The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1858-02-04
."MiScellaueouS,
Interesting Information from the
Utah Expedition.
Col. Cooks Report.

| "HOOO lOlNbuOuS III duu dCLlOH HAS DldCeu
US in winter quarters, Under excellent
shelter, without the blow an axe. Our
first days march was over dreary
waste, made more desolate by the fall Of
snow two days previous, and the driving
storm of snow and wind which met US in
the middle of the march, miles from
wood, water, grass, or shelter. To re-
turn was destruction; to advance was ap-
parently 10 court it, The number Of ami
mails was insufficient to move either our
mule or contractors trains. Still we strug.
gled on, losing strength hourly By the
destruction Of our aninals;on the evening
Of the 9th we prepared for the contest
again. On the morning of the 9th,
portion struck camp and advanced to the
next place of shelter; there, while await.
ing the arrival of the rear, to have our
animals struck down by cold, hunger and
thirst The rear 18th infantry could
not make a march Of FIVE miles in day
10 overtake US without leaving the sup.
plies behind.
Without sustenance for animals almost
starved before we joined the main body,
almost without fuel, that regiment, and
the trains it escorted, passed the day tray
cling against one of!he most severe storms
Of snow and wind l have experienced for
many years, and camped In dreary spot,
open to the full blast Of the storm, with
the thermometer at deg. below zero at
Is A. NJ, where we were under shelter
of bluffs. The orders will show our
march. 1t was one magnificent struggle
from the beginning to this place. One
more days march, and our meat ration
beef, horse and mule-would have been
dimiuutively small for the winter. The
last company of the 10th infantry, escor-
ting the last Of the supply-trains to Fort
Bridger, reached this camp at 10 P. M
on the 22d; thus requiring six days to
move our little army and its supplies less
than six miles. In its limbs the giants
strength was expended; but the will
which moved this force, and the spirit
which gave this will vitality, were bril- ght-
er and stronger as the constitution became
weaker; and if he had said 'On,' on we
would have gone, feeling that what he
would direct would be right. The assu,
RANGES you gave me Of confidence in my
commander have more than realized, and
he now has, believe, the unbounded
confidence Of the army.
You will see from his letters and or
ders how he grappled with the difficulties
in his path, and hope the spring will
see him the conqueror. This little army
is in fine health and in cheerful spirits.-
The men have borne their trials without
a murmur-duty is severe upon officers
and menj but not a word of complaint
have l heard. We have all endured alike,
and the fact that COL johnson has on the
march footed it, as did the men; suffers
the same exposure, and will not permit
the officer to receive more than the SOL
dier, has endeared him to all. We are
now in camp, nicely housedI the most of
us in wall tents the men all in 'Sibley
tents The latter. save the necessity Of
huts. The wall tent, with stove, is the
only one for an officer. The tents fur
nished (Sibley tents) are very Inferior
especially those made by the quartermas-
ter, inferior in material and make, and
small and UNEQUAL in size. One tent is
allowed to eighteen men, but in few days
they will be issued at one to sixteen; even
that would be insufficient we're not the
men on guard or other duty. Our ami
mails are all absent, except those needed
for police purposes and for immediate con-
sumption.
This plsetAf5tS Bfjager)is sdniir2tInI
located; ;7tiE9eiS Sabapdant close bEt
and building;gAsss can be cut wi
yards of the garrfsdq; wstets
and it commands eSRrY road
the country. ThsfN6Fmc
buildings Of this place and ~ s.
at the latter piled dp their taia ans
fire to it; left their potatoes, Eatpip
in the ground. The wins ofFsrt:
er are standing; they Nera 1llI
fence last fall; 6 feet through ae Use
top, 16 feet high, and 100 BY llg
part, 100 to rs on another
to fire the grass, but snow fel
guished it. Our snow was eQ
When the grass was burneds
scorched the trees 90 feet high. Hsa q
command advanced sooner than y |dId
the animals would have starved, and the
army could not have found or reached
place Of shelteE Our grass is eaten up
for three miles kround US; but We have
animals ON Smiths Fork, (three miles
of, \ and there is grass enough there Tor
the whole band but no shelter and IN
sufficient wood.
The valley is warm, wooded and wat
cred. and welcomed us. Our legs are
united or fast getting 50; and when spring
comes "a more devastating swarm of grass.
hoppers will never have swept that valley
of Salt Lake than will this army be, n
our prgress Is molssted. This people de-
SEYMOUR straEation, our destruction; ano
there is no devIce man can resort to which
they will not practice from assassina'
tion, murder, FIRE and blood. The rob-
! Ibers, and assassins will scatter and form
-