Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-04-09
REUNION OF
THE VETERANS
Survivors of lions Camp and the
Mormon Battalion Gather
AT Lion House.
FIRST PRESIDENCY GUESTS.


Che Lion House Is the scene tuls
afternoon of lively and interesting re-
union of some OF the surviving menu
bers OF zion's Camp and of the MoT~
mon Battalion. They are the guests Oh
the first presidency. who issued cor
dial invitation to the remnants OF the
two noted organizations to be their
guests at reception TO be held DUR
Ing the week following conference, ana
this afternoon as many as could iino IL
convenient to be present are sha SIS
hands and renewing friendships tlat
were formed almost as long aGo as III"
allotted age of man. 49,
on July l6 next 81 years VIII nave
elapsed since the enlistment OF the MOI
mon battalion. Upwards OF SVV met
about 30 women and number o. chli
dren were In the company, ana IL IS
estimated that today not to exceed one
In every 10 Is living. and il is thought
that the proportion is even less
TWO SURVIVORS
OF the women of the battalion, very
few are known to be alive. Two at
1east still survive in the persons OF
Mrs. AlbIna NJ Williams, OF SOFA
snrInrs Idaho, and her sister, Mrs.
phoebe I.odcrna Thompson, temporarily
yesidIng at Parker. idaho. A photo OF
Mrs Thompson Is reproduced on this
ma &c. They were daughters OF Samuel
Merrifl, for many years resident OF
Salt Lake, and who died here, lacking
but a few months of being 100 years
old.
VETERAN OF 1872.
Father Merrill was a veteran OF the
war OF 1872, having been Il captain or
heavy artillery ~ the second struggle
of the United States with England. he
was OF heroic New England stock' anu
when his country became involved IN
conflict with Mexico, and the exiled
Norrnons We're asked to fight for the
honor of their flag he sent ONE son, two
daughters. two srandsons and TWO
sons-in-Iaw on the march that WAS
afterwards declared to have had no
parallel in the worlds history, The son
was Philemon G. Merrill, who became
adjutant OF the battalion; Albiua and
Phoebe were the daughters the names
of the grandsons were Edwin COTTON
and Ferdinand Merrill, and the suns-in-
law, Thomas S. Williams and FhilaIl-
der Cotton
SUFFERING AT PUEBLO.
When Santa Fe was reach ed. 1t was
found that the long and severe march
had incapacitated number Of the
men, and as 1t was desired that the
able-bodied should reach the seat OF
war as quickly as possible. the SICK
soldiers, with nearly all the women
and children Of the expedition. We're
detached, and sent back, under Capt
James Brown. 10 winter at Fort Pn-
eblo on the Arkansas river. with this
company were Mrs williams and fam
NV and her sister, Phoebe Merrill. The
tourney from Santa Fe 10 Pueblo occu-
pied one month. and arriving there
The men who were able to work set
about constructing log CABINS, M
which the detachment COULD be shelf
cred during the winter, At Pueblo the
suffering OF all was somewhat aleviat-
ed. but there WAS much sickness
throughout the long dreary months,
and deaShs were almost of daily occur
renee But for the tender nursing and
camp in behalf of the wOrn-out SOL
diers, the little graveyard at Fort Pu-
eblo would have claimed many another
sleeper
Nor were the sojournars at Pueblo
entirely free from other dangers Iney
were surrounded by Me1icans and In
CLANS, and the nearest help was nun
dreds of miles away, Attacks We're
frequently threatened. and the men OF
Inc little fort We're constantly on the
alert and prepared for defense
TRIP TO SALT LAKE.
on May "a, 1917, Capt. Browns COM
pnny loaded up their belongings, ane
bidding adieu to the little fort that had
been their shelter and protection for
six months crossed the Arkansas river
on their way westward, by way or
Fort Laramie, ON the Platte river, The
pioneers under President Brigham
Young were just ahead of them and
were nearly overtaken before the valley
OF the Great salt lake was reached. The
two sisters arrived on the present site
of Salt Lake July %. 1s47. just Ave days
after the original band Of 143 men. three
women and two children had pitched
their tents on City creek
Mrs. Williams had two children when
she arrived at Pueblo. and there anoth-
er daughter was born. One OF tho three
still survives, namely. Mrs. Catherine
Williams Kimball. widow OF David 2.
kinball. Her present home is in Logan,
Utah. Mrs Williams Is so years of age.
being somewhat the senior OF her Sis
ter. Mrs. Thompson. Both are In good
health, considering their advanced age.
and both bid fair to Hive yet many
years.
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