History of Utah, Part 47

Author: Whitney, Orson Ferguson
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Cannon
Number of Pages: 1026

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Saw-mills, grist-mills, and other buildings temporarily aban-

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doned by the settlers were burned by the dusky marauders at different points, and quite a number of small settlements during the summer were entirely broken up, the inhabitants gathering into the larger towns and forts for protection. At Allred's settlement, in Sanpete, where the people had been somewhat slow in following the advice of President Young in relation to building a fort and corralling their stock, the Indians, in one raid, ran off two hundred head of cattle. Said the President, of this event, which excited his anger, not only against the Indians, but against the tardy settlers: "After the cattle were stolen a messenger arrived here in about thirty hours to report the affair and obtain advice. I told Brother Wells, you can write to them and say : Inasmuch as you have no oxen and cows to trouble you, you can go to harvesting and take care of yourselves."

On the 26th of October occurred the Gunnison massacre on the Sevier. The facts of this lamentable tragedy are as follows:

It seems that Captain Stansbury, with whom Lieutenant Gunnison visited Salt Lake Valley in 1849, after completing his survey of the lake and its vicinity, decided to explore, on his return east in the summer of 1850, a route for a transcontinental railway. He had probably drawn some of the inspiration of his idea from Governor Young, who, as before related, had marked out the future path of the iron horse across the continent while coming west in the spring of 1847. Stansbury, on completing his exploration, recom- mended the following route: From a point near Independence, Missouri, by way of Republican River and the south fork of the Platte to Laramie Plains, thence facross North Platte and through South Pass to Fort Bridger and Kamas Prairie. There the road might fork, one branch passing through Parley's Park and Canyon to Salt Lake City, and the other running down the Tim- panogas Valley. This had nothing to do with the Gunnison mnassa- cre, except that Lieutenant or Captain Gunnison-for meanwhile he had become a captain-returned to Utah in 1853 for a similar pur- pose to that effected by Stansbury three years before. Gunnison was engaged in surveying a great railway route across this Territory,

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when he and a portion of his party were massacred by Indians on the Sevier River.

Captain Gunnison came to Utah in charge of the "Central Pacific Railroad Surveying Expedition," which, however, had no connection with the Central Pacific Railway afterwards projected and pushed through to this Territory from California. The route surveyed by Gunnison was from the east and considerably to the south of the one marked out by Captain Stansbury .* After leaving the Huerfano River and threading the Pass of Coochetopa, it crossed the Green and Grand River valleys to the Wasatch Pass, west of which it turned northward to Lake Utah and beyond. But poor Gunnison, after passing the Wasatch and turning north and west, following down the Sevier, had proceeded no farther than the lake into which that river empties, when his terrible fate overtook him.

Besides Captain Gunnison, the principal members of the expedi- tion were Lieutenant E. Beckwith of the U. S. Topographical Engi- neers; R. H. Kern, topographer; J. A. Snyder, his assistant ; F. Creutzfeldt, botanist ; S. Homans, astronomer; Dr. James Schiel, sur- geon and geologist, and Captain R. M. Morris, who with a small com- pany of mounted riflemen acted as escort and guard to the expedition. There were also a number of employes. William Potter, a Mormon and a resident of Manti, was Gunnison's guide.

Lieutenant Beckwith's account of the disaster that befell a portion of the party was substantially as follows . On the 24th of October, Captain Gunnison and his par+ encampety on the east bank of Sevier River, about fifteen mile above the point where it empties into the lake. Next morning, taking a number of his men, the Captain crossed to the west bank of the stream and followed down toward the lake, for the purpose of making a reconnoisance of that sheet of water. At the same time he requested Lieutenant Beckwith, Captain Morris and the main portion of the expedition to explore the

* Gunnison, however, in "The Mormons," indicates the same railway route described by Stansbury.

