The Washington union., 1858-02-27
INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE ESCAPE OF
flR HURT

II INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE ESCAPE OF
n BIZ HURT
i 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 at the time the other officers with
drew last spring Te suboined narrative of his escape
4 from the Mormons viii be read with interest
70 Oh Aibat Johnston, Csrsosd,r-tohSf @ 6s army for
Il Jtah
! SIN Having recently fed from the Indian settlement
ON Spanish Fork in the Territory of Utah, somewhat
prccpihstely and seathed your command October 23
after Wandering for twentyseyen days through mountains
and deserts in company with Utah Indians, venture to
trouble you with brief statement of the circumstances
which induced me abeon the agency and intrust my
/ life to the caf5 and protection of the sayages
For time previous TO my departure, it had been
the settled opinion of the people of Utah that the
could not get further than Green river this season Con
selucnty concluded that the territorial officials would
not venture 10 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
ant to seek interview with them before the winter set
in and as had been previously advised that person
would be allowed leave the Territory cross the
mountains without the humiliang ceremony of applying
to Brigham Young for passport the alternative OF or
gauizng an Indian escort suggested itself to my mind
the first conception Of which grew out of the deep
which hese 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 Unta
country then visit at the farm soliciting to
accompany them to that valley for the purpose of inspect
ing the adaptation of ts climate and soil to the cuva-
ton OF grain, they he'd become much pleased with the
course Of policy pursuing toward the Indians in
Utah county On the morning of September III while
yet discussing the proprety of this resolution,
half dozen of the natives rushed into my office exclaim
ing, Friend, hiend, the Momons will kill you !! and
pointed 10 the window the eastern side of the house
On looking out, to my surprise from 20 to 100
armed Dragons stationed in the road about nils from
the house and did not manifest quite much
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 to be
able them instantly if necessary, for did not
understand what it all meant In few seconds another
Indian In to inform that the Spanish Fork Canon
was full of Mormons, armed with guns and pistols, who
said that they going TO kill and he had scarce
time 10 tell his story when another in great haste
and said thata Mormon suaw at Springville had told him
run and tell that the Mornons intended kill me
Fl He also reported large body Of armed the road
between Sprirgv.ie and the Indian farm 1t also
ported by another Indian that the Mormons at Payson
the on the south, all in arms although it
the Sabbath.
h The Indians would not quiz my room, but began to
gather M my bedding and wearing apparel when my in
tcpreter into the apartment in evident state Of
excitement and exclaimed " Ecctor, you're gone in -
asked what it all meant He said it understood NJ,
over the country that about leaving with the In
dans, and handed me note from Mr. Butler the Bishop
learned from various that intended going out
with the Indians in violation Of the martial law in
force He felt it his duty TO pform thai could not
leave that they had Resolved enforce the law at all
hazards regret having mislad this letter. but the
above is its puport, which revealed TO the meaning
of SO mnch military array. To think that officer OF
the government should be thus menaced while in the
peaceful discharge OF his official duties could not fail to
excite in the bosom OF possessed of spark
patriotism feelings of the most indignant sci, 10 be
detained by force and std DIS tool in most treasona-
bile opposition to the laws of the country occasion
might require to fall victim TO that brutal revenge
which seeks qualification only the sacrifice Of life
too humiliatng to contemplate for moment
determined to cStrieae myself or die in the attempt
and turned TO ask to bring my hofse but when
reached tive door 'o,hd that ile chief son, sprght
ly boy had already performed that service While he
was saddng 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 in my escape In the presence Of armed pop
ulace set out with three Indian youths whose
Pete Sam, and Shower Shookcts Mr.. Joseph p Waters,
of Salt Lake City, also accompanied Instead Of go
ing enst, enemies expected took western
course but when it discovered that intended to
reach The mountains by ci,rntous ruutp; hall
dozen persons horseback out Rom the town of
Payson To tap just ahead of We wheeled
short to the right but just in front lay small
stream, deep and miry that stock not in the
habit of crossing it,
j urged my horse, and he attempted to clear it at a
single bound but falling TO reach the opposite bank with
his hind feet he fell back into water and mud over
the top of his hips alighted upon the bank his
head, and by pulling at the rcns aasisted him In exr
eating himself which he did after several desperate strug
giles My comrades spurred down the stream little way
and had better Success Our prrsucrs by this time
within three four bundled yards OF | mounted in
haste, and soon found to my great satisfaction that the
stamina 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
psopriety OF pursuing further western course but Just
at this time despatch brought to by two BOYS
from the old chief telling TO he to return to the
firm that night Under these circumstances, we deter
mined to try fcint. We descended below the summit
only far enough to hide ourselves and then turned north
and continued that for two three miles,
til thought pursuers about gaining the top
of the mountain Then turned again upon the
slope and dropped into little hollow where waited
| for daylight to disappear. This completely foIed
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 we had set out We
reached the farm at 8, p. and found about one hun
drcd of Gun red friends awaiting return, who mani
tested great Joy at arrival My first inquiry was
where the llormons were, when twenty voices shouted
| "Cotch-carry Mormon u (Not here, Mormon y / had
left forty five head of horses and mules and was
about nquriDg what had become Of them, when dis
covered that most 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 by
threats of what they should pursue in and
L H.. 49,.