The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-03 00:00:00

THE UTAH EXPEDITION.

The New York Tribune publishes the following
communication from its special correspondent with
the Utah expedition. He dates his letter from
Camp, 200 miles from Fort Laramie, Oct. 30 :
"During Captain Van Vliet's stay in Salt Lake
City last month he overheard but one remark which
induced him to believe that the declarations by the
Mormons of an intention to resist the tro.-ps were
not earnest. That was an observation. by Brigham
Young, to the effect that his intention was Un-
altered unless he tAiould get another revelation to
the contrary, which he was sure he should not.' _

" The result has certainly justified the Prophet's
confidence. No such revelation had been received
by him up to October 5, on which date aces were
committed under his direction which cannot fail
to end in bloodshed. On that day the two regi-
ments of infantry and the artillery and ordnance
batteries wore encamped on Ham's Fork, which
branches from Black Fork, which is a fork of Green
River. The two nearest supply trains were but a
few miles distant from Green River, on the east
bank, and about 30 miles from Colonel Alexander's
camp. The next on the road had advanced about
20 miles west from Pacific Springs, which rise at a
short distance beyond the South Pass. About 11
o'clock at night three trains were surprised and
seized by parties of Mormons, their contents exa-
mined, and what was worth pillaging was stolen
and the remainder destroyed by fire. Each train
consisted of 26 waggons, and belonged to the num-
ber sent out by Messrs. Russell and Waddell, of
Leavenworth City, contractors for the transporta-
tion of stores to the army and for the supply of beef
cattle. The teamsters made no resistance, and were
unharmed. These Mormon bands are understood to
be under the command of Bill' Hickman, although
it is rumoured that Heber C. Kimball attends them.
They are all well mounted and armed, each man
Icing provided with a Californian horse, and with a
rifle, and from one to three revo!vers. Hickman is
supposed to have directed the proceedings near Pa-
cific Springs, while a man named Locksmith com-
manded near Green River.

" Immediately upon the receipt of thenews of this
attack Col. Alexander sent Capt. Marcy, of the sth
Infantry, with five companies, back to Green River.
He arrived, however, only in time to take charge of
the cattle of the trains which the Mormons had left,
with the polite request that the troops would fatten
them ever winter, when they would be in good con-
dition for Mormon eating in the spring. Another of
their jeux d'esprit was a remark to the teamsters
that they • had only burnt the waggons this t me,
but would be likely to burn the waggoners the next.'
Col. Alexander also sent despatches to Brevet.-Col.
Smith, from whoa • am writing, and Captain
Marcy sent by an'. ' essenger a circular letter to
the trains on the road, advising them, for the sake
of safety, to place themselves under Colonel Smith's
protection. Both express men were intercepted by
the Mormons, but, as nothing suspicious was found
on their persons, and it did not appear on what
errand they were bound, they were released. The
one from Col. Alexander, perceiving that it was im-
possible to avoid arrest, destroyed the despatches to
Col. Smith, according to his instructions, and we
aro ignorant of their contents. The other brought
Capt. Marcy's circular safely through in the too of
his mocassin.

