Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-18


England did The latter regarded the vast
gon known oregon as hers Everything south
OF thar and OF the Rio Grandc was con-
sidcred Mexico Accordingly not only California
but Arizona. New Mexico. Utah Nevada and at
least the southern Iart of Colorado the prize
that a successful war held out. Furthermore. Eng
land understood to be casting envous eyes
upon California. II she acquired II. she might be-
a troublesome. she certainly was a pow
crful neighbor Much easier argued the American
jngoes of the period. to follow up the successes
against Mexico now and wrest from her the inn
periaI provinces of New Mexico and California,
than to allow England to acquire anything more
the Pacific coast than she already had
NO HITCH IN PROGRAM
So Congress voted ten million dollars for war
purposes, and President Polk authorized to
call for fifty thousand volunteers. Then the mill
tary authorities sat down and figured out an ex-
tcnsivc plan of camp aign. General Taylor who had
already done we'll along the Rio Grande was
to continue his operations in that region Gen
Scott was to invade tho enenys country from the
Gulf coast and carry his victorious banners to the
walls Of the city of the Montezumas. General
Kcarney to cut his way through the northern
provinces. while Taylor and Scott had the enemy
otherwise engaged conquer. and take possession of
them. planting the Stars and Stripes the
Pacific coast itself His to be the army of
the west" This the army for which the
Mormon Battalion was recruited Prior to this
Iargement of his powers Kearney colonel COM
mandng the Second United States dragons II
OF his captains who had visited the
Mormon camps in Iowa, as mastering officer, and
who. upon completing the enlistment of four COM
panies necessary to constitute battalion,
thorized to assume command of the force with the
rank and pay of leutenant-colonel. This voun-
teer force was to proceed through cnemys
country to effect junction with the general at
the capital of that enemy's territory From that
capital after such incidental fighting might be
necessary to clear its pathway, the army was to
10 To ha rI1 Of
did not seem to contemplate anything else than
victory all along the line, the time of enlist
ment of the Battalion given as IL months
and its rlace of disbandment California having
reached which region 1t confidently antIcpat-
ed that the war would be and the volunteers
needed
Generally speaking the plan carried out ac-
cordlng TO program. There were inevitably
slight variations but these, 1t Is only courteous
to the enemy to say due to any unfore-
seen activity or achievements OF his so far as the
working out OF the scheme was concerned the
MeXlcans might about well have been left out
of consideration altogether, they did not par
ticuary hinder 1t, and of they were not ex-
pected 10 help 1t. They were hardly important
enough to be deemed supernumeraries In
the presentation of the drama They might be re-
garded more correctly audience which had
the hihgest-priced in the house but didn't
like the piece.
FORWARD TO SANTA FEE.
put the column in motion the 18th of August
On the 18th they crossed the Egw or Ransas
river and continued on In southwestely direction
by stages which. while not long for seasoned men
III moderate weather, were very trying to these
recruits on account of the great heat There was
much sickness and an occasional death Those who
In addition to the chilIs and tever had to take
the surgeons invariabe dose of calomel had all
they could do to pull through-for OF them
inc strugsle was too severe. and they succumbed.
On the md OF September the detachment entered
the Comanche Indian territory. the Indians being
very hostile at the time On the 5th they first saw
buffalo. About the Sth they received word bv
courier OF the surrender of Santa Fe to Gen
hearheg without resistance; also instructions to
proceed direct to that point instead of via Fort
Bent as previously ordered. Still travelling SOUTH
westerly. the command reached and crossed the
Arkansas on the 18th, after many hardships and
the sending of one detachment of nvalIds and
women north to Pueblo along the Arkansas river
inc main body reached Santa Fe in October, the
vanguard on the 9Th. the remainder on the 18th
There Lieut. Col. Cooke ASSUME ed command and
his first order thereafter directed the return TO
Pueblo of another invalid detachment of So men
and nearly all the women-the intention being
to push on without delay the remaining L 100
miles of the journey.
TERRIBLE MARCH
For this tremendous march there were wholly
inadequate transportation facilities and even In
sunicient rations so 1t decided that only
the most vigorous should be permitted to under
take it. The new commander grufT, strict
dlsclpllnarian, but impartial resourceful and Just
He placed the men on part ratlons, looked closely
after the tightening and equalizng of the loads
and gave generally experienced and beneficial
personal supervision to every detail. All the re-
mainder of that month the troops tolled the weary
days through heavy sand. With the advent OF
November came worse weather. worse roads and
a yet further reduction in rations on the 9th 55
more sick men were sent back, via Santa Fe to
Pueblo for the winter, The main body much re-
duced In number and still reduced in Vi
tality. heroically pushed on, leaving stock
now wagons some days without water. all DAYS
without sufficient flour vegetable food Toward
the end of November they reached the base of the
continental divide, the water flowing from the one
side into the Gulf of Mexico, from the other into
the Pacific ocean. On the 2Sth, they reached tie
summit or backbone; and If the ascent had been
hazardous and difficult. the descent looked i'm
possible Col Cooke figured that It would require
six miles into the valley visible below The COM
mand, after three cold days spent on the summit
accomplished the descent in two long ropes being
attached to the wagons which the emaciated men
hed and steadied and at last lowered In aatey
WILD CATTLE cwEN
December 2nd. they came to deserted rancho
where they had hoped to repenish their COM
Here too they came in contact with tho first wild
Mexican cattle. One long horned Prince of the
herd was brought down only after six half-ounce