The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-07
INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE ESCAPE OF
---.---. DIR. HURT.

INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE ESCAPE OF
We announced on the 18th December last the safe
rival in the camp Of Col johnson of DR. Garland Hurt,
Indian agent the only United States officer who remain
ed in Utah Territory the time the other officers with
drew last spring The suboined narrative of his
from the Mormona will be read with interest:
10 GIL albert s. osoa Copn,andsr -in-chs Of the army for
rs Jhh
SIN: Having recently fled from the Indian settlement
Spanish Fork, in the Territory Of Utah, somewhat
precpitatcly and reached your command October %
after wandering for twenty days through mountains
and DESERTS in company with Utah Indians venture
trouble you with brief statement of the circumstances
which induced to abandon the agency and ntrus
life to the and protection of the savages.
For some time previous to my departure it had been
the settled opinion OF the people OF Utah that the troops
could not get further than Green river this Con
sequcntIy concluded that the territorial officials would
not venture to the mountains before spring and
under the embarrassed condition in which the retention
of the mails and the very unsettled state of
relations with Utah, bad placed me, deemed it import
ant TO seek interview with them before the winter set
III and as had been previously advised that no person
would be allowed to leave the Territory the
mountains without the humilating ceremony of applying
to Brigham Young for passport, the alternative of
ganizing Indian escort suggested itself to my mind
the first conception of which grew out of the deep
which these untutored creatures had for time mani
tested for my safety.
And the inclined to avail myself of this sug
geston from the fact that several chiefs of the Uinta
country then visit at the farm soliciting to
accompany them to that valley for the purpose of inspect
ing the adaptation of its climate and soil to the cuvn
ton Of grain they had become much pleased with the
Of policy pursuing toward the Indians in
Utah county. On the morning of September "a, while
yet discussing the propriety Of this resolution
half dozen Of the natives rushed into my Office excaim
ing Friend, friend the Mormons will kill you =! and
pointed to the window the eastern side of the house
On looking out, to my surprise from 70 to 100
armed Dragons stationed in the road about mile from
the house and did manifest quite so much con
the Indians thought the occasion justified they
caught hold OF and gave to understand that they
would not let me stay any longer
commenced arranging my official papers so az to be
able to them instantly il necessary did not
understand what IL all meant In few seconds another
Indian in to inform that the Spanish Fork Canon
full of Mormons armed with guns and pistols, who
said that they going to kill and he had scarce
y time to tell his when another in great haste
and said thata Morlnonsq at Sprngvc had told him
TO and tell that the Mornons intended TO kill me-
lie also reported large body Of armed the road
between Springve and the Indian farm. II also
ported by another Indian that the Mormons Mt Payson
the town 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
rpreter into the apartment in evident state Of
excitement, and exclaimed, a. Doctor you gone in
asked what it all meant. He said it understood NIL
over the country that about leaving with the In
mans and handed me note from Mr. Butler the Bishop
VI the Spanish Fork settlement. stating that he had
earned from various that intended going out
wth the Indians in violation OF the martial law in
,rce' lie felt II his duty to inform that could not
ave that they had resolved to enforce the law at all
lazarus regret having mislad this letter, but tho
"O0'e Its purport which revealed TO the meaning