The Washington union., 1858-02-20
INTERESTING NARRATIVE or THE ESCAPE OF
DIR p,lfRr


DIR HURT
We announced on the 18Th December last the safe ar
fyal in the camp Of Col Johnson OF Dr. Garland Hurt
Indian agent the only United States officer who remain
ed In Utah Territory 81 the time the other Officers with
drew last spring The sahloned narrative Of his escape
from the MoInons will be read with interest
10 CJl Alsrt s. o,lso Commander iacsf Of he ary for
Lhh
SlB Having recently aed from the Indian settlement
Spanish Fork in the crritor, OF Utah somewhat
piecpLstey and reached your command October 2
after wandering for twenty days through mountains
aud deserts in company with Utah Indians, venture Ia
trouble yo with brief statement OF the circumstances
which induced To abandon the agency and intrist nay
life to the care and protection of the savages
For time previous To my departure 1t had been
the settled opinion of the people of Utah that the troops
could get further than Green river this Con
seqently concluded that the territorial officials would
not venture the mountains before spring and
under the embarrassed condition in which the retention
the mails and the very unsettled state Of governmental
relations with Utah, had placed deemed IL import
ant TO seek interview with them before the winter set
IN aud had been previously advised that no person
would be allowed To leave the Territory OF the
mountains without the humilating ceremony OF applying
Brigham Young for passport, the alternative OF or
ganzng Indian escort suggested itself to my mind n
first conception of which out OF the deep concern
which these untutored creatures had for some time mani
tested for my safety,
And was the inclined to avail myself Of this su
country then visit at the farm soliciting me 10
accompany them to that valley for the purpose of inspect
ing the adaptation of its climate and soil to the cutiva-
ton OF grain, they had become much pleased with the
of policy We're pursuing toward the Indians In
Utah county, On the morning Of September II, while
discussing the prorey OF this resolution, some
half dozen of the natives rushed into my office cxclan
ing .tFriend, friend, the Mormens will kill YOU y and
pointed the window the eastern side Of the house.
On looking out, to my surprise ] from 20 to 100
armed dragons stationed in the road about mile from
the house and did not manifest quite much con
ccrn the Indians thought the occasion justiied they
caught hold of and gave to understand that they
| would not let me stay any longer.
commenced arranging my official papers to be
able to them Instantly if necessary, ior did no.
| understand what il all meant In few seconds another
Indian ran ia inform that the Spanish Fork Canon
full OF Aionnons, armed with guns and pistols who
said that they going 10 kill me- and he had scarce
y time to tell his story when another came in great haste
and sa thata Mormon sqiw at Springville had told him,
To and tell me that the Mormons intended to kill me-
/ He also reported large body of armed men the road
between Slningvie and the Indian farm. 1t also
ported by another Indian that the Mormons ut Payson
the town the SOUTH all in arms, although it was
| the Sabiitb.
The Indians would not quit my ROOM blit began t.
gather up my bedding and wearing apparel, when my in
erpreer came into the apartment in AN evident state o
excitement and exclaimed " E3aior, you're gone in
asked what it all meant He said it understood ali
over the country that about leaving with the In
dians and handed note from Mr. Butler, the Bishop
of the Spanish Fork settlement, stating that he had
learned from various that intended going out
with the Indians in violation of the martial law in
I force He felt il his duty to inform that could moi
leave that they had resolved to enforce the law at al
hazards / regret having mislaJ this letter but the
above is its purport which revealed to the meaning
of much military array To think that officer OF
the government should be thus menaced while in the
peaceful discharge Of his ofcial duties could not fail IL
excite in the bosom Of any possessed of spark OF
patriotism feelings OF the most indignant To be
detained by force aud used tool in most tresona
bic opposition to the laws of the country occasion
might require, to fall victim to that brutal revenge
which seeks qualification only in the sacrifice of life
1 too humiIisting to contemplate for moment.
i determined to extrzte myself or die in the attempt,
and turned 80 ask one 20 bring horse but when
reached The door found thai the chief son. !. spght
| y boy, had already performed that service While he
was suline him. gathered my papers and wearing ap
parcl threw Them into some meal Sack and pitched them
Of doors TO the Indians who all seemed eager TO
sis. ia my escape, In the presence of armed pop
ulce set out with three Indian youths whose are
Pete, sam, and Shower Shockets. Mr.. Joseph r. Waters,
Of Salt Lake City, also accompanied Instead of go
ing east enemies expected, took western,
course but when it discovered that intended o
reach the mountains by circuitous route, hall
dozen persons horseback out from the town of
Payson to tap course just ahead of us We wheeled
short TO the right but Just in front lay small
stream, deep and miry that stocl, not in The
habit Of crossing it.
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, alighted upon the bank his
head and by pulling at the reins, assisted him in exri
eating himself which he did after several desperate strug
giles My comrades spurred down the stream little way
and had better success. Our purslcrs by this time
within three four hundred yards Of MS mounted in
haste and found to great satisfaction that the
stamina of the noble animal had been exhausted and
that although had lost my spur in the struggle, could
dispense with its service
At the distance of about two miles we reached the base
of a low mountain ranging north and south We gained
its summit just the setting, and debating the
propriety Of pursuing further western but just
ut this time despatch brought to by two boys
from the old Chief telling to he sure to return to the
farm that night. Under these circumstances, deter
mined to try ieint. We descended below the summit
only far enough to hide ourselves and then turned north
and continued that for two three miles
til thought pursucis about gaining the top
Of the mountain Then we turned again upon the eastern
slope and dropped into little hollow, where waited
for daylight to disappear This completely foiled
enemies for the ground hard and stony that they
coud not discover our trail.
When the haIfgrown moon began to shine upon the
mountain slope, remounted and bounded the
prairie toward the spot from which had set ont We
reached the farm at 3, p. m, and found about hun
dred Of rel friends awaiting return who mani
tested great joy at arrival. Ny first inquiry
where the Momons were, when twenty voices shouted
''t.t1h-srry Mormon T. (Not here Mormon , / had
lett some f,rty five head of horses and mules, and
about inquirDg 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 iiom the by
threats of what course they should pursue in and