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Freighting

Russell and Majors Competing in 1853

Having had a taste of government hauling, he [Majors] wanted more. In December he entered a bid at Fort Leavenworth with Major E. A. Ogden, quartermaster for the military posts west of…

Grey-backs

It is a notorious fact that many of the overland stage drivers and stock tenders, between three and four decades ago, were inhabited by a species of vermin known as…

Freighting delays in 1860

The contract for freighting supplies on the New Mexico Route in 1860-61 provided for loading and starting at the usual time, in May or June. Russell, Majors & Waddell, as usual, bought wagons,…

Wagon Numbers for Mormon Conflicy

Meanwhile Majors & Russell put forty-one trains on the road, some in advance of the soldiers, others mixed in with the Army, and still others to the rear. It made an amazing…

Cost of Wagons for the Mormon Conflict

Wagons, oxen, and equipment were bought wherever they could be found, but prices were hiked 25% or more. When the job was done they had about 1,100 wagons, 15,000 oxen, and some 1,400…

Sabbath Day

Another thing he insisted upon was resting on the Sabbath day, not only because to do so was Divinely commanded, but because his trains made better time in the long run than…

Russell and Brown

James Brown was the first to sign a contract under the new plan. Being one of the best plainsmen and freighters on the trails he delivered his consignment on schedule and in…

Army Turns to Private Freighters

During the War with Mexico it was demonstrated beyond a doubt that the War Department and Army were unable to successfully operate trains upon the plains, mainly because bullwhackers were a rugged, independent…

Russell Gets Into the Santa Fe Trade

One day in 1847 he met his friend E. C. McCarty, wholesale merchant at Westport. "How would you like to try the freighting business," asked McCarty. "I've several customers in Santa Fe who…

Russell, Majors & Waddell Get the Army Monopoly

On March 27 of the same year [1855] he [Russell] and his partners, under the name of Majors & Russell, signed a two-year contract with Q. M. Maj. E. S.…

Russell, Majors & Waddell Set Up in Leavenworth

In the dawn of 1855 Kansas territory presented a scene unique in American history. Six months before, when its 22 million acres were thrown open to settlers, there were few…

Russell’s Freighting Expands

While Majors was expanding his freighting business in the latter 1840’s and early 1850’s Waddell and Russell were reaching out in various directions at Lexington and elsewhere. In 1850 Russell,…

Majors’ Freighting Experience

Among the freighters of civilian goods to Santa Fe in 1848 was Alexander Majors making his first trip over the Santa Fe trail with six wagons loaded with merchandise, 30…

Army Subcontracts Freighting

Probably at the suggestion of Q. M. Capt. L. C. Easton of Fort Leavenworth, the experiment of contract freighting of military supplies was made in 1848. On May 17 he…

Army Freighters to Santa Fe

When the war with Mexico broke out Col. S. W. Kearny was ordered to lead a small army of 1,701 officers and men on a forced march across the Great…

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About

Scott AlumbaughIn early March 2020, I decided to bikepack the length of the Pony Express Trail in Summer 2021, following the Pony Express Bikepacking Route, a nearly all off-road route created by Jan Bennett. You can learn more here >

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