" We know, however, in the absence of the offi-
cial despatches, that Capt. Marcy has rejoined Col.
Alexander, and that the entire force has moved to
the north along Bear River towards Soda Springs,
where it will probably await the arrival of the re-
maining supply trains, the sutlers' trains of the sth
and 10th Infantry, and of Col. Smith's battalion.
The reasons for this movement do not appear by a
glance at the map to a person unacquainted minutely
with the conformation of the country and the cha-
racter of the climate. The direct road to Salt Lake
City, passing Fort Bridger, Medicine Butte, and
the Needl-s, which Col. Alexander has abandoned,
is possibly by this time impassable to waggons or
artillery on account of the weather. The season,
which has been uncommonly favourable up to the
beginning of October, has resumed its natural
severity. Ice has formed in our buckets every
morning but one since we left Fort Laramie. The
northern slopes of the mountains are completely
whitened with a covering which will not melt tilllBsB,
and even the southern slopes are powdered scantily
with snow, of which there was a fall on Saturday
night that chilled our road on Sunday and Monday,
and has muddied it to-day. Tho Mormons have
probably burnt the grass along that entire route,
and obstructed the defiles in which it abounds in
such a manner that only artillery could clear them.
But if the army concentrates at Soda Springs it will
have betore it a road along a valley, open, it is said,
even at midwinter, direct to Salt Lake City. I know
of no chart which exhibits all the lines of road on
which these movements will be made ; and, indeed,
I am unable to gather from our guides such informa-
tion as to trace them accurately on Captain Stans-
bury's map, which is the largest chart of his country
that I possess ; but I believe them to be sub-
stanti illy these :—The direct route from California
to the States crosses the Wabsatch Mountains far
to the north of the Salt Lake City, and continues
almost due east to its junction with the main
road to that city, which
passes Fort Bridger, and
then runs on through the South Pass dividing,
however, near Ham's Fork into three branches,
which cross the Green River and unite beyond the
Big Sandy. From one or the other of these branches
a road leads up into Oregon towards Fort Hall,
passing Soda Springs, from which there is a cut off
into a road direct from Fort Hall to Salt Lake City.
It is over these latter roads and the cut-off that
Col. Alexander's march will be directed.
" The Mormons who intercepted the express men
told them they had a force of 700 men scattered
along through
the mountains as far east as the
Devil's Gate, througho which the Sweetwater flows,m
about 200 miles fro
is a dismantled Fort Laramie, and near which
some of the logs omen mail station, at a fire from
of which we warmed our feet not
a week ago. But this must be a gross exaggera-
tion.the traiNnseitheexte.ee of the
100 parties which
number,an
burntis difficult to conceive how
a force of even
that strength could have •
gamed the rear of
the army unobserved. It is a fact, however, that
ever since the Mormons settled on Salt Lake
they have been assiduous in collecting information
concerning the topography of the country, and
many of their leaders understand it as thoroughly
as the most experienced mountain guide. The em-
ployment of a great part of their young men in
herding cattle has made them acquainted with
every little stream and kanyon,' and inured them
to the saddle. It is these young men, and these
almost solely, who constitute the element of Mor-
mon military force from which there is danger to
be apprehended. They possess the ability, if they
have tho will, to carry on an annoying guerilla
warfare, sweeping down from mountain passes upon
single travellers and unprotected trains.
" I am unable to make an estimate of the
amount of stores destroyed by them in their foray
of Oct. 5. The original amount intended for the
Utah expedition was an eight months' supply for
2,500 men, and each train was assigned a propor-
tion of all the articles to be transported, including
even Ordnance stores. Whether different arrange-
ments were made when it was thought necessary to
leave the 2d Dragoons with Governor Walker in
Kansas I am not aware. At any rate, it
is the general impression that the loss of so
great a quantity of provisions as the 72 waggons
must have contained would necessitate a movement
towards Salt Lake Valley, were not such a move-
ment on other accounts a consequence of their de-
struction. The season will forbid the transmission
of any further supplies of troops from the east than
are now far on their way. Whether Col. Sumnet's
command has returned from its pursuit of the Che-
yennes to the Arkanias ; whether Col. Cook is
marching his dragoons towards us to fill out so far
as is now possible the original programme of the
army of Utah, which was disturbed by Governor
Walker's schemes iu Kansas ; or whether General
Harney, Col. Johnson, Governor Cumming, or any
of the new territorial officials, are on their way
west, we are not informed, for the most recent ad-
vices we have received from the east extend no later
than to Sept. 1. Ignorant as we are of what may
have occurred during the last 20 days, it is impos-
sible for us to fix the responsibility for the delay,
so accurately as yourselves, upon those to whom it
belongs; but some one is certainly to blame for the
fact, that of the 2,500 men originally destined to
the expedition hardly 1,400 are now available, and
for the other fact, that of all the newly-appointed
territorial officials only one to my knowledge
(Chief Justice Eckels) is anywhere near his post of
duty. Mr. Morrell, the Postmaster of Salt Lake
City, who was appointed by President Pierce
last year, but whose commission was stolen from
the mail, is also au exception. He is encamped
near the South Pass. and will place his waggons
under Colonel Smith's protection to-morrow.
" This news of the actual rising of the Mormons
in arms cannot surprise you more than it does those
on the scene of action. The presence of Dr. Bern-
hisel with Captain Van Vliet on his journey to the
States seemed of itself an offset to all the threaten-
ing messages of which the latter was the bearer.
It seemed incredible that the Mormons should
have the assurance to send a delegate to Washington
to uphold them in Congress, when they were in ac-
tual artntd rebellion. That they have been excited
to a forcible outbreak only by the grossest misre-
presentations I cannot doubt. As an instance of
these, I may specify one which is by no means the
most absurd. When the general orders from the
head-quarters of the army for Utah for the estab-
lishment of three new posts in the territory reached
• Salt Lake City, the circumstance that they were to

be ' double ration posts' excited the utmost indig-
nation. Sappws'ng it meant that all the garrisons
as well as the commanding officers, were to draw
double ratims' laughable as it may appear, it is a
fact that they believed that the extra ration was to
be furnished to each soldier to enable him to marry
and support a wife, of course, he would seduce from
among them. Captain Van Vliet found this illu-
sion universally prevalent.
" In consideration of the journey of Dr. Thrnm-
hisel to Washington, while affairs are in such a con-
dition among his constituency, I feel bound to send
you the following information concet fling the mode
of his election, for the accuracy of which I do net
vouch—for it is not of my personal knowledge—
but for which I send you privately nay authority.
It has been stated to me that on the Sunday before
the day fixed by law for the election, Brigham
Young rose in the Bowery, where an audience of
several thouFands was collected, and spoke substan-
tially to this effect :

" Brethren, to-morrow, you know, is the day
to vote for delegate to Congress, so the law says.
But I don't see why to•day isn't just as holy, and
why we shouldn't take a vote to-day. Brother
Bernhisel, brethren, has done well enough in Con-
gress, though nobody's of much use there, and if it's
worth while to send anybody to Washington I guess
we might as well send him back ; if he can't do 113
any good, he won't do us any harm. So all you
that are in favour of sending Brother Bernhisel back
will please rise.'
" Accordingly the whole audience rose. The
next day at the election but few votes were cast and
those all for Dr. Bernhisel, it being felt to be use-
less to oppose him, although he is said to be very
unpopular in Salt Lake City. If Ido Dr. Bern-
hisel any wrong by this narration, I am sure you
will be willing to correct anything which he shall
prove to be inaccurate.
" As another item which I have neglected to in-
sert in its proper connexion, it is reported that the
Mormons have taken prisoners two men belonging
to Dr. Magraw's party, who were sent on business
towards Salt Lake City."