Diary of H. W. Rigler in 1847 and 1848, With Notes [pp. 233-245]

234 Diary of H. W Bigier in r8~ and 184&. [Sept.
15th September, and on the 27th of the half. Our flour, salt, sugar, and coffee
same month went with James \\T Marshall being exhausted, we thought one beef into work on the sawmill of Sutter and Mar- sufficient for a hungry battalion. The
shall at Coloma, where he remained till mules had never been broken, and there
June 17th, 1848, when he started for Salt was a lively time when they were harnessed
Lake. in, but the soldiers and the vaqueros with
That portion of his diary kept during his their lassoes enjoyed the fun, and the poor
stay in California, with some explanatory mules had to submit. We marched until
notes added in 1887, has a permanent his- dark, and camped without water.
torical interest, and a copy of it as revised Jan. i6tk.-Started again at midnight,
by John S. Hittell at Mr. Bigler's request, and marched until 3 P. M., after traveling
has been placed in the archives of the 5o or 6o miles without water, over a very
Society of California Pioneers, and is now sandy road, and under a hot sun. Twenty
given to our readers in print.] of the mules gave out, and were left to take
care of themselves. There was much suf S~nday, January jolk, I~47. - Began fering among the men also, on account of
to ferry our baggage across the Colorado hunger and thirst, having had nothing to eat
River in wagon boxes; and at the same for more than 24 hours. The first men to
time a number of soldiers were detailed to reach the water carried full can teens to
gather mezquite beans for mule feed. their companions who had lain down ex
Jan. iilk. -Completed the ferrying. hausted by the roadside. All the men
Marched 15 miles. Several teams gave out. came in at last. One mule was lost with
At camp an old well was dug deeper, and a his pack.
new well dug before we could get water. Sunda~,January J71k.- We m~rched lo
Jan. 121k. - Two more wagons were miles to a camp with abundant water. One
abandoned in consequence of the mules of the beeves gave out, and some men who
giving out. Marched 10 miles. were too weak to keep up with the mass of
Jan. I31k.-Marched 15 miles. Camped the battalion killed it, roasted it, and preat a dry well in which we found 4 dead pared themselves to stay by the carcass, but
wolves. After digging this well deeper, and were driven forward by the rear guard.
digging a new one, we had a good supply of They did not reach the camp till late in the
water. night.
Jan. I41k.-Twenty-fbur men with picks Jan. 181k.- Spent the day in camp, restand shovels were sent ahead under Lieuten- ing, washing and mending clothes, and
ant Stoneman [George Stoneman, since cleaning guns. Some of the men had reGeneral and Governor of California], and covered so well from their recent exhaustion
Weaver, our chief guide, to dig wells. The that they sang, fiddled, danced, and
battalion marched 15 miles, and camped amused themselves by rolling immense
without water. bowlders down a steep hill side. Late in
Jan. 151k. - Started at sunrise and the evening an Indian brought a letter to our
marched 10 miles to Stoneman's camp. Colonel. Rumor in camp said it was from
There was very little water. Here we met a General Kearny, who has had a battle with
party of native Californians and Indians with the native Californians and has lost 15 or
mules and beeves for the battalion. The 20 of his men.
Colonel ordered one of the beeves to be Jan. 191k.- A hard march. In one
slaughtered and cooked, so that we should place we had to move large loose stones to
be on the road again within an hour and a make a road passable for wagons; at another