"17 3/4 miles [ ] the weather warm and the road for some distance back sandy [ ] after the camp stopped John Holman accidentally shot a valuable horse of Bro Brigham [ ] he was driving the horse when the cock caught his clothes and instantly discharged the ball entering his flank [ ] the horse died in a few hours"
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This entry today is interesting because it hits a personal note with my immediate family. Fast forward from 1847 to 1959. My sister, Sunda Harper, got married that year to a man named Jerry Holman. His great grandfather was the John Greenleaf Holman who shot Brigham Young's favorite horse...ironically named John. Many years ago, the town newspaper of Twin Falls, Idaho wrote up an article about them as both having a great grandfather who was in the first wagon train with Brigham Young's trek to the Salt Lake Valley.
Nearly every journal I have searched through mentions this man shooting Brigham's horse. Some were stated just factual, some in judgement. Brigham was very upset about losing his horse but did not give John Greenleaf much grief over it. He was thankful he didn't lose one of his men which went through his mind immediately after hearing 'someone' was shot. It was an accident that didn't have to happen and could have been prevented with better thinking, but it was an accident. And the poor guy has been in every history article about that trek since then.
These are just some of the journals that mentioned it:
Heber C. Kimball: "a while before dark when the brethren were driving up their teams John Holman while bringing up President Young's "John horse" having his loaded rifle in his hand the horse undertook to pass him and go back and unthinkingly to urge the horse forward he jammed his rifle at him [ ] by some means or other the cock of the rifle caught in his clothes causing the rifle to explode discharging the ball into the horses body [ ] it entered a little forward of the nigh hind leg on the under side of his belly making quite a large hole through which he bled freely [ ] he walked to camp after the accident but it is the opinion of most of the brethren that he cannot survive long [ ] he appears to be in great pain [ ] the sweat falling from his forehead in large drops [ ] President Young is evidently filled with deep sorrow on account of this accident [ ] but attaching no blame to John Holman, who appears grieved bad enough [ ] The brethren generally feel sorrowful on account of this accident being one of the best horses in camp and the second killed by accident with rifles on this mission"
Millen Atwood: "left there on thurs 24th passed ice springs about 8 Oclock [ ] passed Oregon Co of 12 wagons [ ] about 10 traveled 17 3/4 miles without feed or water and campt for the night on sweet waters [ ] about 3 Oclock this company of 12 wagons passed us [ ] in a few minits afterwards John Holeman shot a gun of accidently about sun set and shot Br Brighams horse the best horse there was in the camp for anything [ ] he died in a few hours "
William Clayton: "A while before dark when the brethren were fetching up their teams John Holman while bringing up Prest Youngs best horse [ ] having his loaded rifle in his hand the horse undertook to run back past him and to prevent his running back he jammed his gun at him. [ ] the cock caught in his cloths [ ] the gun went off lodging the ball in his [the animal’s] body. It entered a little forward of the right hind leg on the underside of his belly making quite a large hole [ ] the horse walked to camp but it is the opinion of many he cannot survive long [ ] he appears to be in great pain the sweat falling from his forehead in large drops [ ] President Young is evidently filled with deep sorrow on account of this accident [ ] but attaches no blame to John [ ] who seems grieved very bad [ ] the brethren generally feel sorrowful [ ] this being the second horse shot by accident on this mission"
Norton Jacob: "a sad accident happened this evening [ ] John Holman driving in Br Brighams John Horse [ ] poked his riffle out at him [ ] the cock caught in his clothes burst the cap & sent a ball into the belly of the Horse near the flank [ ] he died in the course of the night [ ] the best Horse in the camp, cost $150.00"
(I read one yesterday that was very judgmental of John. He didn't deserve the bad judgement. It was a hard journey. No one was mistake free.)
