Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-18

INTERESTING LETTER FROM UTAH.
The following letter, dated Camp Scott, Utah,
March Ist, contains some interesting information
about the army in Utah The writer says that on the
day Of writing the thermometer marked 56o above
zero, and the air was as balmy Is if under tropical
sun. Grass is growing on the sunny side Of the
mountain elevations and in the valleys the snow has
disappeared The fine weather commenced on the
18th Of February. The writer says:
Divers rumOrs are afoat in camp concerning the
attitude Of the Mormons in Salt Lake. But We have
no reliable information from that quarter. One Of
these rumors says that the Mormons are all leaving
the city andseekingrefuge in the mountains Another
states that they are sending only their women and
children to the mountains and outside villages for
security, while the fighting population are to remain
and prepare TO give as hot and inhosptable recep
zion in the spring. These are brought in BY
Indians, who may be interested in behalf of the
Mormons, to circulate them.
The beefstored sWayfor our supplies until spring,
has commenced TO thaW. Fears are entertained that
much Of it viii spoil if this warm spell continues
But efforts being made to preserve it By surround
ing it with ioe If this project fails we have about
six hundred head Of cattle on the hoOf that can be
slaughtered at pleasure 70 supply the demand. Six
hundred more can be had from Platte Bridge early
in the spriug.
No tidings have reached us from Capt Marcy,
whose return from Taos, New Mexico, is expected
/ in April or sooner. Neither have we heard from
/ the Rangers" under Ficklin, who left more than
two months ago TO 20 to the "Flat Head" nation
for Indian ponies His return is also expected soon.
The expedition alluded to in my last article, as
having gone to reinforce Capt. Marcy, have been
fortunate as TO reclaim forty four battery hOrses
which we're supposed to have been stolen from the
army last fall These horses we're brought into camp
/ three days ago by some Utah Indians On being
questioned where the horses were found, these
| Indians would only reply, away off yonder; away
of-msny heap Of sleeps from here" It is supposed
they were reclaimed somewhere in Uinta Valley
| They are in fine condition.
The disposition of the troops is about the same as
when TWrOte last except that Major Sbey has moved
his company ten miles below US, and encamped on
Blacks Fork. 1t. Hight has moved his company of
/ dragons from Smiths Fork, and Joined Major Sib-
ley. 1t became necessary TO station these two com
panies Of dragons there for the purpose Ofproteo
ing the animals that are to be herded there.
Two days agointelligenee came to US that the body
/ Of man was found hanging TO tree near Smiths
Fork Some dragons found the body thus suspended
cut it down and buried it. A jury was ordered to
hold an inquest on the body, for the purpose Of
asoertsining the particulars Of his death and ideR
flying the man. Squire Burr. (son of the Surveyor
General Of this Territory, Marshal DOtsOn, of the
United States Army, were dispatched to Smiths
Fork with the order to exhume the body and proceed
with the Coroners inquest They returned yesterday
and reported their inability to find the grave. Lieut.
| Hight had moved his camp, and the soldiers who
buried the body not on hand to point out the
grave. 1 understand the party will be sent back
again. and that the soldier who found the body will
accompany them.
1t is not known positively who the man was that
was hung. Those who found him report that he had
red Whiskers and mark, as if from a cut on his
, right cheek His skull was knocked in behind
| This shows that he did not hang himself The body
had the appearance of having been hanging some
months. His eyes were eaten out by the crows, and
his face was so picked and msngled that nothing
more was observed which could aid in identifying
the individual There are, however, strong reasons
for believing the body TO be that Of DR.. George W.
/ Hickman, who vas released from Col Alexanders
imp last fall. Dr. Hickman had red gOatss on his
chin, and Whitish mustsChe. He also had q scar
on his right cheek.
A few days after DR.. Hickman left our camp, it
was whispered among the mountain men here, hat
she had not been able TO make the connection, meaning
that he had been cut off before he could join the
MormOns, then st Fort Bridger DR.. Hickman, as
well as his brother, the notorious "Bill" Hickman,
had had much TO do in the Outrages committed
against the resident mountain His clique
headed by " Bill Hickman, had driven them from
their homes had stolen their horses aud cattle, and
remorselessly appropriated to their own use much
Of their property. 1t was stated fact that the
mule DR.. Hickman rode out from our camp, when he
was released, was stolen by {" Bill" H. from one Of
our guides now present in eur camp.
1t is thus rendered highly probable that the dead
body is that Of DR.. H. who murdered to crafty
the malice, which all the moUntaineers bear, not
only to the MOrmOns generally, but particularly to
" Bill Hickman, the Doctor, and their clan.
1t was not known until last week that anything
more could be done with the agents Of Messrs Rus
sell Waddle, contractors of freight for the army
here or that another disclosure of the dOngs Of this
oo111d hn 1a hinh
here.
Last week, on examining the wagons that Mr..
Rupp, their agent, packed at Fort Bridger, there
were found in an interior wagon one thousand lbs.
Of powder, and other merchandise directed to Ed
ridge, the agent for the Mormon Church with "FOr
Y. Y" underneath. "X Y" means the Church Of
Mormon! This powder and this merchandise Rus
sell & Wadde, through their agent, Mr.. RuPp, car
ted all the way the plains for the enemies OF
the Government, which employed Russell & Waddle
TO freight provisions for the army 1t has sent here
to put down the Mormon rebellion, Let US hope
the gentlemen Of thefrm knew nothing Of this-that
it was the act Of their agent, Mr.. Rupp
We are awaiting anxiously the February mail
from the States Unless the President sends posi-
tive instructions to Col johnson to remain here IN
til reinforcements reach US. this a" little" army,
it is styled, by our sympathising friends in the
States will be in Salt Lake City by the middle OF
June. Il will move from here 10 April, and if a
battle is to be fought it will be decided soon. an
assured Of thing, namely, that 1t is not the in
tention Of Col. johnson to retrace q step which
this army has taken or is to take.