December 14 there was a turn westward and at a distance of nine miles was
found a direct trail to Tucson. The day's march was twenty miles,
probably terminating at about Pantano, in the Cienega Wash, though this
is only indicated by the map or description.

On the 15th was a twelve-mile march to a dry camp and on the 16th, after
a sixteen-mile march, camp was made a half mile west of the pueblo of
Tucson.

From Tucson to the Pima villages on the Gila River, a distance of about
73 miles, the way was across the desert, practically on the present line
of the Southern Pacific railroad. Sixty-two miles were covered in 51
hours. At the Gila there was junction with General Kearny's route.

From the Pima villages westward there is mention of a dry "jornada"
(journey) of about forty miles, caused by a great bend of the Gila River.
Thus is indicated that the route was by way of Estrella Pass, south of
the Sierra Estrella, on the present railroad line, and not by the
alternative route, just south of and along the river and north of the
mountains. Thereafter the marches averaged only ten miles a day, through
much sand, as far as the Colorado, which was reached January 8, 1847.

The Battalion's route across Arizona at only one point cut a spot of
future Mormon settlement. This was in the San Pedro Valley, where the
march of a couple of days was through a fertile section that was occupied
in 1878 by a community of the faith from Lehi. This community, now known
as St. David, is referred to elsewhere, at length.