Divine Preservation of Thomas Bullock's Company on the Plains

On September 10, 1856, a company of missionaries including Thomas Bullock, Bernard Snow, and George Gates departed Salt Lake City, having dedicated their families to the Lord. As they traveled toward the Missouri River, they organized their camp with appointed leadership. Throughout their journey, they maintained an average pace of twenty-two miles per day and were remarkably preserved, experiencing excellent health and suffering no loss of animals to illness or theft. During their transit, the region was volatile due to violent clashes between U.S. troops and Cheyenne tribes; specifically, soldiers had killed over a dozen Cheyenne near Fort Kearney, prompting a deadly retaliation where the Cheyenne killed several travelers, including A.W. Babbitt and the Margetts family. The threat was so severe that the Postmaster at Fort Kearney refused to send mail even with military escorts. Despite encountering hostile territory and passing through areas where others sought safety by joining the missionary camp, Bullock’s company traveled in peace. The most significant obstacle was the crossing of the Loup Fork on October 23-24, where, despite having only a 'dug-out canoe' and suffering a capsizing incident that submerged Elders Snow, Shumway, Hubbard, and Huffaker, every member was saved. Bullock attributed their safe passage through these 'barren wastes' and hazardous crossings entirely to the protecting hand of the Lord.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

I may say that we have been blessed by the Lord God of Israel with beautiful weather for our journey; He has blessed us with exceeding good health, not one having been sick a day; He has preserved our animals unto us that not one has fallen by the way, or been stolen by marauding thieves. He has blessed us in enabling us to pass through the barren wastes inhabited by Indians, who have been killing the United States troops, and have killed several travelers, among whom are A. W. Babbitt and the Margetts family; and the Postmaster at Fort Kearney said he does not send the United States mail, stating it could not go in safely, although escorted by a company of United States dragoons; and although several apostates, Gentiles, and a few traders joined us at Horse Shoe Creek and Fort Laramie, in order to go through in safety; still we have come through in peace, and have not seen an Indian to do us any harm, neither have we had much difficulty in crossing the various streams, except the Loup Fork. On the 23rd and 24th of October, we had to cross that river, and having only one dug-out canoe, we had to take our wagons to pieces, and carry our loading over by hand. Elders Snow, Shumway, Hubbard, and Huffaker, were capsized in the river, and were in great danger of being drowned, but the Lord heard our prayers, and they were all saved. Therefore we ascribe the praise and glory to our Father in Heaven for His preserving care over us while traveling across these deserts.