Covered Wagon Women, Volume 8: Diaries and Letters from the Western Trails, 1862-1865 (Covered Wagon Women 8) Review

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(More customer reviews)Another excellent volume in the Kenneth Holmes' Covered Wagon Women Series. Although westward going emigrants of the 1860's had more conveniences than their predecessors (stage stations, military outposts, etc.) life on the trail during this time period still had its misfortunes and nerve-racking adventures. For one thing, Indian uprisings were frequent and oftentimes brutal. Even though these women were not in direct contact with Indian skirmishes, they nonetheless make reference of them.
To cite a few diaries included in this volume:
Twenty-nine year old Louisa Cook's 1862 journal has an upbeat and optimistic attitude on trail travel. Besides the usual wagons for travel, her party also had an omnibus (twelve passenger wagon frequently used in cities). She is very down to earth regarding day to day activities, river fordings, Platte River storms, descriptions of Indian villages, how people treat their stock, etc. In fact she said that she enjoyed the "gypsy life" within reason.
Ellen Tootle, who was well off financially, traveled in fashion to Denver in 1862 with high quality Missouri mules pulling the wagon. She and her husband were on their honeymoon to check the possibility of expanding his dry-goods business in Colorado. She is very descriptive of many features of trail travel, early beginnings of Denver and the gold mining in that area.
Mary Elizabeth Lightner's 1863 diary to Salt Lake City is a dismal and pessimistic view on travel. The poor woman never seemed to be very content.
Elizabeth Elliott's heartfelt letter of 1863 mentions the loss of several children in her train, along with her own son.
Harriet Loughary's 1864 diary is very keen and descriptive of the day to day journey with mention of Indian behavior and rebellions, graves along the trail, etc.
Lucretia Epperson's party of 1864 drove many quality horses to California. Her diary is very "salt of the earth".
Mary Ringo's 1864 diary has to be one of the most despairing of all. Quite understandable after her husband accidentally shot himself and died. Two months later she gives birth to a disfigured still-born.
And then their was thirteen-year old Harriet Hitchcock whose demeanor on life was candid, humorous and a delight to read.
Another must read in this series.


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The overland trails in the 1860s witnessed the creation of stage stations to facilitate overland travel. These stations, placed every twenty or thirty miles, ensured that travelers would be able to obtain grain for their livestock and food for themselves. They also sped up the process of mail delivery to remote Western outposts. Tragically, the easing of overland travel coincided with renewed conflicts with the Cheyenne and other Plains Indians. The massacre of Black Kettle's people at Sand Creek instigated two years of bloody reprisals and counterreprisals.

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