The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-04-13
T H + DISP A TIC III.
TUESDAY MORNING. II 1855
Interesting Letter from Utah.

Interesting Letter from Utah.
The following letter, dated Camp Scott, Utah.
March lst, contains some interesting Information
about the army in Utah. The writer says that on
the day Of writing, the thermometer marked SO
above zero, aud the air was as bamy as if under a
tropical sun. Grass is growing on the sunny side
Of the mountain elevations and in the valleys the
snow has disappeared. The fine weather com
menced on the 18th of March. The writer says:
Divers runners are afnat in camp concerning the
attitude Of the Mormons in Salt Lake But we
have reliable formation from that quarter One
OF these rumors says that the Morm0ns are all
leaving the city and seeking refuge in the noun
tains Another states that thoy are sending only
their womeu and children to the mountains and
outside villages for security, while the fighting
population are to remain and prepare to give Us a
hot and inhsspitabe reception in the spring
These rumors are brought in BY Indians, who
may be interested In behalf of the Msrmons, to
circulate them.
The beef stored away for our supplies until
spring, has commenced TO tbaw. Fears are enter.
tanned that much oft will spoil il this warm spell
continues. But efforts are being made to preserve
it by surroundingit it with ice If this project fails
we have about sixAundred head of cattle on the
hoof that can be Slaughtered at pleasure TO supply
the demand. Six hundred more can be had from
Platte Bridge early in the spring.
No tidings have reached us from Captain Marcy.
whose return from Taos New Mexico, is expected
in April or sooner. Neither have we heard from
the Rangers" under Ficklip, who left more than
two months ago to go to the ''flat Head" nation
for Indian ponies. His return is also expected
soon.
The expedition alluded to in my last article. as
having gone to reinforce Captain Marcy, have
been so fortunate to reclaim forty-four battery
horses, which were supposed to have been stolen
| from the army last fall. These horses were
brought into camp three days ago by some Utah
Indians On being questioned where the horses
we're found, these Indians would only reply.
Away off yonder; away off-mauy heap of aesps
from here" 1t ID supposed they were reclaimed
Somewhere in the Uinta Valley. They are in fine
condition.
The disposition of the troops is about the same
as when wrote last, except that Major Sibley has
moved his company ten miles below us, aud en-.
camped on Blacks Fork 1t. Hight has moved h,
company of dragons from Smiths Fork, and join-
81 Major sibey. 1t became necessary TO station
these tive companies of dragons there, for the
purpose of protecting the animals that are to be
herded there.
Two days ago intelligence came to us that the
body of man was found hanging TO tree near
Smiths Fork. Some dragons found the body
thus suspended, cut it down and buried it, A
jury was ordered TO hold an inquest on the BODY,
for the purpose of ascertaning the particulars OF
Of his death and identifying the man. Squire Burr
| (son of the Surveyor General of this Territory
Marshal Dctson, and Surgeon Bailey, of the United
states Army, were dispatched to Smiths Fork,
with the order TO exhume the body and proceed
with the CorOper's inquest They returned yes
eIday and reported their inability to fiud the
grave; Lieut. Hight had moved his camp, and the
soldiers who buried the body were not on hand to
point out the grave. / understand the party will
be sent back again, and that the soldier who found
| the body will accompany them
1t is not known positively who the man was
| that was hung. Those who found him report that
| he had red whiskers aud a mark, as if from cut
| on his right cheek. His skull was knocked in be-
| hind. This shows that he did not hang himself
| The body had the appearance of having been hang
| lug some months His eyes were eaten out by the
| crows, and his face picked and mangled
| that nothing more was observed which could aid
| ia identifying the individual. There are. howev.
| er, strong reasons for believing the body to be
that of DR.. George ". Hickman, who was released
from Colonel Alexanders camp last fall Dr. Hck
man had AIRED godtee on his chin, and a whitsb
mGstSche. lie also had a scar on his right cheek.
< few days after DR.. Hickman left our camp, it
was whispered among the mountain here,
that "T had not been able 10 MAKE the connection -
meaning that he had been cut off before he could
join the MormOns, then at Fort Bridger. DR.. Hck.
man, well rs his brother, the notorious 'BiIl'
Hickman, had had much to do in the outrages
committed against the resident mountain men
Ills clique, headed by "Bill' Hickman. had driven
them from their homes, had stolen their horses
aud cattle, and had remorselessy appropriated to
their own use much of their property. 1t was
stated as fact that the mule DR.. Hickman rode
out Of our camp, when he was released, was stolen
by "Bil' ii. from one of our guides, now present
III our camp.
Iti thus rendered highly probable that the dead
body is that of Dr. IL, who was murdered to crafty
the malice which all the mountaiueers bear, not
only to the Mormons generally, but particularly
! to "Bill' Hickman, the Doctor, aud their clan.
1t was not known until last week that anything
more could be done by the agents of Messrs Rus
sell 4 Naddle, contractors to freight for the army
here, that another disclosure of the dOiugs Oi
| this firm could be made which would surprise any
| body here.
Last week, on examining the wagons that Mr.
Rupp, their agent, packed at Fore Bridger, there
were found in an interior wagon one MoHSGRdJbs. o
rowdcr.and other merchandise directed to Eldridge
| the agent for the Mormon Church with
''For y. "" underneath. N. Y means the
| Church Of Mormon This powder and this mer
| chandi.e Russell Waddle. through their agent
Mr.. Rupp, carted all the way across the plains for
| the enemies Of the Government, which employed
| Russell & Nadde to freight provisions for the
army it has sent here to put down the Mormon
rebellion. Let US hope the gentlemen of the firm
knew nothing Of this--that it was the act of theil
agent MIR Rupp.
| We awaiting anXiously the February mai
| from the States. Unless the President sends posi-
| tive instructions to Colonel johnson to remain
here until reintorcements reach US, this ''lttle'
army, as it is styled, by our sympathizing friends
in the States, ICiU be IN SAT- Lake City by the mid
die gfJaBe 1t will move from here in April, anC
il battle is to be fought it will be decided soon
| am assured Of one thing, namely, that it is no
the Intention of Colonel johnson to rerdce q steI
which this army has taken or is to take.