The Washington union., 1858-03-27
INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE ESCAPE or


DR. HURT
We announced on the Issn December last the safe ar
rival in the camp Of Col Johnson of DR. Garland Hurt
Indian agent IT, ohh United states officer who fvha
ed in un Territory AZ the time ths other officers with
d-es last spring The -utoined narrative Of his escape
from the MotInons win be read with Interest
70 Cd Alrrt s Jo1ol, Csassss ul-cl Of ps amy for
LtaA stH
SiR Having recently NED from the Indian settlement
on Spanish Fork in the Territory OF Utah, somewhat
preetately and reached your command October %
after wandering for twcnyseven days through mountains
and deserts in company with Utah Indians yepiure to
trouble you with brief stspent o the circumstances
which induced 10 abandon the agency and inrust my
life TO the clre and protection VI the sava9ea tFt
For time previous " my deiz tae ~ had been
the settled opinion of the people Of Utah that the troops
could get further than seea river this sesons Con
tequenty, concluded that the territorial oiniswou
pot venture The mountains before sprnsl and
pnder the embarrassed condition in whia the retention
o. the mails ad the very unsettled state 81 govermrtl
relations With Utah had placed me- deemed import
TO seek interview with thep before the Winter set
IN and had been previously advised that no person
would be allowed 70 leave the Terrtory cross the
mountains without the humating ceremony Of applying
to Brigham Young fpr passport the alternative OF or
ssazng an Indian escort suggested ITSELF to my mind
the conception ofwch Stewout of the deep oopcern
WHICH these utnto.ed creatures had for snemani
tested for my safety
Aud was the IaoIe inclined h. avail sof this sue
county then visit atthe farm soliciting me 10
accompany them to that valley for the purpose n inspect
ing the adaptation efs climate and sci TO THE eultva
ton of grain they had become nau-h pleased with the
course of poieywe wet- pusshlng toward fhe In,s in
Utah county On the morning Of Ssiptcnibo a. while
was yet discussing the prorictr VI this resoutio some
half dozen of the natives rushed Into my office sxclam
ing, t1std, friend, the Normoas will kill ysas' and
pointed to The window the eastern side of to house
On looking out TO my surprise saw from 70 10 ,oo
armed dngoons stationed in the road about mile from
the house and did no. manifest quite much con-
as the Indians thought the occasion jasthed they
cauaht hold VI and gave TO understand that they
woald not lot me stay any longer
commenced arranging my 5ical papers SO ss to be
abk to remove sa Instantly If necessary, for Idd
understead what all meant In few seconds another
Indian run iii 10 inform that the Spanish Fork Canon
full of Mormons armed with gums ana pistols who
said that they going 30 kill and he had scarce
W time to tell Ms story when another in great haste
and said thata Momonsquaw at Spring vile had told him
to run and tell me that the Mornons intended 10 kin
He also reported large body of armed the road
between Springville and ts Indian farm 1t also re-
ported w sno.hcr Indian that the Morinons at Payson
tho town the south, ali in arms although II was
the Sabbath.
The Indians would not quit my room but began to
gather up my bedding and wearing apparel when my in
'erprcter came into the apartment III ali evde
excitement and exclaimed Eo.os you re gone in -
asked what IL all nieo4t He said it was understood all
over the country that about leaving with the In
dams, and handed me 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 now In
force He felt it his duty to inform that could not
leave that thcv had resolved to enforce the law all
hazards. Iregret having mislad this letter but the
above is its purpcit. which revealed to the meaning
Of much military arrav 70 think that an officer Of
the government should be thus menaced while in the
peaceful discharge Of bis official duties could not fail to
excite in the hosod of any ,ces--Slti Of spark Il
patriotism feelings OF ~ most indignant 10 lc
detained hy Iorcc and used &, tod in mos treas,,a
be oppcsaon u inc laws OF the country MS occasiop
lae Iolrc Or 20 hl victim to that brutal revenge
Winch seeks qualification only In the sacrifice Of life
| too humilidtng 10 contemplate iur u sno,,,rst
determined TO estria, iayarii or die ,i the attempt
aud turpodte ask to dining nv horse brt wien
reached tie door found that the chief SOP sprght
" ooy had already performed tnaJ service While hc
was stiding h''H, gathered my papers and wearing ab-
paIe thew them into meal sack and pitched them
out OF dooa to tue Indians who all seemed eager as
slst me in my escape In the presence Of armed pop
uucc ie out with three Indian youths whose names are
leie, sam, and Shower Shoosets Mr. loseph Z Waters
of Salt Lake City, also accompanied me Instead OF go
ing east, as enemies expected took western
course but when it discovered that intended to
reach the mountains by circuitous route some hall
dozen persons horseback out from the Of
Payscn, to tap couise just ahead Of We wheeled
short to the right but just in front lay small
stream, so deep and mry that stock not in the
habit Of crossing it.
urged my horse and he attempted to clear il 1T
single bound, but falling TO reach the opposite bank with
his hind feet, he fell back into water and mud over
tho top OF his hips aghted upon the bank over his
head, and, by pulling at the reins assisted him in cxtr
eating himself which he did after several desperate strug
ges~ My comrades spurIe down the stream little way
and had better Our puisuers were by this time
within three four hundred yards Of mounted in
haste and soon found to my great satisfaction that the
Stamina OF the noble animal had not been exhausted and
that, although had lost spur in the struggle could
dispense with its service
At the distance Of about two miles reached the base
o. a low mountain ranging north and south We gained
It's summit Just Us the setting, and debating the
prcprcty OF pursuing further western but just
at this time despatch brought by two BOYS
the old cof telling usto lie sure TO return to the
farm that night Under these circumstances we deter
mined to Try fcint We descended below the summit
only far enough TO hide ourselves and then turned north
and continued that course for two three miles ur
I'll we thought our pursueTs about gaining the tor
of the mountain Then turned again upon the eastern
for daylight to disappear This completely foiIcd onr
enemies for the ground hard and stony that they
could not discover Our trail n
When the half grown moon began to shine ,pon the
mountain slope, VIC remouuted and bounded ovei the
prairie toward the spot from which we had set ont We
reached the farm Mt s, p M and found about one hun
dred of our red friends awaiting return bo mani
tested great Joy at arrival. Ny first inquiry was
where the Mornons were, when twenty voices shouted
'Cotch-oarry Mosn.on ~ ,Not here Mormon > had
left forty five head horses and mules and was
about nQurng wbat had beconie of them when dis
covered that most OF them had been mounted by the In
dans They then related how they had sailed out du
ring the day. and driven the enemy from the canon y
threats OF what course they should pursue in
my comrades murdered et '"f' IF
Taxi nuo,ta nj |