The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-18

avail myself Of halt to give you succinct statement
sns public The Mormon problem solved: Ihey nave
perPeyau9g an act q On the night Of the 9Th in
et kbodo O'Clock they seized and destroyed seventy
eYht heavily loaded wagons containing government sup
pies tor thq army The wagons and teams the pro
perry OF hsssrG Russell waddle contractors. The
trans were some forty miles distant from each other
This provee'that there more company OF
Mormons My Informant says that the notorious "Destroy
ing Angel" Bll3iickman, commanded one and - Lock
smith the other 5ary Of about so men each one train
OF twenty Six wagons destroyed 81 miles west Of
River, thirty miles Of Col Alexanders train There
were no soldiers with these trains and the transfers
offered no resistance.
For their dociity in this respect the Mormons gave
them one wagon and some provisions with which to make
their way back TO the States and burnt tho residue They
profess to have between the DEVILS Gate this river
and the Mormon Ford, Green River, seven hundred
mon under On hearing of the loss OF the trains,
Colonel Alexander, who was encanped on the Hsms
Fork sent Captain Marcy with four hundred men, back
70 Green River and enabled the Transfers TO collect their
cattle tAke them headquarters He also sent ON
Frenchman 10 us. On the next day they ordered Mr.
Fickln, OF Captain McGraws party prisoners These
sent by MeGraw ON TO Salt Lake 10 buy nouror
Our express brought in his moccasin an order from
Captain Marcy which have been permitted to read or
derine the trains halt until Colonel Smith up We
have three four Of twenty wagons each up
with Colonel Alexander-one a few miles in advance OF
us and two behind and the road lined with mer
chants and settlers goods Tor one hundred miles in our
Fork changed his of the Bear River route and
expected TO collect and guard these trains TO his
Is
for until spring excep, forage. We have corn hay
oats for animals, and must rely upon grass.
IT, and then our mules can profit little by it. Our force
rank and file, is about sixty five men, but am informed
that the eamsters will be armed with rifles tomorrow
and made to stand guard their trains at night Our
expressan believes shall have TO fight for our trains
in day or two more, and may be So If attacked Col
Smith will fight the last There will be surrender.
One feeling pervades officers and men Col Chapman,
old veteran in war; Iieutenants Ewood and Kinse and
Judge Eckels, Mr. Brown and Mr.. Mccormick, with
us will all the rifle if necessary. We shall do our
duty Win the people of the States do theirs believe
they will send and supplies soon California could
give soldiers even in winter.
think the Mormons will attempt to emigrate in the
spring W the Sandwich Islands 70 Vancouver Let
Close lookout be kept for them.
Correspondence of the Tribuuel
CAMP, 26o Mills FROM FoRr LARAMIE, Oct. ID, 1857.
During Captain Van Vliets stay in Salt Lake City last
month he overheard but remark which induced him
believe that the declarations by the Mormons Of nten
ton to resist the troops were not earnest Thai was an
observation by Brigham Young to tho effect that his nten
ton unaered " unless he should get another
Iaon 10 the contrary which he that he should
not"
The result certainly justified the Prophets conf
dcnce No such revelation has been received by him up
70 October 8, on which committed under
his direction which fail to end in bloodshcd. On
that day the regiments Of infantry and the artillery
and ordnance batteries were encamped on Hams Fork
which branches IRON Blacks Fork which i fork OF Green
River. The two nearest supply trains were but few
miles distant from Green River, the east bank and
about thirty miles from Col Aexandcr's camp The
ting road had advanced about twenty miles west from
Pacific Springs, which rise at short distance beyond the
South About eleven O'Clock night these three
trains surprised and seized by parties OF Mormons
their contents examined and what worth pillagng
stolen and the remainder destroyed by fire. Each
consisted Of twenty wagons and belonged 70 the
number sent out by Nessrs. Russell Wadde of Leaven
worth City for the transportation OF stores
the army and for the supply Of beef cattle. The
6ters made resistance, aud were unframed. These
Mormon bands understood 10 be under the command
OF Biz Hickman although rumored that Heber c.
Kmbai attends them. They well mounted and armed
each being provided with California horse, and with
rife and from 10 three revovers. Hickman sup
posed 10 have directed the proceeding Pacific Springs
while named Locksmith commanded near Green
River.
