The Washington union., 1858-03-13
INTERESTING NARRATIVE Oh THE ESCAPE ol

We announced ON the i5th December Last the safe ar
rival in the camp of Col Johnson Of DR. Garland Hurt,
Indian agent the only United states oineer who remain
e In Territory the time the other officers with
drew last spring The subioned narrative OF his escape
from the sIorrnons will be read with interest
7b o6l Albert s Laasfon Of ls army for
1 Lae Oah ~
on spanish Fork, in the Territory of Utah, somewhat
precipttey, and reached your comsnd October 23,
ater wandering or twenty days through mountains
and deserts ii, company with Utah Indians. venture to
trouble you with brie statement of the circumstances
which nsained 10 abandon the agency and intrtn my
ifeLo the care and protection OF the savages
For some time previous 10 my departure il had been
the settled opinion Of the people of Utah that the troops
could not get further than Green nvor thh Con
sequently concluded that the territorial officials would
not venture to the mountains before spring and
unor the embarrassed condition in which the retention
the mails and the very unsettled state OF governmental
relations with Utah. had placed me- deemed il import
10 seek interview with them before the winter set
in and as had been previously wivised that no person
would be allowed to leave the Territory the
mountains without the humating ceremony OF applying
to Brigham Young for passport the alternative of or
ganzng Indian escort suggested itself TO my mind
the first conception of which out OF the deep concern
which these untutoed creatures had for time mani
tested for my safety.
And the inclined to avail myself of this sg
gestion from the fact that several chiefs OF the Umta
country then visit at the farm soliciting to
accompany them that valley for the purpose of inspect
ing the adaptation of its climate and soil to the cutiya
ton of grain they had become much pleased with the
course of policy pursung toward the Indians in
Utah county On the morning Of September 81, while
yet discussing the proprety of this resolution some
half dozen of the natives rushed into my office cxclam
ing, FSiend, friend the Monnons will kill you and
pointed to the window the eastern side Of the house
On looking out, TO my surprise l from 70 to 100
armed Dragons stationed in the road about mile from
the house and, asd did not manifest quite much
Indians thought the occasion justified they
| cauQ understand
would not let me stay any longer
| commenced arranging my official papers w to be
able them instantly if necessary for did not
understand what it all meant In few seconds another
Indian ran in to inform that the Spanish Fork Canon
full of Mormons armed with guns and pistols who
said that they going to kill and he had
time to tell his story when another came In great haste
and said thata Mormol squaw at sprngvlc had told him
to and tell that the Mornons intended to kill
He also reported large body of armed the road
between Sprngylle and the Indian farm Itwas also re-
ported by another Indian that the Momons at Payson
the the SOUTH all in arms, although it was
4 the Sabbath.
Il The Indians would not quit my rooni but began to
gather up bedding and wearing apparel, when my in
terpreer came into the apartment in evident state Of
excitement and exclaimed, Doctor you're gone in !!
I asked what it all meant lie said 1t understood all
over the country that about leaving with the In
dins and handed Inc note from Mr. Butler, the Bishop
of the Spanish Fork settlement, stating that he had
learned from various sources that intended going out
with the Indians in violation OF the martial law in
leaves that they had resolved to enforce the law at all
hazards / regret having mslaid this letter. but the
above is its purport which revealed to the meaning
of 80 much military array. TO think that officer Of
the government should be thus menaced while in the
peaceful discharge Of his official duties could not fail to
excite In The bosom OF any possessed of spark b,
patriotism teelns of the most indignant soorn To be
detained by force and used tool in most teasona-
bic opposition to the laws Of the country as occasion
might require, to fall victim to that brutal revenge
which seeks qualification only in the sacrifice of life
too huulilinting 70 contemplate ior a moment.
eI determined to extrcate myself die ia the attempt,
and turned to ask 20 bring my horse but when
reached the door found that the chefs son, sprght
ly boy, had already performed that service. While he
saddling him. gathered my papers and wearing ap
pare threw them into meal sack, and pitched them
out OF doors the Indians, who all seemed eager to
sist in my escape. In the presence of armed pop
set out with three Indian youths whose names
Pete sam and Shower Shockets. Mr.. Joseph r Waters.
of Salt Lake City also accompanied Instead of GO
ing east, enemies expected, we took western
course but when it discovered that intended to
reach the mountains by circtlitous routc, half
dozen persons horseback out from the town of
/ Iayson tap course Just ahead of We wheeled
short to the right but just in our front lay small
stream, deep and mir. that stock were not in the
| habit Of crossing it.
i urged my horse and he attempted TO clear 1t at
single bound but falling to reach the opposite bank with
4 his hind feet, he fell back into water and mud over
1 the top of his hips aghted upon the bank his
head and by pulling at the reins assisted him in extri
eating himself which he did after several desperate srg
giles My comrades spured down the stream little way
and had better Our pursuers by this time
within three four hundred yards of US. mounted in
haste and found to my great satisfaction that the
stamina of the noble animal had not been exhausted and
that although had lost my spur in the struggle could
dispense with its service.
At the distance of about two miles reached the base
of low mountain ranging north and south. We gained
its summit just the setting, and debating the
propriety of pursuing further western but just
at this time despatch brought to us by two boys
the old chief telling to be to return to the
Gn that night Under these circumstances, deter
mined to try feint We descended below the summit
only far enough to hide ourselves and then turned north
and continued that for two three miles un-
til thought pursuers about gaining the top
SLOPE and dropped into little hollow where waited
for daylight to disappear. This completely foiled our
enemies for the ground hard and stony that they
| could not discover trail
! When the half grown moon began to shine upon the
mountan slope, remounted and bounded over the
prairie toward the spot from which had set out We
reached the farm at ., p m and found about hun
! dred OF rcd friends awaiting return who mani
tested great joy at arrival My first inquiry was
where the Mormons were, when twenty voices shouted
| sCotch-carry Mormonl' Not here, Mormon J | had
left some fortyfve head of horses and mules and was
about inquring what had become Of them, when dis
covered that most of them had been mounted by the In
dams They then related hoy they had sailed out du-
ring the day, and driven the enemy from the by
threats of what they should pursue in and
my comrades murdered
Taking some bread and meat that found in the eel
lar made escape that night up the Spanish Fork
in the direction Of the Unta country, and before 10