The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-02-04
our Army IN UGaa.

The New York Tribune has srsguasr cor
respondent accompanying our military for.
ees III Utah, who gives TO that paper full,
and we doubt not, accurate accounts and
descriptions Of the movements on both sides.
One Of his letters, dated from Camp Scott,
on Blacks Fork, two miles from FOrt Bridg.
er, NOvembcF %, says:
The scenes presented along the road aud
In the camp BY the dead and dying cattle, are
truly pitiable. Last night while was thaw-
ing my hands at a cracking FIRE OF willow
twigs, one poor old OK staggered through
Z, the brush between me uHd Lieutenant L.,
directly into the blaze, in which it.stood un-
ill the hair was burnt from its fore legs and
the Aesh scorched; then it retreated a yard
or two and fell and died. The next morn
ing saw o soldier comfortably seated on its
head, between the horns, smoking his pipe
| while be warmed his feet at the embers.-
On the same morning when left my tent
at revetlle, for little walk in the bracing
cir before breakfast, two oxen were staading
stifdyo few ieet from the door. The only
sign OF life which they exhibited when beat
them to move them along, was slight mo.
ton OF their heads. When our tents were
struck at noon, and we moved 10 ohr present
camp, one Of them remained immovable in
the same position. That night the therme-
tor indie ted sixteen degrees below zero
On the afternoon marehl / counted repeated.
ny Eve, and once seven oxen, mules and
horses lying dead from cold or starvation,
within the space of one hundred yards
They had dropped dead III their tracks.
There had been such 'prodgioIs loss OF
stock by theft, cold and hunger, that since
November 2, we have not advanced on an
average, two miles per day. 1t is neces.
Snry to employ oil the cattle on one day to
haul one half the trains, and on the next
send them back to bring the remainder
Most of the artillery horses are dead, and
their places are supplied by mules.
Another letter of previots date says:
Nothing remains Of Fort Bridger except
The stone wullS, built by the Mormons this
summer. which had been considerably en-.
larsed since first sent you Eews of its con-
struclon. Half dUzen cannon balls would
knock it to pieces, although it is formida.
Bile defense against infantry. The original
desi; n was sV IDENTIFY quadrangle, about
forty acres in width and fifty in depth, to be
hanked b. two other quadanges of slightly
smaller dimensions. The central auadang le
was completed, und its wall is fifteen or
twenty teet high. The walls Of the west
ern quadrangle are narrower, hnd we're car.
tied to the height Of eight or ten feet. Those
Of the eastern were never begun, but rag !.
Eed row OF palisades mark the intended line
of their construction. The buildings with.
in the central inc .osure were bunt to ashes,
. ard when visited the spot yesterday, work
men were digging at What appeared TO be
cathc of bur iron and wagon tires near the
southern wall. 1t is certain that there ure
large cothes Of provisions in our neighbor
houd, principally of wheat and potatoes, o.
> of which last the Mormons are said to have
raised four thousand bushels in the vicinity
; OF the fo,t. They leIt u few hills unduy
e and had the satisfaction Of sdorning IN,
dinner.tsbie yesterday with part OF lhei
cnntents, which ate with great relish, not
withstanding rumor that they were poison
C I'd vi h erychnine.
). Between Fort Laramie and Fort Bridge
u distance Of four hundred miles-the on
y depots Of grain were at the Platte Bridg,
y ond the bridge OVER the Sweet water, an,
e neither contain enough corn to support ,
Q regiment OF dragons with weeks forage
a Fhe terrible loss Of animals Whit h the arln,
has suffered is justly ehargable on those off
T. cors Of the Quarermaste. : department, VIII,
h were entrusted with the provisions and diSpo
6 siion Of the supplies. They seein to hav
entirely ignored the possibility OF the Nor
' mon community rising in arms. The pub
hp tn hn hr1 a.. 81. l.
n possibility, but it was criminal neglect fo
e shose to leave it out OF view whose duty
!, wss. and who were provided with suffirien
funds oguar! agaihst every contir gncy -
1t is Impossible tor me to write on this sub
g jet without feeling, for ell the pitlab!e spec
tscies Of other than human distress have
ever witnessed, none Compare with thos,
E which were of daily occurrence during th
march to this point from Fort Laraimie.-
When the wolves, ravens, and 6uzzards hav,
r finished th2ir feast, and the snow has melte,
r in the spring, the road will be literally wall
f ed with skeletons.
Among the statements made by partie.
' who lived and escaped from Salt Lake, on,
|" Mrs Niogo says:
= In my opinion, the proportion of the Nor
mons who would be glad of an opportunit,
10 escape from the authority of the Church
and who are privately opposed to the conrst
which Brigham Young has adopted toward
> the United States Government. is about dnt
A quarter Of the men, and certainly one halt y
the women.
1t ID the opinion Of all, however. who hsyt
lately had an opportunity 10 learn anything
OF the future intentions of the Mormons
that they will not emgrate, but will concen
trate all their tribe in Salt Lake City, com
bne with such Indians as they can win owe
TO their side, organize scouting parties fo
the mountains, fortify the cannons or noun
tain pusses, and stand the fortunes Of battle