How many oxen pulled the wagons along the trail?
Ten yoke (or pairs) of oxen were needed for a fully loaded wagon, so 20 oxen would pull the wagons. Murphy wagons were usually pulled in tandems of three wagons hitched together. The first two wagons were full-sized, while the third or “tag” wagon was about ½ size. Together these wagons hauled about 2.5 to three tons of freight. These excessive loads are what required so many oxen.
