The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-23
INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE ESCAPE OF
DIR. HURT

|
rival in the camp Col Johnson of Dr. Garland Hurt,
Indian agent the only United States officer who remain
ed in Utah Territory at the time the other officers with
drew last spring The subjoned narrative of his escape
from the Mornons will be read with interest
10 Col Albert s. Johnson Commander is-ce Of he army for
Utah.
SIR Having recently fled from the Indian settlement
on Spanish Fork, in the Territory OF Utah. somewhat
precipatey, and reached your command on OCTOBER Z3,
wandering for twenty days through mountains
and deserts in company with Utah Indians venture to
trouble you with brief statement of the circumstances
which induced to abandon the agency and ntrus my
life to the 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 not get further than Green river this season Con
sequenty concluded that the territorial officials would
not venture cross the mountains before spring and
under the embarrassed condition in which the retention
of the mails and the very unsettled state of governmental
relations with Utah, had placed me- deemed it import
seek interview with them before the winter set
in and had been previously advised that no person
would be allowed to leave the Territory or cross the
mountains without the humating ceremony OF applying
10 Brigham Young for passport the alternative OF
ganzng an Indian escort suggested itself to my mind
the first conception of which grew out of the deep
which these untutorcd creatures had for time mani
tested for my safety.
And was the more inclined to avail myself of this sug
gestion from the fact that several chiefs of the Uina
country then visit at the farm soliciting to
accompany them that valley for the purpose of inspect
ton of grain they had become much pleased with the
course of policy pursuing toward the Indians in
Utah county. On the morning of September a. while
was yet discussing the propriey of this resolution
half dozen of the natives rushed into my Office exclam
ing sFriend friend the Mormons will kill you y and
pointed to the window the eastern side of the house
On looking out, to my surprise saw from 10 to 100
armed Dragons stationed in the road about mile from
the house and as did not manifest quite much
Germ az the Indians thought the occasion justified, they
caught hold of and gave to understand that they
would not let me stay any longer,
l commenced arranging my official papers so as to be
able them instantly necessary, for did not
understand what it all meant In few seconds another
Indian ran inform that the Spanish Fork Canon
was full of Mormons, armed with guns and PISTOLS who
said that they going to kill me; and he had scarce
y time to tell his story when another came in great haste
and said that Mormon squaw at Sprngve had told him
to and tell me that the Mormons intended to kill me
He also reported large body Of armed the road
between Sprngvle and the Indian farm 1t was also re-
ported by another Indian that the Mormons at Payson
the the SOUTH all in arms, although it
| the Sabbath.
| The Indians would not quit my room, but began to
gather up my bedding and wearing apparel when my in
erpreter into the apartment in evident state Of
excitement, and exclaimed, Doctor you re gone in!
asked what it all meant he said 1t was understood all
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 now in
force He felt it his duty to inform me that could not
leave that they had resolved to enforce the law at all
hazards regret having mislaid this letter, but the
above is its purpor which revealed to the meaning
of so much military array To think that officer of
1 the government should be thus menaced while in the
peaceful discharge of his official duties could not fail to
excite in the bosom Of any possessed of spark of
patriotism feelings of the most indignant To be
detained by force and used tool in most reasona
BILE opposition to the laws OF the country as occasion
might require, 10 fall victim to that brutal revenge
which seeks qualification only in the sacrifice of life
u toDh contemplate Il
determined to exrcatc myself or die in the attempt
and turned to ask to bring my horse but when
reached the door found that tho chiefs son. spright-
ly boy, had already performed that service While he
was idding him, gathered my papers and wearing ap
pare threw them into meal sack, and pitched them
out OF doors to the Indians who all seemed eager to
sist me my escape. In the presence of armed pop
ulace with three Indian youths whose
Pete Sam, and Shower Shockets. Mr.. Joseph p Waters
of Salt lake City, also accompanied Instead of go
| ing east, enemies expected, we took western
course but when it discovered that intended to
reach the mountains by circuitous route, some half
dozen persons horseback came out from the town of
Puyson to tap course just ahead of We wheeled
short to the right :: but just in our front lay small
stream, deep and mry that stock were not in the
habit of crossing it.
urged my horse and he attempted to clear it at
single bound but failing to reach the opposite bank with
his hind feet, he fell back into water and mud
the top of his hips / aghted upon the bank his
head and by pulling at the reins assisted him in eAtr
eating himself which he did after several desperate srg
giles. MY spufleu uOWn way,
and had better Our pu,suers by this time
within three four hundred yards of us. mounted in
haste and found to my great satisfaction that the
of the noble animal had not been exhausted and
that although had lost my spur in the struggle could
dispense with its service.
At the distance Of about two miles reached the base
Of low mountain ranging north and south We gained
its summit just the setting and debating the
propricty of pursuing further western course but just
at this time despatch brought to us by two boys
from the old chief telling to be to return to the
farm that night Under these circumstances, deter
mined to try feint We descended below the summit
only enough to hide ourselves and then turned north
and continued that for two three miles
til thought pursuers were about gaining the top
of the mountain Then 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
could not discover trail.
When the half-grown moon began to shine upon the
| mountain slope, remounted and bounded over the
prairie toward the spot from which had set out We
reached the farm Mt 8, p M and found about one hun
dred of our red friends awaiting return, who mani
| tested great Joy at arrival. My first inquiry
where the Mormons were, when twenty voices shouted
stCotclcarry Mormon T. Not here, Mormon had
left some forty five head of horses and mules and
about nqurng what had become of them, when dis
covered that of them had been mounted by the In
dams They then related how they had sailed out du-
ring the day. and driven the enemy from the canon by
threats of what they should pursue in and
| my comrades murdered
Taking some bread and meat that found in the cell
lar made escape that night up the Spanish Fork
in the direction of the Uinta country, and before 10
Nnlf ,,I