With the extermination order pronounced, the Saints living in Nauvoo had to leave to save their lives.  They crossed the Mississippi River to Montrose during the winter of 1846.  Conditions were hard.  They took what they could carry.  They didn’t look back.

Here are the notes I prepared for the river cruise guides with lots of interesting information, including some oft-repeated myths about the river crossing:

Mississippi River Cruise Guide Notes