The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-27
FROM UTAH,

From the st. Louis Republican, March 30
We have perused a letter from Col Johnston to a
friend in this city, dated at Camp Scott, February
B, 1858, and have been permitted TO make some ex-
tracts therefrom.
The Colonel had received no communication from
the Government of later date than the 22d of Oc-
tober, 1851, and justly complains that the mail
tractors take more than three months to carry the
mails to Utah, when their contract requires them to
deliver it there monthly; and he adds: 81 send
nothing by mail, nor should anything of public
nature be sent otherwise than by express"
Notwithstanding the destruction of part of the
train which was loaded with provisions and other
supplies necessary for his troops and in spite of the
obstacles which still presented themselves, Colonel
Johnston did not abandon the hope of marching to
Salt Lake city without halt until after the terrific
% torn of the 9Th of November We quote from his
letter: "On the 9th November the march was re-
sumed, and then commenced the storm of snow and
winter cold, racking the bones of men, and
starving our oxen, and mules and horses already
half starved. They died on the road and at our
camps by hundreds, and so diminished were their
numbe that from camp to camp, only four five
mi es, as many days were required to bring them
all up, as it was necessary to give time rest the
animals, now incapable of protracted efforts and to
hunt for food.
In this way fifteen days were consumed in making
thirty live miles to this place, the nearest and best
place of shelter and fuel for the troops and for
shelter and grass for the animals The struggle
then amidst snow and Arctic cold (the thermome-
ter at sixteen below zero was for place of safety.
1T any doubt existed before this storm of the pro-
prety of risking the troops the mountain before
us before spring, of the ability to accomplish the
march, the destruction amongst draught ami
mails, the necessity of saving all the left for
food, even if capable of further exertion now dis
PEELED that doubt and solved the question.
The storm which Col. Cook encountered on the
Sweet Water, and on through the South Pass, de-
stroyed more than half of his horses and large
number of his mules, although they had corn for
them. In that high region, much higher than
where we were, the cold must have been much
more intense than experienced by us, and the ami
mails, presume, persisted mainly from cold.
have the satisfaction to say, that the privations
OF the march We're endured by officers and men with
out complaint, or, perhaps might more Justly say,
with cheerfulness. The troops in fine health
and condition The winter thus far has not been so
rigorous to prevent often the daily instruction of
the troops. They have proved themselves to be
hardy enough for any service, few onl y-as many
as thirty less-have been frost-bitten; but now
our scouts bvouac, when necessary, in the passes
without suffering.
The Mormons have declared, as fully as words
and actions could manifest intentions, that they will
no longer submit to the Government, or to any
Government but their own. The people of the
Union must now submit to usurpation of their ter
rltory, to have government erected in their midst,
not loyal to- or rather not acknowledging any de-
pendence upon, allegiance to, the Federal Gov
ernment and what is not less mpolitic, and entirely
incompatible with institutions, to allow them
to engratt their social organization upon ours and
make 1T part of our system, or act with the vgor
and force to compel them to submit. This is due to
the dignity and honor of the Government.