The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1857-12-25
NO r.
The Utah Expedition.
on cioi Dispatch from Colonel Johnston
Removnl Of the Troops from Fort
Snclltng-s-Ihc Indian Mnssncro.

Dispatches have been received at the
War Department from Col. Johnston.
the commander OF the army of Utah.
They include several letters from Col I
Alexander, commanding tho main BODY
Of the expedition. Annexed is the dis. |
patch from Col Johns,on:
Hr,uorAsrEDs ARuy or UrAu,
Souru Pass, On RuurE 10 SALr LAKE CRY o
October 3, 1851
MAJoR:-Acoompauying this commu.
nication ! send YOU two1etlers from Col.
Alexander, the commander at present of
the main body Of the army Of Utah.
These letters refer to matters relative to
tho propriety, or whether he had the au
thority, to assume TIE command Of the
.ontiro army. lie then goos on to say
pursuing his design indicated i'm his ieuor
.of October o, rs YOU will learn from his
letter of October l4-that ho had al.
yanced up Hams Fork Of Green river
thirtyiive miles above tho crossing, and
there directs tho movements 10 be made
by his own immediate command and the
troops in his rear to form junction,
which, from erroneous supposi,ious,
would bo wholly impmctcablo.
Frst--lle evidently believes that Col
Smith, osoorting tho reminder Of the
supply trains-u all about niuc. including
three suttlers' trains--is advancing on
the Kinney road or cut OH. with the
forces named in IIarney's report Of Au-
gust o, and of course he had not ro.
ceiyed the coun,ormand Of that order --
/ llo assumes that tho command in the rear
is more capable Of rapid movement than
his own, aud, therefore, after waiting one
! day at the point indicated, will resume
his march, In this, also, no would have
been disappointed. as tho train in the rear,
suffering from fatigue and scarcity of
susieuauoo, aud without rest--whigh the
teams with him had could not, If whore
ho supposed them, oyerhke him. These
are tho facts, aud, if known by Col. Al
eXaudey, his disposition, as determined in
his letter Of October 0, would have been
entirely different,
Col. Smith is az this camp, with City
men Of his regiment. l overlook him
the day before yesterday, 10th inst, about
twenty miles east Of this and have added
my escort OF fifteen mounted dragons to
his force. Lieut.. Smith, Ia command Of
a squadron of dragoons and fifty Of the
Tenth Infantry force Of about two
hundred men, may be expected here in
three or four days. Ho is aware Of tho
necessity Of promptness, and l am sure
will lose no time.
Mr.. William M'Gmw, Superintendent
| Of tho South Pass road, with patriotism
highly oreditabIe to han, places at the
! disposition OF the government as many
Of his employees as viii volunteer. He
thinks fifty or sixty viii be organized,
and have agreed to accept their services,
and have them mustered in for three or
six months, as they may select; aud he
has also rendered fifteen or sixteen good
leams or mules and wagons, which have
also accepted, and directed them to bo
receipted for when delivered.
-Four supply trains, containing cloth
ing-which tho troops in advance, | am
Informed, now begin to need Ordnance.
medical and subsistence stores, are still
in tho rear, and may be expected IN two
OF three DAYS. The storm OF last night
may have destroyed some Of their oxen.
and on that account there may be more
delay than 1 anticipate.
Eleven mules of Col. Smiths train
perished last night The thermometer
this morning at sunrise was at sixtoon.-
The sky is now clear, aud the thormomo-
ter at ons O'Clock stands at thirty-four.
and the small quantity of snow that fell
during the night is melting, so that the
cattle can Craze freely.
l am thus minute for tho reason that
the order transmitted to Col. Alexander
yesterday morning may be fully compre-
hended. His intended movement, il il
met with opposition, would have so re-
tarded his march as to have made il I'M
practicable, aud would probably have so
enlangled him in tho midst Of the deep
snow Of tho valley of Bear River-which
| understand never fails to fall there, and
very early in the sesson--as TO place him
beyond the means Of extricalon. Our
most potent enemy at present is the snow,
aud IL constitutes our chief embarrass-
ment.
The moyemento Of Col. Alexander would
have separated him from the supplies in
dispensable TO comfort and safety OF the
army, and deprived him Of the assistance
Of the force which will be concentrated
here 10 few days; which however small,
boing partly Of cavalry, is Of vital impor-
tanco.
! In ordering Col. Alexander to the
mouth Of Fohtenell creek, a position about
thirty miles from his camp on Hams
Fork, did so with design of making
a junction practicable, Ii is about sew
anty miles hence, and he can reach It by
good road and without any danger OF
surprise. There is there an abundance Of
grass, aud il is point from which can
reach the region | intended to occupy
this winter. without risking the loss Of
our animals.
| As soon as the snow falls on Green
River sufficiently to prevent the burning
Of the graes, l will march to Henry's
Fork, aud occupy that velley during The
winter. IL is commanding position,
and accessible two months earlier for re-
Inducements and supplies by Cheyenne
Pass than any other. and win enable me