Brigham Young and the decision to go west

Brigham Young was the new leader of the Mormons. He knew that the Mormons would never be left in peace in the East. He knew from the guidebooks about the Oregon Trail that the most isolated area in all the West was by the Great Salt Lake. So in September 1845, Brigham Young decided that Mormons would leave Nauvoo in the spring of 1846.

Young was a brilliant organizer (he organised the move to Nauvoo) He was practical and more down to earth than Smith. He was also a very determined man. 

1) Preparations went on all winter, wagons were built, oxen bought, food and equipment collected. In February a pioneer band crossed the Frozen Mississippi and established the first way station called Camp of Israel, in Iowa. The rest of the Mormons had to follow before they were properly prepared because mobs began looting their homes.

2) At Camp of Israel Young explained how the journey would be organised. They would be split into a number of separate wagon trains, each made up of 100 wagons. A captain would be in charge of each wagon train, and the wagon train would in turn be subdivided into 'tens' each supervised by a lieutenant. 

3) Young left with first wagon train. Every now and then they built a rest camp for those following. At each camp some Mormons stayed behind to plant crops and set up workshops for carpenters and blacksmiths. Soon a steady procession stretching nearly 500km was strung out across the landscape. By June 1846 Young and his wagon train had reached the Missouri River. Here they built Winter Quarters. 

4) This was where the Mormons would spend the winter. A thousand cabins were built to accommodate everyone. So good was Young's preparation that all the wagons arrived at the Winter Quarters by autumn. However he could have done nothing more to prepare for the harsh prairie weather. In winter they huddled in draughty cabins or tents. Fuel and food were short. In spring a plague and the bitter cold had killed 700 people.

5) In April 1857 Young led forth a 'pioneer band' of 143 men, three women and two children. All carefully chosen for their endurance and to give a balance of farmers, craftsmen etc. Their job was to lead the way to the Great Salt Lake. Young didn't listen to the advice of Jim Bridger (former mountain man who said valley of Salt Lake City was too cold at night to grow corn) and Sam Brannan (a mormon who ushered them to go to California) Finally in July the Mormons reached the Great Salt Lake.

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