The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-06
MARCH OF TVENTY-FOURTH,
THE TROOPS NOW ENcAMPED
IN STRAWBERRY VALLEY.
An Account of the Journey of the
Boys In Blue-The Camp Ground a
Little City OF Tents-Return viii
Be By Way of Provo.


fourth INFANTRY, consisting of COM
pa1ltes A, c, D, e, f, G, H and three
enlisted men of the hospital corps, ag-
gregating II officers and 344 enlisted
men, left Fort Douglas on the morning
of Aug. %. The troops were under the
command Of Lieutenant Colonel e. H.
Lisccan, and formed under him at I
O'Clock on the morning of Aug. 20 ON
the Parade ground at Fort Douglas.
The command was then given and as
the women and children waved a last
farewell to the departing army. they
started on their march.
The first days march was very dusty
until the mouth of Parley's Canyon
was reached. When the good road was
reacf2sd- From here ON the nlarGh ing
was very pleasant, except shat it began
to grow rather warm for coTnfort dur
ing the last few miles. We marched to
Mountain Dell the firsta day, and Went
into camp at 11:50 a. m, after making
a distance of Il miles.
The next day, Aug, "a, we broke camp
at 6:45 a. m. and marched to SNYDER
Vile, about SIX miles from Park CITY.
we arrived here az 11:45 a. M, having
marched a distance of 1872 miles After
leaving Hardey's ranch we had a very
long and hard climb to the summit of
PaTleY's CANYON. OF course as the
country was all new to the men, it was
not as tedious as it might have been.
All through the day we would march
SO minutes and rest 10, The line of
march WAS formed every morning as we
s,.usi.ed cut, First there was one COM
Pany detailed as advance gulfd. which
started out a few minutes before the
main command Then would FOLLOW
the main body of troops under COM
nand of Lieutenant Colonel Lt5con.
The troops would march at ease in COL
u1nn of f6urs. Behind the column fol-
lowed THE guard and hospital corps
With the long line of wagons bringing
up the rear. Each day there would be
a. new company detailed as The advance
guard, and when the troops arrived in
camp and the place put in order the
rev guard would be mounted the same
as in the pest.
On the morning of the 25th we
marched to Baugn's ranch, a Short dis
tance from Heber City. As We marched
Through Park City it seemed that the
wirole city were out to see US. It is
very seldom that they get a chance to
see so many soldiers all at one time,
and il. was no doubt as interesting to
them as a circus. At Park City the
wagon train was left under a guard to
load the supplies that had been shipped
by raid from Fort Douglas. There were
nine wagons, all drawn by four mules,
ard theY attracted as much attention
as did the srSo7s themselves.
We arrived at Baum's ranch at II
o'clock, noon, after travelling a dis
lance of 49, miles. The next day we
left camp ait Baun's ranch at GAO a.
M. and marched to Daniels canyon,
arriving at cut camping grounds near
the mouth at II a. m. Distance marched
from Baum ranch WIS 111h miles
The camp on this day was very much
scattered, owing to the fact that the
canyon is go. heavily covered with a
dense growth of brush.
At 6:25 on the morning of the 9th
we broke camp and Started ON our
march up Danders canyon The MORN
ing was cold and the rapid rnarching
was just sufficient exercise to- keep US
warm. The march up the canyon was
q pleasant one. The roads were good
and the CANYON was one of the pref
tiezI- THAT we had seen. The whole
length of the canyon was very prettIly
wooded. The road wound in and out
of the natural bowers formed by the
overCaanging trees. Hop vines were very
luXuriant and they produced a very
pleasing effect, as they climbed up the
treIa TRUNKS and trooped in graceful fes-
toon6 over the road. AS We climbed
slowly toward the head of the canyon
the scenery became wilder and then the
birch, cherry and cottonwood trees
gave way TO the harder and more
stately pines. We camped in a large
clearing. on the summit of the divide
betWeen Danfe1's canyon and Straw
berry valley.
We reached the summit at 10 a. m.
after a march OF ten and one-half
miles. When We were still about q
mile from the summit we encountered
a very hard rain storm which con-
tinued to pour its torrents upon US
until after we reachA mp. There
was not man in the = Ole command
that was not wet 70 81. skin. It is
surprising how cold a. rain is w, IN it
comes on one in these parts. Every
man was nearly frozen and cur teeth
chartered and we shivered as though
we had the ague. All were hungry and
tired, which, combining with our wet
and bedra ggled condition, was not pro-
ductiYe of best tempers- However, the
wagons soon arrived and the boys were
forced 20 stop cursfng Utah and get
camp in order for the night. Fires
we're soon going and when the cook 8
voice was heard calling Come and get
it, everybody forgot their discomforts
in the pleasant operation of eating din
nar. The sun then came out and as the
heavy mists were gradually dispelled
and went rolling like great waves over
the mountains, the spirits of the men
rose 1t was indeed beautiful and if
the boys had known the words Of the
song they would no doubt have sung
Utah We Love Thee.
On the morning of the 18th we again
broke camp and marched into Straw
berry valley at 6:45 after march of
only three miles and established cur
permanent camp. 1t was q beautiful
sight that greeted our eyes as we sud
denly emerged from the dark pine for
est and saw the valley lying at our feet
The sun was just rising above the
mountain tops that bathed the valley
in flood of soft yellow light. a de-
tachment of men under the quarter
master had preceded the command into
the valley and had the camping
grounds selected. It was pretty pic
ture that was made as almost stimuli
taneously a beautiful little city of
snoW-White tents sprung up from the
ground, as il were. The encampment
was laid off with accuracy ard was not
pitched in a proqniScuous manner
One of the most surprising things TO
the boys is the sudden changes in the
temperature. The sun no sooner dips
behind the western mountains than 1t
grows so cold that a, fire and an over
coat is very comfortable. Every night
very heavy frost falls and it freezes
Tight. sage hens and trcut are every
day dishes in the companies, though
the boys have to so several miles in
order. to find them. The troops are en-
gagged in drills and general field work
ana VIII start Oh their return march on
Thursday. the 9Th OF September They
VIII not return over the same road by
which they came but will pass through
Provo