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country up the river towards Sevier Canyon. Two days later they were to meet at some point near the canyon. The parties separated, and on the 25th each traveled about fourteen miles, breaking their way through sand and sage-brush. Thus they were about twenty- eight miles apart that evening. The day had been cold and stormy, and some snow fell, but the night was clear though still cold. Gunnison camped in a bend of the river, under one of the banks, where they were protected from the chilly winds by an enclosure of willows almost surrounding them at nearly thirty yards distance-"a sheltered nook from the storm, with inviting grass for their horses." The spot was just at the head of Sevier Lake, where on the morrow the reconnoisance was to begin. That morrow came; but, alas ! it witnessed work far different to what was contemplated.

The Indian war was still in progress, though the Utes were beginning to tire of the strife, in which they had received more than a Roland for an Oliver, and Walker, though ashamed to confess it, having for the time being drunk his fill from the bloody beaker of hatred and revenge, was becoming anxious for peace. But the demon he had conjured up could not all at once be controlled. As stated, other tribes besides the Utes were now on the war path, and even if Walker could hold his own bands in check, the others were beyond his influence and authority.

The Pauvantes, in the Sevier River region, had a grievance ; a greater one than that which had precipitated the Walker war. Anson Call, who then presided at Fillmore, stated that in the summer or fall of 1853 a company of emigrants from Missouri, on their way to California, stopped at that settlement. The whole Territory at the time was in a state of alarm over the prevailing Indian troubles, and these emigrants seemed anxious to take a hand in the strife. They threatened to kill the first Indian who came into their camp. Mr. Call remonstrated with them, arguing that some of the Indians were friendly, and that it would not only be bad policy to make enemies of them, but downright criminal to slay them except in self-defense. The Missourians, however, seemed to consider it of no more conse-

Anson Call

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quence than the slaughtering of buffalo on the plains, or as their fellow-citizens of an earlier period had regarded the massacre of the Mormons at Haun's Mill. They still adhered to their determination, and after leaving Fillmore put it into deadly effect. Some of the friendly Pauvantes came into their camp, when they were at once assaulted, two of them killed and three others wounded. The Pauvantes were enraged, and no reparation being made for this murder of their kindred, Indian-like they sought revenge. By that time the emigrants were beyond their reach ; they therefore, according to custom, attacked the next party of white men who came their way. That party was the ill-fated Gunnison and his comrades, who camped in the afternoon of October 25th, at the head of Sevier Lake, thirty-five miles from Fillmore, in the midst of the Pauvant Indian country. Anson Call stated that he met Captain Gunnison shortly before his death, and told him of the killing of the Indians by the emigrants, whereupon the Captain expressed deep regret and remarked : "The Indians are sure to take their revenge."

The following account of the murder of the Pauvantes is from a book entitled "Incidents of Travel and Adventure in the Far West," by S. N. Carvalho, an artist who accompanied Colonel Fremont on his last expedition across the Rocky Mountains, in 1853-4. Mr. Carvalho spent three months in Utah and then went on to California. Says he: "Today I met Mr. Hildreth, one of the brothers who commanded a large emigrant party, and whose unprovoked and fatal attack upon the Parvain Indians, near Fillmore, caused that tribe to murder Captain Gunnison and officers, a description of which I have already given. Mr. Hildreth says that his brother, (the commander,) and himself had left camp to hunt, and when they returned they were informed of the unfortunate and premature attack of some of his people upon the Indians. It seems that a small number of Parvain Indians came into camp armed with bows and arrows, begging food and clothing at sun-down. They were ordered out of camp; they refused. They were told if they gave up their bows and arrows they might remain, and one of the

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men used force to obtain the bow from an Indian. In the scuffle the American was wounded, whereupon without any further provocation, a number of rifles were discharged at the Indians, killing several, among whom was an old chief. Captain Hildreth at once raised camp and proceeded on his journey for fear of the consequences. This fatal event would not have occurred if Captain Hildreth had been in camp, and he lamented the occurrence."

