The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-11-21
The Mormon War Begun.

different channels, and all agree in the stat,
ment, that the quartermaster's train was al
talked by the Mormons, on the 9Th Of Octc
Der, near and on Green River, and that som
seventy wagons, with their contents, wer
destroyed. Nobody was killed, because tn
quartermaster having no force with him, n
resistance was made. The following des
patch was received at Washington from
Judge Echols, dated at Camp on Sweet Wa
, ter 81 miles cas-, Of South Pass, Oct. 10
1857.
"An express has just arrived from Greer
river, and reports that on the night OF Octo
Der 9Th, a train of twen;y-six wagons wa:
captured by the MormOns, twenty-five miles
from the Pacific Spring. At the same time
two other trains were taken near Green ri
ver-in all seventy-eisht wagons and load
ing. The MoTmons said they had sever
hundred men there and seven hundred more
at Salt Lake City.
"Col. Alexander is encamped on Hams
Fort, thirty miles in advance of the from,
train, which is destroyed. lie sent Captain
Marcy with four hundred men back to Green
river, to enable the teamsters to collect their
cattle.
The Mormons killed no one, for the rea-
son that no resistance was made.
"Col. Smith will collect the trains on this
side and escort them forward. One ir..... is
now before us and two behind. We are in
good spirits, and .::i.at is a great help to all.
The MormOns will likely attack us in a day
or two, and may rue their impudence. We
have fortyseven men in this command, but
Col. Smith is host within himself We
have determined, if attacked, to use the ri
flies in the lines. We shall most likely take
the route on Bear river for Salt Lake City
The want of forage for our mules is the
greatest bindrance, but we VIII 20 on if we
have to walk and carry our provisions"
The administration appear not to have
placed fall confidence in this despatch, but
awaited one from Col. johnson, the com
rnander Of the Utah expedition. For tn is
they had not long TO wait, for another Wa
shingtOn despatch, Nov. l6, says:
The Secretary OF War received official
to day from Colonel johnson in
Of the Utah expedition, that pri-
vate advices leave 10 doubt on his mind a.
10 the truth OF the statement contained in
Judge Eckoi's despatch about the desiruc-
ton OF the Government trains.
Letters from Fort kea.acy, received at
81. Louis, confirm the same reports, as also
etters from Col. Alexander, who was ahead
,f the train destroyed.
The accounts from Col. Alexander also say
hat &" Brigham Young has issued procla-
nation TO the L. ;. troops, detying the Co.
and consolidating his people for
hostilitics in the most determined form, and
ordering the troops TO keep cut Of Utah.
lie says that if they desire TO remain till
spring they may do SO, provided they give
up their arms and ammunition" end that
Col. y, in reply, had stated to Young that
he troops were there by order of the Presi-
lent, and would be disposed OF IS the CON-
handing general thought proper.
We notice that some papers. in comment
ing on this destruction Of Government
trains by the Mo;;nons, give way to the
most distressing foreboiinSS, seeing in it no
hing short of the total destruction Of the
whole Utah expedition by starvation, &c
There appears, however, to be no just
ground for these apprehensio@s- The Utah
expedition was supplied with provisions for
whole year, conveyed in some 500 wagons.
so that the destruction Of this small portion
If their store Will not occasion the slightest
inconvenience, nor does it appear from any
# the reports that Col. johnson and his p
100 men were in the slightes; peril from ci-
her the Mormons OF the season. The plan
# the march viii uJt,css be so changed |
Is to concentrate the troops, which at last I
accounts was being done, and the expedi (
ion, with plen.y Of provisions, was prepar- |
ne to go into winter quarters at Wind RI .
er, near the South Pass.
The slight casually which has bcfillen the
Expedition in the destruction Of part OF its
roviSions, was doubtless the result of the
.is;aken assumption that the Mormons ne
err really intended to carry out their hume
JUS threats to oppose the entry of the ex-
edition into Salt Lake Valley. 1t was be-
eyed that Brigham Young was too shrewd
provoke such an unequal contest with the
=. S., the end of which would be the inevi-
bile destruction Of his polygamous HE
.rchy. But Young appears to have ulteri-
views, and what these are, may be cor
city Swallowed forth in the following para
.aph which We cut from the \. Y. Herald:
We see now that Brigham Young is really
earnest, and that his programe Is despe-
tie struggle TO maintain his dictatorship
ID his polygamy. We have been led to
,lievc, from his speeches and his move
ents, that he expects to be able to beat
lex the present army expedition Of the Co.
that by the next spring he pro-
,ses to organize all Mormondom into a
ovabie camp, and, with the approach Of an
my force which cannot be resisted, his
an will most probably be to evacuate Utah
it'll the whole Mormon community, burn
z or destroying everything in their retreat
hich they cannot carry away. From his
UT of exploration last spring, the Mormon
-ophet will thus, perhaps, move north +
ard across Oregon and Washington Terri
ries into the British Possessions, to try me
,cpitality of Queen Victoria. 1t is certain.
all events, that Brigham Young is fully
ware of the extreme folly os attempting to
aintain by arms his Occupation of Utah.
.ainst the United Sizes Government. Ac-
rdingiy, we thir.h it safe conclusion that
S scheme is 20 beat back the present go
rnment Expedition, and to evacuate Utah
an iS.raelitish exodus, or by peaceable
spcrsion Of the Saints in the Spring, t. be
Elected together again at some new Ca
aan, as their means and facilities may per-
tit.
One thing, at least may be considered as
tain,-that the war against the traitors in
tab will he prosecuted in earnest next sea-
IN, and if Young and his followers don't
Ike to flight, some of them will stand a fair
lance to swing.
CHICAGO REPORTERS SoLD.-There is not a
ore indefatigable race in the world than the