Chapter Three ~~ The die is cast and the Wilson-Lambert wagon train begins their adventure on the Oregon Trail.

A wagon train was a rolling community with its own rules of law and procedures that were designed to keep things orderly and safe. It needed to be a strong group of people who believed in their leaders and respected their decisions. However, human nature being such as it is, there were always those people who caused dissension and sometimes near anarchy conditions. When this happened it was dangerous for everyone involved.

These stalwart folks traveling the trail were mostly farmers and knew how to handle tools, equipment and livestock. However, one area of expertise that most of them did not have was the safe and effective use of firearms. There were more fatalities on the trail from the accidental discharge of guns than from confrontations with Indians.

TRAIL TRIVIA: In 1842, the first emigrant to die from a firearm accident on the Oregon Trail was ironically named John Shotwell. He made the fatal mistake of getting his gun out of his wagon muzzle first.

Chapter Three is available by clicking the book cover below: