Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-11-25
Tee roRmor wa.
1ks Dispatches Of CoisnsIs Alexander ana
Johnston.
d ALsxASDRR 10 InE ADJUrAST GENERAL
HEApou rEas Army FoR UrAH
CAsR WINFIELD 0. 7 oct. . 1887.

co1A LExASDRR TO THE ADJUrASr GENERAL.
HEApau a. rERs ARsfT FoR UTAH.-
CAnR WfxFfELD, o. T Oct . 1851
csl 4 Cooper. Aejafaas eeHaai Z s.. 4.
srss I hsve the honor to report that | have
assumed command Of the troops Of the United
States, consisting Of part Of the army for
Utah, which are now eRcamped at this point.
These troops are the Fifth Regiment OF lnfan-
try. eight companies Of the Tenth infantry,
and the batteries Of Artillery lsix and sEelss
pounders) commanded by Captain phelps,
Fourth Artillery, and Reno, Ordnance Depart
neut. respectiyelv. This camp is situated on
HAMS Fork, a tributary Of Blacks Fork,
is In turn q tributary Of Green river,
about a. cen miles above the Junction OF me
two forks. Fort Brldger IS Instant, IN q south
east direction, about thirty niles he Tenth
.~Iafantry reached here on the 2sfh Of september
-PhelIs' battery on the following day. The
Fifth Infantry arrived on the 4tb OF October
and Reho's battery on the same day. On the
5fh inst, | assumed command, for reasons
which I conceive to be Of the greatest impor.
lance 10 the troops and their supplies, and OF
which ] shall have the honor to make a full re-
mort when a safe aud more certain opportunity
az sending dispatches presents itself. At pres
eut 1 can give only a statement OF what has
occurred since my arrival, and report the dis
position I have determined to make OF the
or the day after reaching HAMS Fork, and
AT he first camp I mads on It, | received the
embossed letters Som Governor Young and
/ Lieutenant General Wells. The propositions
lhu contain, however absurd they are, showed
corclasively that a determined opposition TO
the power Of the government vas intended. ]
had me Capt. Wan Yliet on the 2lst Of Septem-
Der returning from Salt Lake City, and was in-
formed BY him that although the Mcrmons, or
rather Governor Young, were determined 70 OPP
pote an entrance into the city, yet be was as
sured that no armed resistance would be at
tempted II he went no further than Fort Bridger
and Fort Supply. Twas sdlled further con-
WINGED Of this by the eirenmstsnee that a train
Of more than one hundred eontraetors' wagons
had been parked for nearly three weeks on
Ham's Fork without defense, and had been IN
molestsd, although they contained provisions
and supplies which would have been Of great
use to the Mornons.
Upon receiving these letters. | prepared Cor
defense and 10 guard the supplies near ne until
the nearest troops Cant Up. | replied to Gov.
Young's letter, a copy Of which ] i~uclose, and
have not had any further correspondence with
him. Ga the morning Of The 5th Of October,
the MOrmoHs burnt two trains Of goyernment
stores on Green river and on the Big Sandy,
and a few wagons belonging to MrrP Perry, snt-
Ter OF the 10th Infantry, which were a few
miles behind the latter train. Colonel Waite,
Of the bsh, though not anticipating any act Of
\ the kunl, was preparing to send back a detaeh-
meat to these trains from the camp on Blacks
Fork, when he received from some tsamsters
who cane IN, the intelligence Of their being
burned. No doubt now existed that the moei
determined hostility might be expected on the
part Of the Mormons, and 1t became necessary,
IRON the extreme ~lateness Of the season, t.
