Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-01-07
NEWS FROM THE ARMY In UTAH
Escape of the Indian Agent, DIR.
Hurt From the MOrmOns.

1t has been feared that DR.. Hurt, the last
gentle official in Utah, had been killed by
the Mormons in attempting to escape, but
he reached the camp of Col. Johnson's
command of the United States troops ii
safety. DR.. Hurt was stationed at the In
dian settlement al Spanish Fork in Utah
which place be left Oct. 23d, and for TWEEN
ty-seven days was wandering through the
mountains in company with number ol
friendly Utah Indians. DR.. H., wishing tc
escape from Utah, devised the plan of or
ganizing an Indian escort. We extract
from his narrative made in writing to Col
Johnston. He says:
On the morning of September 27th,
while l was yet discussing the propriety Of
this resolution, some half dozen of the ma
tives rushed into my office, exclaiming,
"Friend, friend, the Mormons will kill
yoI!'' and pointed to the window on the
eastern side of the house. On looking out,
to my surprise, 1 saw from 20 to 100
armed dragons, stationed in the road
about mile from the house; and as did
not manifest quite so much concern as the
Indians thought the occasion justified, they
caught hold of me and gave me to under
stand that they would not let me stay any
longer.
/ commenced arranging my official pa
pers so as to be able to remove them in
stantly, if necessary, for l did not under
stand what it all meant. In few seconds
another Indian ran in to inform me that
the Spanish Fork Cannon was full of Nor
mons, armed with guns and pistols, who
said that they were going to kill me; and
he had scarcely time to tell his story when
another came in great haste and said that
a Mormon squaw at Springville had told
him to run and tell me that The Mormons
intended to kill me. He also reported a
large body of armed men on the road be-
tween Springville and the Indian farm
1t was also reported by another Indian
that the Mormons at Payson, the town on
the South, were all in arms, although it
was the Sabbath.
The Indians would not quit my room,
but began to gather up my bedding ap-
parel, when my interpreter came into the
apartment in an evident state of excitement,
and exclaimed, "Doctor, you're gone in !"
asked what it all meant. He said it was
understood all over the country that was
about leaving with the Indians, and hand
ed me note from Mr.. Butler, the Bishop
of the Spanish Fork settlement, stating
that he had learned from various sour
ces that l intended going out with the In
dians in violation of tho martial law now in
force. He felt it his duty to inform me
that l could not leave, they had resolved to
euforce the law at all hazards.
/ determined to extricate myself or die
in the attempt, and turned to ask some
one to bring my horse, but when reached
the door l found that the Chiefs son, a
sprightly boy, had already performed that
service. While he was engaged in saddling
him gathered my papers and wearing
apparel, threw them into some meal sacks
and pitched them out of doors to the In
dians, who all seemed eager to assist me in
my escape. In the presence of an armed
populace | set out with three Indian youths,
whose names are Pete, Sam and Shower
Sockets. Mr.. Joseph P. Waters of Salt
Lake City also accompanied me. Instead
of going east as our enemies expected, we
took a western course, but, when it was
discovered that we intended to reach the
mountains by a circuitious route, some half
dozen persons on horseback came out from
the Town of Payson, to tap our course just
ahead of us. We wheeled short to the
right; but just in our front lay small
stream, SO deep and miry that stock were
not in the habit of crossing it. l urged
my horse, and he attempted to clear it at
a single bound, but failing to reach the op-
posite bank with his hind feet, he fell back
into the water and mud over the top of his
hips. 1 alighted upon the bank over his
head, and by pulling at the reins assisted
him in exricating bimself. which he did af-
ter several desperate struggles. My COM
rades spurred down the stream little way,
and had better success. Our pursuers
were by this time within three or four hun
dred yards of us. I re-mounted in haste,
and soon found to my great satisfaction
that the stamina of the noble animal had
not been exhausted, and that although l
had lost my spur in the struggle, l could
dispense with its service.
At the distance Of about two miles we
reached the base of low mountain rang
ing North and South. We gained its
summit just as the sun was setting, and de-
hating the proprieiy of pursuing further a
western course; but just at this time dis
patch was brought to us by two boys from
the old chief, telling us to be sure to re-
turn to the farm that night. Under these
circumstances we determined to try feint.
We descended below the summit, only far
enough to hide ourselves; and then turned
North and continued on that course for
two or three miles, until we thought our
pursuers were about gaining the top of the
mountain. Then we turned again upon
the eastern slope, and dropped into little
hollow, where we waited for daylight to
disappear. This completely foiled our en-
emies, for the ground was SO hard and
stony that they could not discover our
trail.
When the halfgrown moon began to
shine upon the mountain slope, we re-
mounted and bounded over the prairie to-
ward the spote whence we had set out
We reached the farm at P. NJ, and found
about one hundred of our red friends await
ing our return, who manifested great Joy
at our arrival. My first inquiry was where
the Mormons were, when twenty voices
shouted, "Cotch-carry, Mormon!" (Not