The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-12

HKADoU AKrus AMY on UrAH,
south Pass o r.4s q Salt Lake CITY,
F fiaa4A October Is, 1857
MAJoE Accompanying this communication I send
YOU two letters from Col Alexander the commander
present Of the main body Of the army Of Utah In his
letter Of the sth Of October Col Alexander questions BY
the hesitation with which be assumes them, his night TO
exercise fully all the duties Of commander His author
y 60 exercise them without restriction Is clearly granted
by the 62d article Of the army which specially directs who
shah command in the absence Of General HAEney, to
explains the objects OF the expedition, and question
for the decision Of tine commander beyond his ordinary
military duties could arise before the arrival Of Governor
Cumming.
Msapprehendin the authority with which he is invested
by laM, and the orders Of the genemlinchef that por-
ton Of his letter respecting command would be- II he
cnrect in his view Of his position meted refee
ton upon his superioEs and il is therefore that have
adverted 20 H. Pursuing his design indicated IN has let
ter Of October g. he you viii learn from his letter Of Dc
tober lith herewithl has advanced up to Hams fork
Of Green river 30 miles above the crossing, lsee map
herewith and there directs the movements 70 be made
by his immediate command and the troops in his
to form junction. which from erroneous supposi-
TONS would be wholly impraetcabe. First he evident
ly believes that Colonel Smith esoortng the remains Of
the supply trains On all about nine including three SUIT
lerS Trains, is advancing the Kinney road or Cuton
with the force named in General Harvey order Of Au-
gust Is and OF course he has not received the counter
mand Of that order He assumes that the command IN
is capable OF rapid movement than his own;
and therefore, after waiting day az the point indica-
been disappointed the trains IN rear, suffering from ia
tguc and scarcity Of subsistence and without rest which
the teams with him have had could not where he sup
posed them, overtake him.
These are the facts and IL known ly Colonel Alexan-
der his disposition determined in his letter OF October
s. would have been wholly different Colonel Smith Is
here at this camp, with fifty OF his regiment over
took him the day before yesterday the 10th insant|
about twenty miles of this, and have add
ed my escort fifteen disnounted dragons, to his
force. lieutenant Smith, in command Of squadron
OF Dragons and fifty Of the tenth infantry force Of
about hundred men may be expected here in three
four days He is aware of the necessity OF prompt
ness and will lose time. Mr.. William Ma
graw superintendent Of the South Pass road with pa
otism highly creditabe 10 him. places at the disposi
ton OF the government many Of his employees will
volunteer He thinks fifty sixty will organize, and
have agreed 10 accept their services and have them mus
tered in for three six months they select and
he has also rendered fifteen good teams Of mules and
wagons which have also accepted and directed them to
be recepted for when delivered Four supply trains
tanning clothing, (of which the troops now in the adj
ann informed, begin to need ordnance, medical
and subsistence stores still in the and may be
expected in two three days The storm Of last night
may have DESTROYED Of their oxen, and that
count there may he delay than estimate. Eleven
mules Of Colonel Smiths train persisted from cold last
\ night The thermometer this morning at sunrise was
at sixteen degrees above the sky Is now clear,
and the thermometer at o'clock stands at "a and
4 the small quantity of snow that fell during the
night is melting, that the animals gaze freely.
am thus minute that the for the order transmit
ted TO Colonel Alexander yesterday morning heresith
may be fully eomprehendea His intended movement,
ii met with opposition would have retarded his march
have made il impracticabe, and would have so
probably entangled him in the midst Of the deep snow Of
the valley of Bear river which understand fails to
fall there and usually early in the season, to place
him beyond the Of extTicaton. Our most potent
enemy present the snow and constitutes at present
4 our chief embarrassment
The movement of Colonel Alexander for the
hare mentioned and of which he could not be appize
would have separated him from supplies Indispensable to
the comfort and safety OF the army and deprived him of
the assistance of the rce which will he concentrated here
4 airy, is Of vital Importance
\ In ordering Colonel Alexander the mouth of Fon
tenee creek position about thirty miles from his camp
on Hams fork, did with the design OF making
junction practicable. 1t is about seventy miles hence
and he reach by good road and without any dam
ger Of surprise There is there abundance Of grass and
1t is point from which reach the region intended
to occupy this winter, without riskng the loss Of our
animals As the falls sufficiently Green
river prevent the burning of the grass i will march TO
Henry fork and occupy that valley during the winter
II is commanding position and accessible two months
earlier for achievements and supplies by Cheyenne
Pass than any other, and viii enable me TO reach by
Font Bridger and the most direct route to Salt Lake
city soon practicable in the spring At this posi-
ton also Colonel Cook can ion which still entertain
the hope he will be able 20 do tx. ...
greatly regret that the mpossiby of concentrating
the troops destined for this service and their supplies
will prevent forward movement before spring. 1t is
manifest that before the force be united the
autumn viii lie too far advanced with proba-
Lbity Of success though not opposed by the Mormons
You already appriEed by the proclamation of Brig
ham Young and his letter TO Colonel Alexander which
transmitted the 18th inst of the political attitude
assumed by the Mornons and the resistance they med-
tate the just authority the government desires 10
eise in that Territory and the ncef doubt
has already considered the necessity of conquest Of those
traorouS people and has estimated the force necessary
10 accomplish the object With full view of the whole
subject before him his great experience would not be
benefited by any suggestions Of mine. will however
mention that unless large force is sent herefrom the
nature Of the country prot1acted their
part isinevtable. The great distance from source
ofsupply makes il iInpraccabe to operate with small
force IL in fact requires the employment Of such urce
10 guard numerous trains Of the supplies leaving but
small portion If any, for offensive operations
of troops from California Oregon, and by this route
would terminate a with the MoImons speedily. and
more economically than il attempted by insufficient
"a In FIVE six days think viii have all the force
available here for such a forward movement By that
tune the trains viii all be up they should be here
In twelve days from this time expect to ein Colonel
Alexander at Fontenele creek.
The General may be assured tlat rcrograde
ment viii be made by this force.
With great respect, your obedient servant,
A. S. JOHNSTON,
w Colonel I'd Cavalry
Com ng. the Army Of Utah.
To Major IRSN MCDOWELL Assistant Adutant General,
=. Headquarters 81 the Army, New York city.
Obituary.
The FUNERAL Colonel WIN TuRSBut1~ United states