The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-29

command. Brother Wells was his aide,
and on his white charger was prominent
target for the enemy's bullets. His house
also was fired on repeatedly. He escaped
unframed, and during the three days siege
was tower of strength to the men who
were fighting for home and family.
| When the city was evacuated he was one
of the last to leave, and being fired upon by
the enemy's cannon after crossing the river
into Iowa, he sent one of the balls with his
compliments to the governor of that state
as specimen of Illinois respect for its
obligations. One of the terms of the treaty
between the Saints aid the mob was that
the former should cross into Iowa unmo-
Tested and have their arms returned to
| them.
Brother Wells rode day and night in a
one-horse buggy to reach the main body of
| the eYiled "Mormons,n that teams might
be Immediately sent back for the remnant
that had been expelled from Nauvoo. After
| settling up his affairs in Illinois, he started
fof the west and came to Utah in 1S4S, act
ing as aidede camp to President Brigham
Young on the second journey of the
pioneers.
When Salt Lake city was laid out Brother
Wells drew lot in the Eighth ward. But
President Young desiring his near pres
ence he moved to the east side of Eagle
gate, and subsequently TO the land east of
| the DeSeret N6lCs office, where he occupied
| the small adobe houses still standing there,
and where most of his children were born,
and in one of which Sister Emmeline b.
Wells now publishes the WOmGn'S Exponent.
| Brother Wells took an active part in the
organization of the provisional state of
Deseret, and was elected to the first legis-
latlve council and appointed as state at
torney, and was also elected major general
of the Nauvoo legion, the state militia, by
the general assembly May 20, 1919. On
the 9th of March, 1855, he received the
rank of lieutenant general of the legion,
and was commissioned to that Office by
Governor Brigham Young March Z 1856.
On the passage of the territorial militia
law providing for the election of general
officers he was reelected iieutenant-gen-
eral April 6, 1857. In the Indian troubles
that arose in Utah county and afterwards
in Sanpete county, General Wells took the
field in person, routing the savages at
Provo, Battle Creek and Payson, and
saving the Sanpete and Sewer settlements
from the disasters that subsequently
threatened them.
These Indian campaigns were conducted
with great military skill and success, and
cost a great deal of money; men, NUM-
tons and provisions having to be largely
furnished from Salt Lake City ana the
north. a claim for over a million dollars
against the United States remains to this
detailed form, in the same manner as the
Oregon claim which was settled long ago.
General Wells was in command of the
Echo Canon expedition and conducted il
with signal skill, under the direction OF
Governor Brigham Young, without shed
ding lone drop of blood.'' His fearless
character, cool head and executive talent
were here exhibited IN manner that won
for him unfading renoWn among the Nor
monn people.
Hon. d. H. Wells was member of the leg
islative council in the territorial assembly
for many terms, and of all the conventions
that framed constitutions for Utah's state
hood, except the last. His clear percep-
ton of legal points and strong regard for
constitutional principles rendered him q
valuable advisor and an able legislator
On the 4th of January, 1o51, Brother
Wells was appointed second counselor to
President Brigham Young, filing the va
cancy occasioned by the death of President
Jedediah M. Grant. Brother Wells had
been ordained an apostle and with Presi
dents Brigham Young and Heber G. Kim
ball he visited the Saints throughout the
territory, aided in locating and organizing
settlements and gave counsel in relation tt
the affairs of the church. He was also the
superintendent of public works, occupying
that position until 1864. In the absence OF
Brigham Young he was frequently left ir
charge of affairs aud was looked to for ad
vice in important matters.
On the 18th of October, 1871, President
Wells was arrested on atrumped- charge
of accessory to the mur0er of Richard
Yates at the mouth of Echo canon in 1851
The notorious Bill Hickman confessed tt
having done the deed, but was induced u
implicate General Wells, alleging that the
occurrence took place while he was II
charge Of the Echo canon expedition He
was sent to Fort Douglas for safe keeping
where he received the most courteou:
treatment from General Morrow, who re
garded the whole proceeding as an out
rage. However, on Monday, the 3lst, beine
brought before Judge Mexican, application
was made that he be admitted to bail His
attorneys advised him that such an appli
cation would be in vain, but his confidence
was complete that he would be successful
and he insisted that the attempt should bt
made. In spite of the claim of the prose
cution that this was a charge of murder il
the first degree, Judge Mexican took int
consideration all the clrcums tances, includ
ing the fact that the defendant was mayol
of the city, and to the surprise of the en-.
tire community, he accepted bail in the sun
of $50 000-the prosecution demanding hal
million-and the prisoner was released
The whole charge, of course, fell to th
ground, as there was not the slightes
foundation for it in fact
In the summer of 1876 he was placed il
charge of a company to visit and encourag,
, the newly started settlements in Arizona
While crossing the Colorado river at Lee
/ ferry the boat containing his travelling
wagon and outfit and a number of th
party, was capsized and thrown into TIL
rushing and turbulent stream. He wa
) only an Indifferent swimmer, but thougl
| weighed down with his boots and clothln
l he calmly struck out for the shore, reach
: ing it without wetting his neckt;e. He al
, ways regarded his escape as miraculous
t feeling as though unseen hands were SUP
/ porting him. Bishop Roundy. who was re
garded as an expert swimmer, wa
2 drowned, and the whole outfit was swep
away and lost,
/ His position as one of the first presi
5 deucy, he occupied until the decease Q
g President Young, August %, 1877. The
4 the twelve apostles succeeding to the pres
: dency, Brother Wells was appointed
: counselor to the quorum, and held the plac
5 until his death In 1854 he went on mis-
4 sion to England, and presided over all III
d branches in Europe, visiting various coun
= gries, ministering to the people and super
i intending the emigration. He returned t
e Utah in the fall of 1865, and in 1868 too
y charge of the endowment house, where h
e ministered in the sacred ordinances for tn
j, living and the dead for many years. l