag
ged him from the exposed places and he arrived IN camp
with Had the mules gone the pitch Of the hill
the destruction of the whole party would have been the
consequence for the In most places least TWEEN
s deep The storm continued the rest Of the day and
On the 18th party was sent advance beat road
whilst the rest remained in camp bring up the animals
After hard labor the summit gained with them and
the advance party could be forcing their wearsome
way up the side of another h whose top few scat
tering punches Of grass could be The mules
unpAcked on small rocky point and the strongest were
driven to the hill top whilst the rest left to perish
from the ceabned effects of cold and starvation. This
was the last time they were ever packed.
We remained in this camp until the 25th, when all
moved about three miles to Christmas camp On the Goth
party consisting of King Old Bill Breckenridge and
Creuzeld were sent to the settlements to procure
lief Eight days were allowed them TO CO. make all
gary preparations and return. The whole distance TO be
travelled could not amount 10 less than $50 miles and the
in the shallowest places feet and half deep.
In the mean time the men wasting their strength,
and the provisions fast disappearng-Colone FIRE.
mont appearing to estimate his property much higher than
the lives of his
On the I'd of January his mess encamped on the Rio
del Nore, and one of the who orget informed me
that they found Kings camp-fres yet smoknga sure
evidence that he could not be far off If this be the fact
t6ut DO not voueh for i his course very evident
one. He should have sent some ahead to stop him
tKing cached (secreed) bis things and with the whole
party have proceeded down the river His previous
would have been repaired lives lost and except the
mules, no property of any value.
On the 18th Colonel Fremont and his started for
the settlements savng the TO waste the time and their
strength IN packing has baggage All the provisions yet to
De divided consisted of bag Of coffee some little and
maccaroni-in all, probably three days full rations
On the 10th started for the settlements But for the
particulars from this time out refer you the accompa
nying published copy of extracts from my journal that
gave Stepperfeldt:
Journal Of one Of FEemonfs Men.
From New Tribune
We arrange the following statement from the Quincy
(IlL) Wing:
Mr.. Stepperfeldt who was one of Fremonts men, and
who suffered with Others of the company in the attempt
to cross the mountains of New Mexico last winter
ed to his home in this city Tuesday last From
Versaon with Mr. S. led believe that the suffer
ngs oil the party were not fully detailed (even if known
by Col fremonti and, the public will probably never
have an authentic account of the disaster from his pen
rests win the men who composed the party, and who
shared the suffering to give the detail trans
pred from day to day daily journal of the
ons was kept by some of the men, which may be of
interest to the public. wiu be that Col Fremont
much eensured IN these pages and toh considerable justice
the testimony Of The Of his party TO be relied
Ihe journal appears to have been kept by Richard H
Kern
Struck the rUer December s-(The river referred to here
Is evidently the Rio del Norte, which Fremonts party
reached about three weeks after leaving PuebloEG Tb
Course west and southwest Showed all day Camped on
the RIVER plenty OF timber and snow.
DsceH61 9.-Moved in the valley of the river on its
eastern bank Entered small of the river but on
account OF the deep snow forced t. back and
pass over the top of the hill crossed the river camp
ed The deep snoo Of to-day should have ,earned COL FIRE.
nom Of h. approaching destruction, but nth the wfuuy-
bltnd Of rdshHess and seeonce and confidence he pI
N. w an aim
December Lay in camp until IL o'clock, then moved
tnree mules further up the river, and camped in fine
grove OF cottonwood. Course w. by N
December llTrail to-day very billy and difficult the
hills being steep and rugged Day windy Made
twelve miles anu camped in deep the river,
Course same yesterday.
December l2-Passed through little valley that lay to
the right Of the camp and had very difficult canons
70 contend wthhe sides in many places almost perpen-
culsr Camped on the sloping side of the canon Made
nom I'VE to seven miles. Course nearly north.
December l3.-Had very difficult hill to climb at
saIti ROAD better after Passed through large pine
running from IT to the right Made about miles; course
north 10y ~
December l4-Road over pine hills and through deem
snow valIeys, raised over high bald mountain from
the summit Of which OF the finest mountain in
e %orla can be see Camped in deep pine forest near
north. Made about miles
Deceo>, livery bad hill at the start afterwards the
am PISSED over the summit Of hills. Made about miles
December I6Made start to pass what was supposed to
be the dividing ridge between the waters of Rio del Norte
ana those of the Grand river. Passed dead mules and
riding and lying besides the trail After hard
work reached the bill summit but the wind and poudr<
were SO dreadful we had TO return Eleven men were FROST
bitten in various places the cold being 40 intense Re-
turned to our old camphres amid frious storm of wind
and snow which continued all day and night
DeoemoT IA parry Of the went ahead 10 beat
WINE toose rcmsniug in camp we're tobring the an
s up AVE- hard labor reached the top Of the hill and
anN we u3I winding the opposite hill on whose sum
~ sop5 grass could be the trail passed through
sho" rom to Is feet deep. W. unpack,d the mules on
te point after Whieh some we're driven 10 the HILTON and
those that reak s 10 peri,h This pa. he last Tim,
we packed them EOey animal should have been Jchered
ana zee you'd hare had plenty camp Camped 10 a small
pine grove IN which remained until the gath when we
moved southwest about miles large pine forest The
snow feet deep. Meanwhile camp employed pert
aging the baggage from the last to Christmas camp
On the goth, Henry King, w S Williams r. Breckeu-
ndge and Creuxedt sent to the settlements TO bring
us relief
Remained in Christmas camp until the 2sth when we
three miles farther toward the and two Messs
Iopln and kerns, encamped in small valley while the
rest remained on the hillside
December 3o.-Moved on about three miles nearer the
river
December 3l.-Reaehed, with the Colonies packs, what
the last.
January 2-Noved the Colonel to the Rio del Norte,
about miles and cdst Of where m the river Deem
Der H. Continued portasing the packs the Coonels
camp OF January and 70 cottonwoods mile be-
yond until January II, when ordered to come
and camp the river; the Colonel with Mr. Preuss
ie't early same day TO meet and hasten Mr.. Kings
party.
Raphael Proulx died on the 9th
(The following letter left by Col Fremont "a d.