Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-31
A GREAT TREK.
The Exodus to Oregon From Kansas
City In 1843.


Kansas City, Mo-, has grown, was a
point of national interest during the
spring of 1S43. Concentrating there
in May of that year was by far the
largest gathering of immigrants which
the exodus of Oregon had yet seen.
They came in response to liberal do
nations of land which congressman
promised to settlers. They were also
the answer to appeals for colonists
who would rescue the Northwest from
England.
Meetings to promote immigration
were held i'm New York, Boston, Phil
adelphia Pittsburg, Cincinnati, st.
Louis and other places in the early
months of the year. Marcus Whit
man, who i'm the winter of 1S42-43
made a daring ride from his post on
the Willamette across the mountains
and prairies to the east in the interest
of the missions and of immigration,
was an object of much interest in
Washington, New York and the other
centers which he visited. Many pa
pers mentioned his exploit. Some of
them gave special emphasis to the
fact that he was to return with the
caravan which was soon 10 start from
the banks of the Missouri for the Pa
cific slope.
All this explains why 1S43 saw large
parties Of immigrants from many quar-
ters converge at the mouth of the
Kaw as soon as the grass began to
peep out at the sunshine. They came
from the shores of the Hudson, the
Ohio, the Connecticut, the Tennessee
and the Wabash. Assembling at that
point were descendants of men who
fought against Canonchet and King
Philip, who marched with Boone and
HarrOd through Cumberland Gap,
who assisted Manasseh Cutler, Rufus
Putnam and Samuel Parsons in plant
ing the colony at the mouth of the
Muskingum, which laid the founda-
ton of the old Northwestern Territory;
who were with 'Tippecanoe" Harrison
and Richard NJ. Johnson when they
overwhelmed Tecumseh and the
British General Proctor and his troops
at the battle of the Thames in the
War of 1912.
An enumeration of the names of
some of the persons who gathered at
the starting point-James w. Ne
ia1
John G.. Baker. Thomas G. Naylor and
Peter II. Burnett-would be a rollcall
of some of Oregon's most distinguished
citizens of the after day. For effec-
tive direction and for safety, especially
in going through the Indian country,
which would soon be encountered
and which would have to be traversed
for a thousand miles and for many
weeks, a Semblance of military organ
ization was adopted The wagons
were divided into platoons of four
each, the leading platoon of today to
drop to the rear tomorrow. A stated
number of wagons comprised a divis-
ion with its quota of officers. Scouts
and buffalo hunters were selected
from among those who had no teams
or cattle to drive, the former to watch
on front and flank for Indians and the
latter to furnish the caravan with
meat.
a council. consisting of some of the
most intelligent and alert men at the
rendezvous was chosen to settle con-
troverSieS, and, after the expedition
started, to act as Legislature and judi
ciary. Out in the region to which they
were to travel the government had
not extended its authority. From the
decision of the council there was to
be no appeal. \ veteran plainSman
and mountaineer was chosen as
guide and pilot, and his place was at
the head of the line. Marcus Whit
man was to join the caravan at the
point where the trail struck the Platte,
and to remain with it until it reach
ed Fort Hall. Peter II. Burnett was
in general command.
\ rife reveile from the sentinels
at o'clock in the morning of June /,
lS43, awoke the camps on the Kaw
and the hustle of preparation for the
march began. Fires were lit, break
fast was cooked and eaten, the cattle
and horses at the outskirts were COL
lected, and the oxen yoked. At I
o'clock the bugle sounded the advance,
the various divisions filed into the
positions which had been assigned
itself To several miles in length,
broke away form WeStpOrt and the
Missouri and headed for the sunset.
1t was
The first low wash of waves where
soon
shall roll human sea
Men. women and children were
there 10 the number of nearly a
thousand. with two hundred wagons
drawn by oxen. With them were sew
eral thousand horses and cattle. and
also household furniture, plOughs and
seeds. 1t was the kind of army that
never retreats. Ii was a nation in
transit. And the objective point.
across rivers. deserts and mountains,
and through an Indian-infested re-
giOn larger than France and Ger
many combined. was two thousand
miles away.
THE road to Oregon" The sign
board with this legend, which greeted
them near the present town of Gard
ner. Kan, on the second day out from
WespOrt told the immigrants that
they had reached the parting of the
ways. and that they must now leave