# The Rocky Mountain Saints/Chapter 39

* THE TWO ARMIES.
* The Saints rejoice, and sing their Warlike Songs
* The Federal Troops in Camp Scott
* Brigham sends them a Present of Salt
* "The Lord" is to destroy the Enemies of Zion
* Col. Kane arrives among the Mormons and converts Brigham
* The Prophet concludes that he cannot "whip" the United States
* He proposes Flight
* Means to take Care of Himself
* Col. Kane visits Gov. Cumming and arranges a Basis of Prospective Peace
* He offends Gen. Johnston
* A Duel imminent
* The Mormons flee from their Homes.
While these misfortunes beset the Government troops, the Mormons were the happiest of mortals. The calamities that had befallen their own hand-cart emigrants only the year before were instantly forgotten, and the sufferings and privations of the soldiers were regarded as the immediate and direct judgments of the Almighty against those who would "fight against Zion."
As the snow had closed the passage through the mountain cañons, there was no longer any necessity for "defence," and the brethren returned to the settlements to be greeted with songs of victory. One of the pæans of the time was a "Welcome to the returned warriors of Zion: dedicated to Lieutenant-General Wells and his co-champions in arms," which expresses the view that the enthusiastic took of their situation:
​That was the gayest winter ever known in Utah, and dancing and theatrical representations were every where encouraged, while the songs of the Mormon camps, adapted to the popular negro melodies of the day, were brought into the city and were heard in all the assemblies. The Sunday worship was enlivened with the jovial chorus of "Du dah," and the "sweet singers of Israel" discoursed Mormon patriotic sentiments to the air of "The Red, White, and Blue." To fire the souls of the Saints, one of the brethren, who is now an "apostate," made a most excellent translation of the "Marseillaise Hymn," while another of the elders sang the praises of the "warriors" in verse that has immortalized him among the poets of the Tabernacle. Nor were the sisters wanting in enthusiam. Sister "E——— M———"—a delicate, petite English lady, whose heart would have been moved at the violent death of a spider, aroused with her eloquence "the defenders of Zion" to "gird on for the fight." She was "inspired."
​The following verses are illustrative of the warlike enthusiasm to which the preaching of the leading elders had brought the people:
Brother C. W. Penrose, the author of this effusion, at this date had nothing of the mountain bluster and boasting in his disposition. He was a young man of very pleasant manners, a missionary, with a more than average mental cultivation. His poetry only expressed the heart-felt convictions to which the ​teachings of the priesthood had led him. He fully and unquestioningly believed, as indeed did all the Mormons, what Brigham Young taught. With "the Lord" to fight their battles, the few Saints were a match for the whole world. They knew no fear; they only awaited the word to arise and conquer, and every mile that the United States troops advanced towards their homes, only brought the hoped-for consummation more pleasantly near to their longing souls. Many, doubtless, shared the sentiments of Brigham, and his hatred of all authority outside of himself; but the masses have nothing of blood-thirstiness in their character. As the United States army approached, they saw only the fulfilment of predictions, and naturally longed to be the witnesses of the Lord's power.
From the pen of that same "C. W. P." flowed the sweetest song that the Mormons ever sang. At all great gatherings a little Scotchman with a warbling voice is certain to be invited to sing "O Zion," in which the whole audience, contrary to the usages of the Tabernacle services, burst forth in the chorus. This effusion is sung to the sweet air of "Lily Dale":
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