The Kanzas news., 1858-02-06
The Kanzas News.
s.rURDAY:::...::::::FEBRUARy 8, 1855.
The Mormon War.

We have received late intelligence from
Utah. The army went through the South
Pass on the 24th of September, and on the
.95th i1ostilities on the part of the Mormons
commenced. They fired on the picket, who
we're guarding the mule herd, and then at
..snnnted to stampede the mules. The move
r,eat, temporarily successful, failed, as the
entire herd was recovered on the same day.
No cavalry being on the ground, however,
the marauders escaped.
Nothing more was seen of them until the
9th, when, approaching Green river, some
FIVE or six were observed. but they fed be-
fore the advance guard could reach them
On that afternoon there was Tumor that
the company under Lieut.. Deshler would
be attacked he had but thirty men, and
had in charge some of the supply TRAINS
The advance guard started at night to his
relief, and made forced march of twenty
two miles, to find Lieut.. d. and his train
safe.
The army concentrated at Hams Fork,
and on the Sd of October the Mormons
burned three supply trains obtaining some
of the commissary stores. They also sue
ceeded in running off the oxen. On the Cd
and 9TH, they burned the grass, but the
army succeeded in extinguishing the flames
before they reached the camp.
On the 1th they started up Hams Fork
to 90 to Salt Lake City, the train of mule
and OK wagons stretching out some six or
seven miles, consequently moving but slow
". When within mile of the Oregon
road, party mounted on mules was sent to
prospect a road over to Henry's Fork. This
party fell IN with about fifty Mormons COM
ing toward the camp. Captain Marcy, who
was in command of the prospecting party,
approached near enough for speech with
their leader before they were recognized as
American troops. when they at once made
off, no harm being attempted toward them,
such being the instruction of Col. Alexan-
der A party which started later In the
same direction, numbering eight men, met
the same party, put them to fight, ate a
comfortable breakfast the party had cooked
but left in their haste to fly, and brought
two mules of the routed party into camp.
The Mormons being mounted on ponies,
they outran the mules of the soldiers.
The first severe snow storm was on the
night of the 10th of October. Snow lay
on the ground, on the 18th, fully eight inch
es. It had dFifted into the tents which had
been pitched for north wind, while the
storm came from the south, up the valley of
the creek.
Col. Johnston took command of the army
on the Sd of November day or two after
which Sibley tents were issued, to the great
comfort of the men, who by dint of care
are enabled to keep warm, although the
thermometer had for some ten days of De-
cember been at 90 degrees below zero. On
the 9th Col. Johnston started for Salt Lake
City, the train stretching out fifteen miles.
On the 9Th three hundred head of cattle were
run off by the Mormons, who also took a
number of mules belonging to the Govern
ment. The death of between two and three
thousand oxen, and the majority of the
horses, rendered movements slow, and it
was not until the 18th that distance of
thirty miles was made. Salt is short, and
vegetables are wanting, while the oxen are
being butchered as fast as convenience will
allow. On the 2Tth hundred bushels of
vegetables were brought into camp, and
turned over to the hospital department.
On the 10Th of November Col. Cooke
caught up with the main army, with six
companies of the Cd dragons. He had
lost nearly all his horses, and those that
were left him were unfit for service. Gov.
Cumming and his wife came up with him,
as did also the mail Mrs. G. had her foot
frozen while crossing the mountains, and
still suffers considerably from it. but is 9TH
erwise well. Gov Cumming is also well
and hearty. There are three other ladies in
camp, being Mrs. Col Candy, Mr.. Tyler
and Mrs. Burns. They are all as comforta-
bic as circumstances will allow.-St. Louis
Republican, Jan. Ia.