Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/467



and unable to walk farther, they finally sank down in the snow, and Smith helped them to pull off their frozen boots. They tore up a part of their blankets and wrapped them around their freezing feet, which were very painful. Smith urged them to get up and make another effort to reach the Des Moines River timber, which was in sight, but they were so chilled and exhausted by the bleak wind, frozen feet and icy clothing that they were unable to rise, and said they could go no farther. After vainly trying for a long time to get them to make another effort to reach the timber, Smith at last realized that to save his own life he must leave them. After going some distance he looked back and saw them still on their knees in the snow, apparently unable to arise. It is not likely they ever left the spot where Smith left them, but finally, overcome with cold, they sank down and perished side by side.”

Eleven years after two skeletons were found near where they were last seen and identified by the guns and powder flasks lying by them as the remains of Johnson and Burkholder. *

The main body of the expedition which had gone back to the Irish colony experienced no trouble until near night of the second day’s march. Having a very small supply of provisions they were put upon short allowance. The water in the river was now very high and the melting snow was filling the creeks and sloughs. When the command reached Cylinder Creek, late in the afternoon of April 4th, it had overflowed its banks and had spread out over the valley a mile in width and twelve feet deep, with a strong current in the channel. All efforts to find a place where it could be crossed failed. The wind had now suddenly changed to the northwest and it was rapidly growing cold. Captains Richards and Buncombe saw serious work and danger before them and sent Major Williams and Mr. Dawson (both of whom were old men) back to the settlement, while they sought for a way to get the men across the flooded stream. An effort was made to convert the

* Capt. J. C. Johnson had recently come to Webster City from Pennsylvania, a young man who was universally esteemed. His courage, patient endurance and considerate care for his men on that long fearful march, had endeared him to every member of his company.

Wm. E. Burkholder had recently been elected Treasurer of Webster County and was a young man of great promise. He had cheerfully shared all the hardships of this winter campaign, volunteering to go on to the lakes to bury the dead. He was a brother of Governor Carpenter’s wife.