The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-04-27
INTERESTING LETTER FROM UTAH

INTERESTING LETTER FROM UTAH.
The following letter, dated Camp Scott, Utah,
March LIST, contains some interesting information
about the army in Utah. The writer says that on
the day of writing the thermometer marked 81
deg. above zero, and the air balmy as if un-
der tropical sun. Grass is growing ON the noun
tain elevation and in the valleys the snow has dis
appeared, The fine weather commenced ON the
10Th of February. The writer says:
Divers rumors are afoat in camp concerning the
attitude of the Mormons in Salt Lake. But we
have no reliable information from that quarter
One of these rumors says that the Mormons are all
leaving the city and seeking refuge In the noun
tains. Another states that they are sending only
their women and children to the mountains and
outside villages for security, while the fighting
population are to remain and prepare to give us
hot and inhospitabe reception in the spring
These rumors are brought in by Indians, who may
be interested in behalf of the Mormons, to circu-
late them.
The beef slowed away for our supplies until
spring, has commenced to thaw. Fears enter
tanned that much of it will spoil if this warm spell
continues But efforts are being made to preserve
it by surrounding it with ice If this project fails
we have about six hundred head of cattle on the
hoof that can be slaughtered at pleasure to supply
the demand. Six hundred head more can be had
from Platte Bridge early in the spring.
The expedition alluded to in my last article, as
having gone to reinforce Captain Marcy, have been
so fortunate as reclaim forty battery horses,
which were supposed to have been stolen from the
army last fall The horses were brought into camp
three days ago by some Utah Indians. On being
questioned where the horses were found, these
Indians would only reply "Away off yonder;
away off-many heap of sleeps from here 1t is
Uinta Valley. They are in fine condition.
Two days ago intelligence came to us that the
body of a man was found in tree near Smiths
Fork. Some dragons found the body thus sus
pended, cut it down, and buried it. A jury was
ordered to hold an inquest on the body, for the
purpose of asccrtanng the particulars OF his death
and identifying the man.
1t is not known positively who the man was
that was hung. Those who found him report that
he had red whskers and a mark, as if from cut,
on his right check. His skull was knocked in
behind This shows that he did not hang himself.
The body had the appearance of been hanging
some months. His eyes were eaten out by the
crows, and his face so picked and mangied
that nothing more was observed which could aid
in identifying the individual. There are how
ever strong reasons to believe that the body is
that of Dir George w Hickman, who was
leased from Colonel Alexander's camp last fall.
DIR Hickman had red goatee on his chin and a
whtish moustache. He also had scar on his
right cheek.
A few DAYS after Dr. Hickman left our camp it
whispered among the mountain men here, that
:'he had not been able to make the connections,
meaning that he had been cut off before he could
join the Mormons, then at Fort Bridger. DIR
Hickman, as we'll as his brother, the notorious
Bill Hickman, had had much to do in the out
RACES committed against the mountain men. His
clique, headed by "Bill' Hickman, had driven
them from their homes, had stolen their horses
and cattle, and had remorselessly appropriated to
their own use much of their property. 1t was
stated as fact that the mule Or. Hickman rode
out of our camp, when he released, was stolen
by "Bilp' III. from Of guides, now present
in cur camp
1t is thus rendered highly probable that the
dead body is that of Dr. H. who was murdered to
crafty the malice, which the mountaineers bear,
not only to the Mornons generally, but particular
ly to Bill Hickman, the Doctor, and their clan.
1t was not known until last week that anything
could be done by the agents of Messrs Rus
sell & Waddle, contractors to the freight for the
army here or that another disclosure of the doings
of this firm could be made which could surprise
anybody here.
Last week, on examining the wagons that Mr.
Rupp their agent, packed at Fort Brdger, there
were found in an interior wagon thousand lbs.
Of poudcr, and other mechandiZe directed to Ed
ridge the agent for the Mormon Church, with
"For X. Y" underneath. tx. W means the
Church of Mormon This powder and this mer-
chandize Russell Il Waddle, through their agent,
Mr. Rupp, carted all the way across the plains for
the enemies of the Government, which employed
Russell 4 Waddle to freight provisions for the
army it has sent here to put down the Mormon
rebellion.
We are awaiting anxiously the February mail
from the States Unless the President sends posi-
tive instructions to Colonel Johnton to remain here
until renforcements reach us, this "itte'' army,
as it is termed by symrathizing friends in the
States, scW be an Salt Like city Ly the middle Of
June It will move from here in April, and if
battle is to be fought it will be decided SOON I
assured of one thing, namely, that it is not the
intention of Colonel johnson to retrace a step
which this army has taken or is to take
Col. BENToN's LAST WoRK.-The Washington
correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer says:
Il learn that, although Colonel Benton went
throug the usual formalities of making will, he
nevertheless died very poor. The creditors of his
estate not likely however, press their claims
unpleasantly; and if project foot in reference
to certain disposition of his latest literary labors
is successfully carried out his debts will probably
be paid in full. Every who had business
dealings with him speaks in the strongest terms of
his Spartan sense of honor and faithfulness to his
engagements and secret of his late ndefatigabe
labors lies in the fact of his extreme anxiety to
L