2078

Fantastic Gold Rush Letter Relaying the Journey to California [151910]

Currency:USD Category:Stamps / United States - Covers Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 1,500.00 USD
Fantastic Gold Rush Letter Relaying the Journey to California [151910]
SOLD
2,100.00USDto s*********0+ buyer's premium (420.00)
This item SOLD at 2022 Dec 03 @ 20:11UTC-8 : PST/AKDT
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Dated Sept 16, 1849. Dateline American Fork, Sacramento River. Location; Camp 3 miles above Mormon Island. Four pages of historic information Talks about;
"...camped on the south side the night of the 18th for the last time. It was very cold three degrees below the freezing point...Next morning about 10:00 o'clock we crossed the summit of the Rocky Mountains in the South Pass
You will recall there was 19 wagons in our train when we started, we now had but two in our train... those that could out travel us went ahead and those that could not keep up we left behind,
...so we went by Ft. Bridger, there we saw the first white women we had seen that were residents of this country
There was 23 wagons here to cross (mountain stream). Ours was the last wagon & over she went, the bed was lashed on, but the bottom boards were loose. We then hauled it ashore & sent a man on board to examine the wreck but she was empty, we fished up one sack of flour...some saved part of their clothes...3 rifles lost.
...we got to the head waters of the Humboldt or St. Marys River, our course laid down for some 300 miles, we could find scarcely any grass & our animals began to fail...before we got to the sink Lash's horse gave out, he left him, mine failed & I left him at the sink.
...from the sink to the Carson River is a desert 45 miles without grass or water we started across it in the night, about midnight...fed the animals some hard bread, dried sage brushes...we passed 30 or 40 wagons that were left in the sand , people had to leave them there & --- their stock in the water & graise [sic] then go back after them
...hear the Indians were very troublesome, they drove off a great many cattle & mules & if any failed & could not bet the river, when you went back for him you would sure to find him dead.
There is so much more. One of the most descriptive letters we have had!!!

Date: 1849
Country (if not USA):
State: California
City: American Fork
Provenance: