The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-01-16
The Latest from Utah.

in Utah from the st Louis Epu5tican Of
Tuesday 1t will be seen that the reported
battle between the Mormons and Captain
Cook, in which the latter was represented
as the sufferer, was a hoax. The army ap
pears to be in comparatively comfortable
Mormons seem to indicate speedy end of
the war through their exodus in spring from
the Territory.
Last evening we received intelligence
from the Army at Fort Bridger, and from
the territory of Utah, and proceed to give
the news, which is Of highly interesting
character.
The whole of the troops sent out upon
this expedition have been concentrated, and
were. at the date of our last accounts, in
winter quarters on Backs Fort, about one
and a quarter miles above Fort Bridger, with
the execution of Col. Cooks's command of
dragons, who were posted forty miles dis
tant, on Henry's Fork, where there was
some scant supply of grass for the horses.
/ Five companies of infantry were stationed
/ at Old Fort Bridger, and were engaged in
rebuilding the works, for the purpose of
/ protecting the provisions, and to be occu-
pied hereafter as a permanent tort by the
/ United States The whole of the works, it
was anticipated, would be completed by the
Spring The locality is an excellent one Tor
this object There is an abundance OF wood
for fuel, and Of water. The troops were
all comfortably stationed in tents, with
stoves. and the weather had been. luckily
very mild They we in excellent health,
and numbered some twelve or fifteen hund
ID oh 10 ST tod
that there were about thousand tcamsters,
and other attaches of army.
1t will at once be asked how, under the
circumstances, SO large Il body of men can
suhsist until June next, on the proyiSio ms
which had been able 10 reach the Fort I!
To this we are enabled to answer, that,
while some things will be wanting, there is
suf.iciency Of food TO last the command for
some months. Some articles were wanting,
but the main one, salt, was on the way, aud
would be received in time. IL is not to be
concealed, however, that very precaution
would be necessary against wasteiulneSS in
every article of provisions When it is
stated that horses and oxer, IN the last
stages Of dissolution, were killed Tor prOvi-
si9ns, it can be understood that there was
very great anxiety to make subsistence "a
as far as possible. Nearly two-Jhrds of al
died.
Awaiting himself, however, OF every pos
sible res ut. Col johnson had sent Captain
Marcy, with command OF men and sevcrs
mountain pilots, to reach Taos and SAINT:
Fe. and from thence TO transport snPplie:
for the army, bur we look upon this as Z
forlorn hope, and not likely to result il
giving succor to the main body 0! the army
Now as to the MJrm0rs. We publish he
low Gov. Cummings letter TO eX-Gove~no
Young, and also his proclamation on enter
in. the Territory, and declaring | tab in ;
state Of rebellion. Our information Is, tina
the Mormons, already satisfied oil the hope
le>sucss OF their resistance, are preparing L
abandon Sat Lake City early III he spring
Pioneer parties irzvc already gone forward
and it i probable that ioung's threat, tina
the artn~ would find Great Salt Lake City
in ashes, viii be vcrcGcd. They have deter
mined il IS said to culi-rate to ;le BftlSI
Possessions, but what portion of ti'cin - ''''
known. Al That Gov. Young has drteImfE
ed uron, it Is said j., that he viii keep IL,
trgors Of the United States where they ar,
this winter II i believed, that many hun
drcds of the Saints viii be left behind, {,
abide the protection oil the tnIted States
Government.
Coy. l.. Young has not been wanting i!
Urc.f.iS uF liheruljtv to the |. :. troops
8 Understanding that the army was IN want 0
! sat. tie sent to the camp Of Col johnson
. fifteen mules loaded y th salt, with MS re
spectS, hu, that officer sent it back, with Tia
remark that be would hang any meSsenge
from the same quarter on a like crTassh
Gov Young was also very pS.iteto II tn
, officers of the army-inyitl1- them 20 par
take Of his hospitality at Salt Lake City
and to spend tie winter there.
Brt all accounts concur in saying tina
: the Normous will leave Utah Territory il
; the spring. and it is said that Coz. Johnston
is 50 firmly of this belief that he asks "a
increase Of the numerical force Of the armI
under his command, although supplies Will
Of course, have to be sent to him.
! Only one officer, Lieut.. Smith, 2d dra
coous, was sjck-ail the others, a. also TIA
officers of the Territory, were In exce.len
, health.
! Altogether the news presentss the condi
ton of the army engaged in this expedition
in an Unexpectedly favorable condition
/ They may 60 into Great Salt Lase Git
q even before reinforcements can reach thea
from our frontier. but it is the part of pru
dence to send them, and the gov>rnmeu
i. 4