I went looking for a journal for Luther Terry Tuttle 1825-1917. Here's what I found.
LDS Church History library:
contact: 801.240.2272
http://chl.altarama.com/reft000.aspx
After going through the phone system, I later found the LDS Church History website I had used to ask questions previously. see:
Please state your question:
I would like to know if we have a journal for Luther Terry Tuttle, Born 1825, Died 1917. He was in the Mormon Battalion. If the Library does not have the journal, do you know where it is located and if I can have a copy.
History of correspondence in relation to this Question #
Our response is:
I am sorry, but we do not have a journal for Luther Tuttle, nor do I know where a journal might be located. However, we do have some letters that he wrote while serving in the Mormon Battalion. I am attaching digital copies of these letters to this email. I hope this is helpful.
Sincerely,
Jenny St. Clair
The Church History Library couldn't find a journal, but sent a few letters he had written:
~transcribed by Vern Taylor 2011, Stockton, CA
Envelope for following three letters:
To: Peter Haws, Council Bluffs
From: Fort Leavenworth
Luther Tuttle
Alpheus Peter Haws
George W. Boyd
James Bukeley
August the 14, 1846
Deare Father, I received your letter yesterday with the greatest of pleasure. I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and hoping these few lines will find you and all the family enjoying the same health but I am sorry to say that Luther has got the ague and fever now but he had the fever about three days and we broke that by laying on hands. He is better now. He is able to walk around now. Abigail (sister and wife of Luther Tuttle), I say cheer up your(self) and pray for Luther and I will pray for you, but don't give yourselves any uneasiness about us. Now father and mother, cheer up your hearts and try to comfort the rest of them and look forward to the time when we shall meet again, not to the time where we shall part anymore, for I expecet yet to be gone years from you all.
Adeline (Dunn, wife of Alpheus Peter Haws), cheer up your heart to think that (what) you have now and think that I am on as great a mission as has ever been performed since the church has commenced. Now, Adaline I want your prayers and all the rest of the family for Luther and I, that we may have health and strength to endure the hardships before us. We expect to leave the fort (Leavenworth, Kansas) tomorrow morning. I want you to write to us as soon as possible. It is very late and I cannot write anymore. I will leave the rest with Luther (Tuttle, brother inlaw).
(Alpheus Peter Haws, US Mormon Battalion)
(second letter)
Fort (Leavenworth, Kansas)
Dear Abigail (Haws, wife of Luther Tuttle),
I now lift my pen to inform you that I have been sick with the fever and today this fever broke and left me with the ague, but give yourself no uneasiness on my account, for I am getting stout. Now there are a good many sick in the camp at this present time. Opportunity will not permit me to write long at present for several reasons. The time seems long since we parted, yet we must make the best of it we can. So make the best you can of the worst and we will do the same and by that we will have the best all the time.
I shall have to draw my part to a close and may heaven her choice Blessings (bestow). May peace and pleasure thee attend.
Such are the wishes of thy friend. My love to father and mother Haws (his inlaws). Love (to) Adeline (Dunn-Haws) and to Emily (Emelae) and to all the rest of the family.
No more at present from your affectionate husband, Luther Tuttle. (US Mormon Battalion)
(third letter)
Mother Haws.
I take up my pen to write a few lines to inform you how I am getting along at this present time. I am a partner to Luther (Tuttle) with ague. But we are getting better, so that we can walk about. My hand is so nervous that I can't write much. For I have had the belious fever and mumps and taken the ague and fever. If you see any of Yearsley's folks, tell them my situation. I am in hopes that I will be well in a few days. No more at present.
George W. Boyd (US Mormon Battalion)
If you see anything of James' folks, tell them to write to him.
James Bukley
Envelope:
Luther Tuttle (Santa Fe) to Abigail Tuttle (Council Bluffs)
To Mr. Peter Haws in care of H. Egan (Major Howard Egan, liason to U.S. Mormon Battalion)
Santa Fe
Oct 14, 1846
Dear Abigail,
Having now an opportunity to write to you and all the rest of the folks. I cheerfully embrace it. Alpheus (Haws) and myself are well at present, but I have been sick ever since I was at the fort. I was taken with the bilious fever after I had been there about a week, but I never took a dose of medicine all the time, for we have got the Damdest doctor that you ever heard tell of. He has the drum beat every night and morning for the sick to come to him and if they don't take his medicine, Calomel (Mercury chloride), he curses them and says ready for duty. And then they have to walk unless they are smart enough to crawl in some of the company wagons, but I have not walked, only when I have been a mind to for I had plenty of friends and they took good care of me. This day, they are trying to arrange it to send the women back and all the sick and those that are not able to stand to go on this winter back to Pueblo (Colorado), and stop this winter and send them the rest (of) the way that you will go in the spring, and officeers with them, Captain Brown. I am very glad to get rid of him. He has had more than a few men put under guard.
Santa Fe is a place that I was very much desired in for I expected to find some fine buildings and very genteel folks, but instead of thaat, there houses are made of mud, no floor in but dirt covered with dirt, and in the common way of speaking, a dirty looking set of people. What are left here, but I understand that they have been leaving ever since the troops came in here. There is(sic) a great many soldiers here, the town is as full as it can hold and we as a people will be glad to get out of it and get on our way homeward, for a soldiers life is not desirable at all with me to have such officers as we have to our head, our doctor especially, and if he goes all the way to California with us, I am afraid he will never get back, and many will mourn his loss! Well, so much for the doctor. The colonel would do pretty well if it was not for the doctor, the staff officer.
Now all are regulars except Dikes (DYKES, Georgia Parker, Adjatant), and our officers do not brag on him.
We have come through the greatest country that ever I saw. Buffalo, which is excellent meat, in great abundance. Antelope, the next thing. Also mutton in great abundance. A man could travel on wormy flour through such a country as this. Provision is very scarce here amongst the Spaniards, yet we have enough. I am Commissary Sargent for our own company to draw and deal out provisions to the company. We draw (a) pound of flour to a man a day, and a half a pound of pork, or a pound of beef. Sugar and coffee about enough to do us. Soap, vinegar, beans, or rice, so we have enough to eat and enough to drink.
Often we have cooked our suppers by the buffalo chips. Orders has(sic) just this minute come to stuart to move on (this) morning, and I am called away, so no more at present but let all be of good cheer for we will soon be over the mountains and on our return home. But do not fail to pray for us while we are far apart. My love to Father Haws and Mother Haws, to Esmila and to Albert (Haws) and all the rest.
One word to you Abigail (Haws-Tuttle), the time seems long since we parted. Days seem like weeks, yet the time will come when we have look(ed) for. I should like to wish we long will not permit. So I remain your affectionate husband, Luther Tuttle
PS
Adeline (Adeline Dunn-Haws 1830-1852), don't think that I have forgotten you for I have not (sent) my love to you and the baby. Luther Tuttle
~transcribed by Vern Taylor 2011, Stockton, CA
