The following account is related by Oscar O. Stoddard, captain of the Stoddard Company – the last handcart company to cross the plains in 1860. This experience happened near Independence Rock Wyoming.
“At the first camp this (the west) side of Quaking Asp Ridge, a few teams from the valley passed us and camped a short distance east of us. They came back and spent the evening with us, enjoying themselves as young folks will, till between ten and eleven o’clock, when they started for their camp and feeling jolly, hurrahed, fired off pistols, etc. The Danish Saints, having gone to bed in a tent and all asleep, being suddenly aroused by the uproar, were frightened, and someone shouted ’Indians,’ which created a panic and a rush was made for the tent door to get outside. Brother Christiansen, their chaplain, a small man, lying in the tent door, started going with the rest, but the rush was too soon and too powerful for him, and he was trampled underfoot. He found himself free, but with a shoulder out of joint, with a knuckle below the socket.
“The next morning, one of the brethren, by using his knee as a lever, tried to pull his arm out and pry the shoulder in place. After three or four unsuccessful attempts, he begged him to stop as he could stand the pulling no longer. I was then informed of the circumstance and went to him and found his arm in a sling.
“In the evening, just after prayers and as we were preparing for bed, he sent for me to come to and administer to him. I complied and anointed his shoulder as well as his head with consecrated oil and in confirming the anointing with my hands on his head, I prayed for the muscles and sinews to relax that the joint may have room to get to its place. After I got through administering to him, I said, ‘Brother Christiansen, go to bed and to sleep and if you will have faith you shall wake up in the morning with your shoulder in it’s place,’ and he said, ‘I believe you, Captain,’ after which I went to bed.
“The first thing I heard in the morning, the Danish interpreter called me and said, ‘Captain Christiansen’s shoulder is in its place as you told him last night it would be.’ And so it was.”