adopt some Immediate course for wihtering the
troops and preserving the supply trains with
us. Aftg much elaboration, and assisted By
the counsel Of the senior officers, have deter
mined to move the troops BY the following
route:
Up HAMS Fork abont eighteen miles, to a
road called Sublette's Cutoff; along that road
to Bear river and Soda Spring; on arriving al
Soda Spring two routes will be open-one dowI
Bear river Valley, towards the Salt Lake, anC
one to The northeast, towards the Wind rivel
MOuntsins, where good vallies for winteriDG
the troops and the stock can be found. Th'
adoption Of one Of these will be decided By tbs
following circumstances II the force undeI
my command lie sufficient to overcOme the re
s~istance which / expect to meet at Soda Spring
/ Cd al endeavor to force my way into the val
ley Of Bear river, and occupy some Of tn
Mormon villages, because / am under the i'm
preston that the Mormons, after a defeat
will be willing to treat and bring provisions 70
sale. The supplies on hand will last sil
months, and il / can get possession of a tow
in Bear river Valley, | can easily foTtify an,
bold il all winter. There are also several sup
ply trains in the rear, TO which I have eommu
nicsted, and if they receive my letter in tim
they will be saved and can Join Us. II To
MormOls are TOO strong for US, which | do no
anticipate, the oCher road will be adopted ans
/ will make the best Of my way to the noun
tains and tent for the winter.
desire to impress upon you the fact that
though not the commander appointed to thi
army, have adopted this course because tn
safety Of the troops absolutely depends upoi
an immediate effort, and having infOrmatiol
which makes il certain that the Commando
will not reach here before the 20th inst, and /
We wait until that time we cannot leave tn
valley. The Information | allude 10 is to ID
effect that Col Johnston had relieved Genera
Harvey ami had not left Fort LeavenwOrth o.
the 10Th OF September, and thirty days ia th
least possible time in which he can arrive here
/ cannot, for fear Of this being intercepted
tell you the strength Of my command or sen
returns of It. II Is strong enough to defen
itself and its supplies; whether it is able t
essume and sustain an offensive position re
mains to be seen but should the command
which | have heard are in the rear come up ]
time, / think we will have sufficient force {
carry out an active invasion. If We are oolige
TO winter in the mountains, you can perceiV
By a reference to Sand5ury's maps, that "
will have an open road to Salt Lake City in %
spring, and one which | am-tosd II open early
b this one attack can be made and attentio
called from the main road Chat by Fol
BridgsT,) which may then be traversed b
troops. The Bear river route is, however,, sal
to be the best one into the valley. The othe
passes through csnons that can be defended D
a HANDFUL against thousands, and it is moreove
50 easily ObstTucted that IN a week it could b
r-aWa vrr~arIv frrnaauakfa Tha vwauk - -,v-l
~ is severely felt, aRd We are poweTless on &C
count of this deficiency to effect any chsstise
ment Of the marauding bands that are cor
stsntly lowering about US. Ga the 18th inst,
detached Capt. Marcy, 9Th Infantry, With foU
companies to Green river, to collect what b
could end ssTvieeable from ths burnt traini
and to dispense any bodies of Mormons b
found.
Ia conclusion, permit me to express the hop
that nv acts will meet the approval Of the gov
eminent, and on the first opportunity | wi
make q fuller and more de'alled report. It
unquestionsbly the duty of the government {
qnell by overwhelming force th Unreasonable re
bellion Of the Governor and the people of Utal
and must most urgently impress upon I'd
War Department the fact that the small bod
Of troops here will need reinforcement an
supplies as soon as they can possible be &c
r here next spring. | would further respectful
> " suggest that troops should be sent from Ca
ifornia and Oregon. 1t is said that the roa
. from California to Salt Lake is p~asssble a
! winter, and it is certainly so much earlier in ID
) spring than that from the States. Your obedieI
: servant, Z. B. ALEXANDER,
! Colopel 10Th Infantry, commanding.
COLONKL HNsO To THH ASSISTANT ADJ
? AMI GENERAL.
Z HEADQUARTERS Army OF UTAH, !
CAMP on THE THREE CRoSsISGs OF
SWEET WATER, October 10, 1851. \
MAJOR: Tonight two men who live at Fol
i LaEamia and mhn hal knnn 49, a 1900