The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-03-25
A WEEK LATER FROM e rAH.
Correspondence Of the n. Y, Tribune.

Correspondence Of the n. " Tribune
CAMP SeoTr, L. T., Jan. 3l, ls5S--We have at last
received mail from the States. The mali which
left Independence the ist of November reach
ed here on the 10th inst having been eighty.
eight days on the road. This delay is not owing
TO snow or bad weather, as the following account
from gentleman who was passenger will show:
IL seems that the mail started in charge of an
experienced conductor. Upon its arrival at Fort
heatney this conductor requested the principal
contractor. DIR. Miles, who there at the time f,
TO let him have two more men 10 assist him, as he
found that tho two whom he had with him we're
not sufficient to take of and protect the hea-
Wy mail which he had TO take. Miles refused 10
do 40. aud the conductor therefore refused to go
further, and returned to the States. Miles there
upon engaged man named Thompson, Who had
peeh ioahDg for SOME time about the Fort con-
auctor, and gave him tile charge of the mail
When he reached the Platte Bridge on the lst Of
December, Thompson concluded to rest n while,
and therefore laid by there for eleven days. when
on the IL inst, Mr.. Jones, the other contractor,
arrived there iii charge OF the mail which left our
| camp on the lot Of December. lie directed Thomp-
son TO start Immediately with the mail. 1t was
however, three days after he left before Thompson
started.
1 During the stoppage at the bridge the greater
portion of the mail was thrown into the black
smith shop. and the remainder left in the wagons
aud during this time there were several strangers
constantly about the premises. After leaving the
sbifuSs TRAVELLING u IeR u3S In0mpSDU
tended 10 lose the road, aud. after wandering
about the eonntry for several days returned to a
trading post on the main road Here he stopped
some twelve or thirteen days uatil an expressman
came up from Laramie, when he engaged the ex
pressman to show him the road, aud came on -
Since Thompsons arrival here, he has been reeog-
nized, by q gentleman who formerly resided in
| Salt Lake City, rs "A Mormon; aud be is undoubt-
ed'y Que OF those whom Brigham sent to try and
obtain situation iii some Government train to act
as spy There is no doubt but that the mail was
opened at the bridge, as it contains but three let
tors for Brigham Young and the last coutai:isd
| thirty or forty. brigham has in his possession
complete set of brass cck post office keys belong
| ing to the Salt Lake City post office and there
| would be no difficulty therefore in opening and
closing the sacks
The road from here to the States onr express
man report AS being in excellent condition and
free from snow. Mr.. Thompson will be taken
care Of
| The whole camp was thrown into excitement
last night by the report of the escape OF the Nor
mon prisoner, Stowell, together with a corporal
who in confinement on account OF some nj de-
( nieanor. They Wore III charge of the guard OF
the 10th In fantry. just after dark they obtained
permission to 60 out of the tent ON some excuse
other, in charge of sentinei they had no soon
or reached the bushes waicn line the creek
near the gnaTdtent than they started and ran
aud,athough heavily ironed with chains exfeudiaw
FROM enc foot to the other they succeeded in the
/ dark In conceaiiag themselves in the bushe,
and making good their escape The sentinel who
was sent to watch them fired at them when they
/ started to ruu but without effect
| Several Companies were immediately ordered
ont in pursuit, aud the bushes were thorun ybly
| searched, without success. During the night se.
yeral bodies of men were sent out, with ten DAYS
provisions, in different directions in order to re.
take them, If possible, in whatever route they
| fnig ght take. Up to this time however no trace
has been found Of them. 1t is reported that How
| ard, Mormon, who arrested on the Sweet
water, and confined on charge of treason, but
against whom the Grand Jury found no indict.
ment, and who consequently released a week
ago aud ordered to leave caInp, seen in camp
| yesterday morning and afternoon, and it is more
| tllau likely that h3 was connected with the es
| cape OF the prisoners, and furnished them horses
| stowell is an Adataut in the Mormon ARMY
| and was taken prisoner on Hams Fork, together
with Col. Taylor. stuweii had on his person, at
the time OF his capture, several dispatches OF a
most reasonable nature, from brigham Young aud
| others, to the Mormon forces Green River
| Taylor made his escape on very stormy night a
| few weeks after bis capture.
| The sentine! who had the prisoners in charge
was Immediately arrested, and is now in confne-
ment.
1t is strongly suspected that there are many
traitors in camp, and that this whole affair was
| preconcerted.
| The short spell of mild weather which we had
| at the beginning Of this month seemed to rouse
| the Mormon scouting parties to unusual bolduess
and activity. On the 9th inst, party of twenty.
| live MOrmons rode so to the picket Of the
| volunteer camp that the guard fired upon them
they, however, kept out of rife shot, but rode
about for short time, making insulting gestures
! The same morning, smaller Mormon party drove
| in some unarmed soldiers wis were engaged in
| chopping hrewCod in the creek bottom, a few
miles above camp. On the night of the 9th inst.
| the volunteer pcket-guard discovered and fired
upon a small party of Mormons, who were at
tempting to crawl upon them through the snow.
| Their trail was followed up the next day for sew
| erai miles. There were stains of blood the great.
| er part of the distance, also spots where the
| snow was beaten down in such a manner as to jus
| tlty the supposition that of The party had
| bten very severely wounded