Part 39 (1/2)

On the Sweet.w.a.ter, they met Apostle Taylor and his company, and were treated by them to a rich feast, prepared as a surprise to the returning pioneers.

The Indians had now commenced to be troublesome, prowling around the camps, stealing horses and cattle, and committing other petty depredations. An exciting though bloodless affray took place between them and the pioneers on the morning of the 21st of September. The brethren were just getting ready to start, when the alarm was given by the men who had been sent out to gather up the horses, that the Indians were ”rus.h.i.+ng” them--driving them off. The camp flew to arms, just in time to receive the onslaught of the savages, who, emerging from the timbers and firing their guns, charged upon them at full speed. There were at least two hundred mounted warriors. A return volley from the pioneers broke the Indian charge, and the brethren then gave chase, Heber C. Kimball and Wilford Woodruff leading the counter charge with impetuous zeal. Das.h.i.+ng almost alone at the swarming savages, the sight of their daring courage spread consternation among their foes, who broke and fled incontinently.

The old chief who had directed the attack now shouted to his band and proclaimed peace to the pioneers, telling them that he and his warriors were good Sioux, and had mistaken them for Crows or Snakes, with whom they were at war. The brethren thought it good policy to accept the excuse, transparent though it was, and to appear satisfied with the explanation. The chief proposed the smoking of the pipe of peace with them, and wanted the ”big chief of his Mormon brothers” to go to his camp. This, however, was not deemed prudent, but Heber, Col.

Markham and Apostle Woodruff went instead, hoping thus to recover their horses, eleven of which had been stolen that day, besides many others on the Sweet.w.a.ter.

Heber and his companions were kindly received by the Indians, who were camped about five miles away, and smoked the pipe of peace with their leading men. Seeing some of the stolen animals in camp, Heber walked deliberately up to them, took their ropes out of the hands of the astonished savages, and coolly returned with them, amid the grunts and approving nods of his swarthy admirers. They named him ”the bald-headed chief.” Says he:

”I saw quite a number of horses that were stolen from us on the Sweet.w.a.ter, but President Young suggested that we say nothing about these for the present; but when we should get to Fort Laramie to offer Mr. Bordeaux $100 to procure them for us; inasmuch as it was deemed inexpedient to take them by force, numbering as they did some eight hundred men, and their camp comprising upwards of one hundred lodges.

It was chiefly through my own exertions that we recovered the most of the horses, and I verily believe that if I had had a few more men with me of sufficient energy and resolution, while at their camp, I could have secured all of the stolen horses.”

It was President Young's wise policy to placate the Indians and win their friends.h.i.+p, for the sake of future emigrations.

At Fort Laramie, President Young, Apostle Kimball and others of the Twelve dined with Commodore Stockton, from the Bay of San Francisco, who was eastward bound.

Continuing on their way, the pioneers and Battalion ”boys” arrived in safety at Winter Quarters on the 31st of October. Upon the joy of their meeting with their families and with the Saints, we need not dwell. They found that during their absence peace and prosperity had generally prevailed.

CHAPTER LVII.

THE FIRST PRESIDENCY REORGANIZED--HEBER ATTAINS TO ”THE HONOR OF THE THREE”--SECOND JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS--SICKNESS AND DISTRESS-- HEBER'S CHARACTER AS A COLONIZER.

Another notable change in the eventful career of Heber C. Kimball. The quorum of the First Presidency, which had remained vacant since the death of Joseph, was now reorganized. Brigham Young, the chief Apostle of the Twelve, was chosen President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all the world, with Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards as his counselors.

The subject of the reorganization had been considered by the leaders soon after their return to Winter Quarters from the Valley, but it was not until the fifth of December that the matter a.s.sumed definite shape. At a feast and council held on that day at the house of Elder Orson Hyde, who had presided at Winter Quarters during the absence of the pioneers, the question was presented to the Apostles by President Young. Those present were then called upon, in their order, to express their views in relation to the subject, when Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, George A. Smith, Amasa Lyman, and Ezra T. Benson spoke to the question. President Young closed.

Orson Hyde then moved that Brigham Young be President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that he nominate his two counselors to form the First Presidency. Wilford Woodruff seconded the motion, and it was carried unanimously.

President Young then nominated Heber C. Kimball as his first counselor, and Willard Richards as his second counselor, and the nominations were unanimously sustained.

This action of the Apostles in their council was sustained by the Saints in general conference a.s.sembled, on the 27th of December, 1847.

The conference lasted four days and was attended by at least one thousand people. It was held in the new log tabernacle at Winter Quarters, a building erected especially for the purpose. The reorganization of the Presidency was confirmed at the October conference of the following year, in Great Salt Lake City.

Apropos of this event:--In a patriarchal blessing upon the head of Heber C. Kimball, given by the Patriarch Hyrum Smith, at Nauvoo, on the 9th of March, 1842, the following language occurs: ”You shall be blest with a fulness and shall be not one whit behind the chiefest; as an Apostle you shall stand in the presence of G.o.d to judge the people; and as a Prophet you shall attain to THE HONOR OF THE THREE!”

On the 24th of May, 1848, the First Presidency organized the main body of the Saints on the Elk Horn, preparatory to the second journey to the Rocky Mountains. The camp consisted of six hundred wagons, the largest pioneer company that had yet set out to cross the plains.

Under Brigham and Heber they were led in safety to Zion's mountain retreat, arriving in Salt Lake Valley in September, 1848.

The journey, however, was one of severe trial to President Kimball and his family. His daughter Helen, who had married Horace K. Whitney, eldest son of Bishop Whitney, had lost by death her first babe, a daughter, in the Spring of '47, while her husband was absent with the pioneers; and in the journey of '48, she lost her second born, a son, whom she considered as a little martyr. So great was the sorrow of the poor mother over this second calamity, that she was not only brought to death's door, but her reason was for a time overthrown. Vilate herself was prostrated by her daughter's deep distress, and it was only by dint of Heber's mighty faith and powerful will, that either of them were kept alive. Again and again he administered to the sufferers, praying that G.o.d would spare their lives, and declaring in prophetic words to them and the whole camp that they ”should not die.”

Thus it was, throughout the entire journey to the mountains. That season of dire trouble Heber and his family ever after looked back upon as one of the extraordinary trials of his life.

But it also brought out the n.o.ble qualities of Vilate's sister wives, who daily administered strength and succor to the family. For Heber, prior to this, and even before leaving Nauvoo, had taken many wives, and like Abraham and Jacob of old, had become the head of a patriarchal house-hold. His family, at this time, including his adopted children and those dependent upon him for support, numbered over one hundred souls.

The residue of Heber C. Kimball's history is confined to the land which his wives and children now inhabit, and where much of it that may never be written by mortal pen is cherished as precious memories in the hearts of tens of thousands. From here on, we are more than ever compelled to cull from a superabundant variety of incidents the leading events of a life which now saw some of its best and busiest days.

During the remaining two decades of his mortal existence, his history, so inseparably interwoven with that of the great work to which he had given all his energy and heart's devotion, is largely the history, for the same period, of the development of this intermountain region.