Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, June 7, 1864

In this letter from June 7, 1864, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing his first few days of work surveying a route for the Union Pacific railroad. He comments on his living quarters, bed, and food.

Camp No. 3, 40 miles from Salt Lake City
June 7, 1864

I have been out one week last Monday and it has taken all of the time to break in my green party. They are doing quite well now and I think they are all good men. Myself and Mr. Mathewson are quite well. We breakfast quite frequently on the nicest trout caught from the purest mountain water you ever saw. Our bed consists of Mother earth and one good buffalo robe, one beaver robe, consisting of seven skins, for which I paid ten dollars, and my shawl with boots, coats and pants for pillows. Sometimes we sleep in a tent and sometimes out in the open air.