The Washington union., 1858-03-06
INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE ESCAPE 3

| bR HURT Hir
W. announced on tho 18th December last the safe
rival in the camp Col johnson Of Dr. Garland Hurt
Indian agent the only United states officer who emain-
ed in Utah Territory at the time the other officers with
dew last spring The subjoned narrative Of his escape
| from the Morrnons will be read with interest
70 Ol AHsn s. Joaaaon tmasSs.r ~ chief Of e army for
| Uth
sr having recently fled from the Indian settlement
on Spanish Fork, in the Terrstott of Utah. somewhat
preciptttey and reached your command October 49,
after wonds twenty days through mountains
AID deserts in company with Utah indians venture to
trouble you with abref statement of the circumstances
which induced TO abandon the agency and intfst my
life to the care and protection OF the savages.
Fof some time previous TO my departure, 1t had been
the settled opinion OF 4 people OF Utah that the troops
could not ue further than Green river this Con
sseu6ntly concluded that the territorial officials would
not venture to the mountains before spring and
under the embarrassed eohdtch in which the retention
of the mails and tht Very unsettled state of governmental
rclaiiesis With Utah, had placed me, deemed it import
ant to seek an interview with them before the winter set
IN and had been previously advised that no person
would be allowed to leave the Territory the
mountains without the huiliang ceremony OF applying
to Brigham Young for passport the Alternative OF
gnzing an Indian escort suggested Itself to my mind
the rs conception c which grew out of the deep
which .4ase nutored creatures had for time mani
tested for my safety. -
And was the more inclined to avail myself of this sug
Ge6tlOn from the TACT tnAJ sevefa chiefs OF tne
country were then on visit at the farm soliciting me
accompany them TO that valley for the purpose Of inspect
ing the adaptation Of its climate and soil to the cutva
ton or gan they had become much pleased with the
course policy pursuing toward the Indians in
Utah county On the morning of September II, while
yet discussing the proprety of this resolution,
half dozer u the natives rushed into my Office exclam-
ing, Friend, friend, the Mormons will kill you'll! and
pointed to the window the eastern side of the house
On looking out to my surprise from 10 to 100
armed dragoons stationed in the road about mile from
the house and did not manifest quite much
cern the Indians thought the occasion justified, they
caught hold of me and gave me TO understand that they
| would not let me stay any longer.
| commenced arranging my official papers to be
able to them instantly if necessary for did not
understand what it all meant In few seconds another
Indian 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 Mormon squaw at Springville had told him
to and tell that the Mormons intended to kill
He also reported large body Of armed the road
between Sprngve and the Indian farm. 1t was also
ported by another Indian that the Mormons at Payson
the town the SOUTH were all IN arms, although it
| the Sabbath.
4 The Indians would not Quit my ROOM but began to
gather up my bedding and wearing apparel, when my in
erpreter tlne into the apartment in evident state OF
excitement, and exclaimed Doctor, you're gone in /!
asked what it all meant He said it was understood all
over the country that about leaving with the In
dians and handed note from Mr. Butler, the Bishop
of the Spanish Fork settelnent stating that he had
learned from various soutc,t that intended going Out
with the IndaMs ih Violation Of the martial a now IN
force. He iet it his duty tc morn me that could not
leave that they mad resolved to enforce the law at all
hazars / regret having mislad this letter. but the
above is its purpolt which revealed to the meaning
Of so much military array TO think that an officer o
the government shond II this menaced while In thu
peaceful d'sage Of his official duties could not fail
excite in the bosom OF any ono possessed Of spark
patriotism feelings of the most indignant scorn To bt
/ detained by n tool a
BILE opposition to the laws of the country occasion
might require to fall victim to that brutal revcng,
which seeks qualification only In the sacrifice Of Iifc
i too hu,niliating to contemplate for moment.
i determined 10 exirSae myself die in the attempt
and tred to ask one to bring my horse but when
reached the door found that the chiefs son. sprght
boy. had already performed that service While h.
was snddling him. gathered my papers and wearing ap
parel threw them into meal sack and pitched them
out Of doors to the Indians who all seemed eager to
sst me in my escape. in the presence Of AZ ARMED pop
ulace set out with thts Indian youths whose names arc
Pete, Sam, aud Shower Shockets. Mr. Joseph Waters
Of Salt Lake City, as2 accompanied Instead Of GO
ing cas-, as our enemies expected took western
coursc but when it discovered that we intended to
reach the mountains by circuitous route, some halt
dozen persons horseback came out from the town OF
Payson to tap our lust ahead of We wheeled
short to the right but iust Iii Dur 'front.' lay small
stream SO dtrp aAd mry that stock not in Cue
| habit OF crossing it,
l urged my horse and he attempted to clear it at a
single bound but failing to reach the opposite bank with
his hind feet he fell back into water and mud over
the top of his hips aghtcd upon the bark over his
head and by pulling Mt a trts assisted him in extri-
eating himself, Nhich he did after several desperate strg
ges My comrades spurrcd down the stream little way
and had better Our Tussers by this time
within three ar tour hundred yards of mounted in
hastg and found to my great satisfaction that the
stamina 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
it's summit ,nst the setting and debating the
ptoprcty of pursuing further western course but lust
at this time despatch brought 70 us by two bows
from the old chief tsig to be euro To return to the
arm that night Under these circumstances we deter
mined to try fent We descended below the summit
only far enough to hide ourselves and then turned north
and continued that for two three miles un
Til we thought our pu,suers about gaining the top
of the mountain Their We turned again upon the eastern
slope, and dropped into little hollow where we 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
mountain slope we rcmounted and bounded over the
prairie toward the spot from which had set out We
reached the farm at g. m, and found about ono hun
drcd of red friends awaiting return who mani
tested great joy at our arrival My first inquiry was
where tho Mormons were when twenty voices shouted
"Cotch-carry Mormon !" Not here, Mormon had
left forty five hcad of horses and mules and was
about inquiring what had become of them when dis
covered that most of them had been mounted by the In
dians They then related how they had sailed out u-
ring the day, and driven the enemy from the by
threats of what course they should pursue in and
my comrades were murdered.
Taking bread and meat that found in the eel