The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-01-02

Fros tie sNes eYsvk HaaA
| UTAH EXPEDITION.
distressing Dsiaik 4 tAs lpvsnea 6sftAe Amy
| x.s.s-.se... Win Mo-. Tss.s Priss.ssi
Capsurel-Arny gene tnas wlnsss quarters.
Hsm's ISra 81 Green River, oci. !. Il.
The game 10 settled. Brigham Young hal
decided the question, that 90 many persons
have SO long speculated upon-that il, whai
the Mormons intended doing, and what
would be the best policy for the Government
to pursue with regard to them. Col. Alex.
ander received to-day 3 copy Of Brigham'a
| proclamation, which be issued to the Nor
| mons. =, 8
On the 18th inst, the 9Th Infantry reached
Blacks Fork. On the way the guides found
u trail Of 400 Mormons. The Colonel sent
back that night an express to Green River,
to warn the trains of the danger. Early the
next morning three tcamsters arrived in
camp, and reported that two trains Of fifty
eight wagons were burned up. Itseems the
left. In the night these three men were
about three miles from tho camp, herding
the cattle, when they suddenly heard great
noise at the trains, and Immediately the
wagons commenced burning. The men i'm
mediately fed, leaving the cattle. The Col.
felt very uneasy ct this intelligence, but
feared to send mon to look after them. We
reached the camp of the 10th Infantry and
of Phelps Battery of Artillery on the even
ing of the 9th. Capt. Reno's Battery of Ar
tillery overlook the 5th Infantry, and came
up with it. In the evening the express man
who had been sent to warn the trains came
in. He says he reached the trains between
IL and IL o'clock at night. The two trains
were encamped some 400 yards apart. He
found all the men asleep. He awoke the
wagon-master and got something 10 eat.--
just as he had finished eating, a body Of
Mormons came out from the willows on the
river bank, and surrounded the train; they
then went to each wagon and awakened the
men, and then set fire to every one of them.
After the wagons were burned, they gave
the teamsters six days. provisions and let
them 60. They took from the wagons all
the arms and ammunition, and provisions
enough for the men. Everything else was
destroyed. They also took the mules and
horses. The teamsters say that the party
which surrounded the wagons consisted Of
about 80 men, but that there were from 300
to 400 around the camp short distance of.
They had mules with them that belonged to
the rear train, and the probability is that it
was burned up first. The Mormons inquired
particularly about Magraw, and swore they
would catch and kill him. We fear that a1l
the provision trains between this and the
South Pass are destroyed, and that all the
trains now on the road, and perhaps the
Governor and other officers will fall into the
hands of the Mormons, for we are not appri-
sed of there being but two companies Of in
fantry between here and Fort Laramie, and
the Mormons are strong enough to whip
them; all the trains on the road being OF
their guard will fall IN easy prey.
Mr.. Simpson, wagon-master of the rear
train, which was burned on the Sandy, ar-
rived in camp on the evening of the It'll. He
reports that on the morning of the 9th his
train was corraled at the last crossing Of the
Big Sandy, about FIVE miles from Green
River, that about 9 O'Clock in the morning,
as he had sent his cattle into the hills for
grass, a band of Mormons surrounded the
train, disarmcd the men and burnt up all
but two of the wagons with their contents
these two wagons were saved through the
frmness Of Mr.. Simpson, who insisted that
they should leave provisions for his men to
return to the States. After the burning of
the train, the teamsters were released and
the Mormons went up the road. Simpson
says that Lot Smith, who was in command
of the party, had come to his camp while the
train was on the Sweet Water. and remained
all night, representing that he was from
California on his way to the States; that he
had wintered in Salt Lake City; he cursed
and ID the Mormons up and down, and
when he went off begged provisions enough
to last him to Laramie. In this way the
Mormons have been collecting information
about tho trains all summer. Smith said
that the party under his command numbered
800 men; that they we're going back on the
road to burn and destroy every train from
there to Laramie. He said that Livingston
and Kinkead's train of sixty-five wagons is
only thirty miles back, and that they would
burn it up that night, and also that a special
party had gone to capture Magraw, dead or
alive.
On the 10th inst, Mr.. Perry, who has
train of merchandise en- route for Salt Lake
City, came into camp from below. He left
a party Of Magraw's train on the Sweet Wa
ter waiting for provisions. Morrell, the P.
NJ, with his train were with them. Mr..
Ficklin, an agent of Magraw's, passed down
and conveyed the news of the burning of the |
trains by the Mormons. The trains below
will, therefore, be on their guard.
On the same day (the 10th inst.) IN ex-
press from Brigham Young came into camp.
They brought with them a full file of tho |
Deseret Ners and other papers, with note
from Col. Alexander, saying that he sent |
them, hoping that in the absence of news
from the States, they would tend to relieve
the monotony of camp life. Ilearn that the
express was to make a proposal that the |
mail which is on the way should be deliver
ed to Brigham's agent at the Territorial line,
and let him carry it into the city.
On the 18th the whole command left their |
camp and proceeded up Hams Fork nineteen
miles. The grass had been burnt nearly all
the way. We camped on a small spot which
the fire had spared. George and Jefferson
Hickman, brothers of Bill Hickman, came
to the train while on its march this day, with |
q note from Bill to Mr.. Perry, requesting
m interview on Green River to settle some
business matters which he had left in HEX
mans hands for settlement when he was a
merchant in Salt Lake City. After consult
ing with Mr.. Perry, the commandant had
them arrested as spies. 1t showed nearly
all day, but melted as it fell. On the 18th |
we continued our march up Hams Fork
After camping for the night, we were sur.
prised by the intelligence that the Mormons,
under the lead Of Lot Smith and Porter
Rockwell, had taken some 800 head of cat
tie, being principally those that belonged to
the trains lately burnt, together with large
number of beef cattle, within three miles Of
camp. The men in charge Of the cattle we're
allowed to come in. Bill Hickman sent word
by them that if his brothers were not re.
leased within five days he would scalp doz-
en- soldiers for it; and Smith and Porter de-
clared that if the command persisted in ad-
vancing they should all be slaughtered.
The prisoners were searched, and belt
was found on one of them which was inden-
tilted as belonging to an artilleryman who
had been missing for several days. The
prisoners stated that the man passed Fort
Bridger on his way to Salt Lake, and there
belts with him.
Oct. 15.-Continued up Hams Fork for
tho last three days; route very rough; and