Immediately upon the receipt Of the of this attack
Colonel Alexander sent Captain Marcy Of the Fifth nfan
try with five companies back 10 Green River He arrived
however only take charge of the cattle Of the
trains which the Mormons had left, with the polite
Quest that the troors would fatcn them over winter when
they would be good condition for Mormon eating
spring. Another of their Jeuz de7rt was remark 10
the teamstes that they had only burned the wagons
this time but would be likely to burn the wagoners the
next" Colonel Alexander also sent dispatches to Breyet
Colonel Smith from whose camp am writing, and Capt
Marcy sent by another messenger circular letter 10 the
trains the road advising them, for the sake Of safety
TO place themselves under Colonel smiths protection.
Both expreesmon intercepted by the Mormons, but
nothing suspicious found their persons, and
did not appear what crrands they we're bound, they
released The one from Colonel Alexander, per-
ceivng that impossible avoid arrest destroyed
the dispatches Colonel Smith, according TO his nstruc
tons and ignorant Of their contents The other
brought Captain Marys circular safely through In thetoe
OF his moccasin.
We know however in the absence OF the official de.
spatches, that Capt Marcy has reoined Col Alexander
and that the force has moved 10 the north along
Bear River toward Soda Springs where will probably
the arrival Of the remaining supply trains, the suit
lcrs trains Of the 5th and 10th Infantry, and Of Col
Smiths battalion. The for thi. movement do not
appear by glance the map TO person unacquainted
infinitely with the conformation the country
character of the climate The direct road N salt Lake
CITY passing Fort Bridger Medicine Butte and the Nee.
dies which Col Alexander has abandoned is possibly by
this time impossible TO wagons artillery account Of
the weather The season which had been uncommcnly
favorable the beginning Of October has resumed rs
natural severity. Ice has formed IN buckets every
morning but left Fort Laramie The northern
ut,. 81 IA. t,fata nfniN xhtfn pnI
with covering which will not melt until 1855,
and even the southern slopes are powdered
acantiy with snow. OF which there WINS
fall saturday night that chilled road Sunday and
Monday and has mudded Il to-day. The Mormons have
probably burned the grass along that route, and
Constructed the defles in which abounds such a
that only artillery could clear them But the army
concentrates at Soda Springs 4 viii have before II road
along valley, open, Is said, even at idwnter, direct
20 salt lake City. know Of chart which exhibits all
the nee of road on which these movements viii be made
and, indeed unable 10 gather from guides such
information trace them accurately Captain Stans
burys map which Is the largest chart Of this country
that possess; but believe them 20 he substantially
these The direct route from California 10 the States
the Wahsach mountains FAR 10 the north az Salt
lake CITY and continues almost due east 70 it, junction
with the road 70 that city which passes Fort Brdger
and then through the South Pass, dividing,
however near Hams Fork into three branches
which the Green River and unite beyond the Big
Sandy. From the other 81 these branches road
leads w into Oregon toward Fort Hail. passing soda
Springs, from which, the springs there Oh into
road direct from Fort Hall 10 Lake City II over
these latter roads and the cut OF that Colonel Alexander
The kormons who intercepted the express told
them that they had force Of 200 scattered along
through the mountains far east the Devils Gate
through hch the Swcctwate flows about 200 miles from
Fort laramie and which a dsmantled Mormon
mail station IRE from 81 whose logs warmed
feet not week But this must be gross exag
geraton Neher Of the parties which burned the trains
exceeded one hundred IN number aud tie difficult TO con
how force Of that strength could have gained
the rear Of the army unobserved II l. a fact, how
ever, that ever since the Mormons settled on salt
lake they have been assduous in collecting infor
nation concerning the topography Of the country, and
many 81 their leaders understand thoroughly as the
most experienced mountain guide. The employment Of
great part ot their young herdng cattle has made
them acquainted with every little stream and kangon and
Injured them 70 tho saddle. is these young men and
these almost solely who constitute the element q the
MORMON military force from which there " danger 70 be
unprecedented. They POSSESS the ability " they have the
VIII " carry on an annoying guerilla warfare, sweeping
nOlntln alnrle aVclcrs and