Gunnison's party, after separating from Lieutenant Beckwith and the main body, included, besides himself, Messrs. Kern, Creutzfeldt and Potter, already mentioned ; James Bellows, an employe, and a corporal with six men of Captain Morris' command. The night preceding the massacre wore away in peace, the usual vigilance of guards being maintained, and long before sunrise the camp was astir preparing for the labors of the day. The sun had not yet risen, and most of the men were at breakfast, when suddenly a volley of rifle shots, mingled with arrows, was poured in among them, while simultaneously rang out the terrible war .- whoop of a numerous band of savages, who had crept unseen, unheard, upon the fated camp, and from the willowy ambush devoted it to destruction. At the first fire but one man fell mortally wounded, and a call to arms was immediately sounded. . The little band fought gallantly, returning the fire of the invisible foe, killing, it is said, one Indian and wounding another. But to maintain a successful stand under the circumstances was impossible. Volley after volley came from the willows, and soon, of the twelve members of the party eight had fallen, some in the open space of the encampment, and others beyond, shot while attempting to escape.

Among the first to fall was Captain Gunnison, who, after the opening fire, rushed from his tent, and raising his hands called out to the Indians that he was their friend. In vain. The firing continued, and he fell pierced with arrows and rifle balls. William Potter, the guide, was slain also, as were Messrs. Kern and Creutz- feldt, and privates Liptrott, Caulfield and Merhteens. Only four escaped. Reaching the horses, most of which had stampeded at

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the first fire, these four mounted and rode away, leaving the camp, the surveying instruments and the dead bodies of their companions in the hands of the foe. Not far from camp one of the horses fell, throwing its rider under some bushes, where he lay concealed for several hours, the Indians passing within a few feet of him. At noon, all being still, he ventured forth and made his way up the river to rejoin his comrades.

Among the four who escaped was the Corporal. Riding with all speed, and at first hotly pursued by the Indians, he reached the spot where the whole party on the 25th had divided. There his horse gave out, but being no longer pursued he continued afoot, running most of the fourteen miles still intervening between him and Lieutenant Beckwith's camp. He arrived there at half-past 11 a. m., exhausted and barely able to communicate the frightful news of the massacre. Half an hour later Captain Morris, Lieutenant Baker, Dr. Schiel, and a brother to the murdered Potter started with the riflemen for the fatal spot. Lieutenant Beckwith and a few teamsters remained to bring up the train. Late in the afternoon Captain Morris' party, having picked up the remaining survivors, arrived at the scene of the massacre. All was silent. A number of the bodies of the slain were found, but not all. Some of the surveyors' instruments and notes were also missing, as well as the arms and ammunition of the slaughtered party. Two Indians were seen in the distance and pursued by Lieutenant Baker and Mr. Potter, but nightfall being near they escaped in the darkness. Next morning the search for the bodies was renewed, and with eventual success. Captain Gunnison's body was minus one arm, cut off at the elbow, and both of Mr. Creutzfeldt's arms were missing. The wolves as well as the Indians had been at the corpses, which in consequence were horribly mutilated.

President Call, of Fillmore, at the request of Lieutenant Beck- with, furnished men to convey the tidings of the tragedy to Governor Young and the authorities at Salt Lake City. Apostles Erastus Snow and Franklin D. Richards, who were passing Fillmore at the time,

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going south, also lent their aid in behalf of the ill-starred expedition. The express sent by President Call reached Salt Lake City on the 31st of October.

The fate of Captain Gunnison, who, like Captain Stansbury, was greatly esteemed by the Mormon people, was a shock to the whole community. He had endeared himself to the Saints, not only by his urbane and gentlemanly deportment, but by the fair and impartial manner in which he had written up, in his valuable little book entitled "The Mormons," their history and religion .* On the arrival of the messengers from Fillmore, bearing dispatches to Governor Young, and others for the authorities at Washington, in relation to the massacre, the Mormon leader took immediate steps for the recovery of the lost notes and instruments, and the proper dis- posal of the murdered men's remains. He was particularly anxious to recover the body of Captain Gunnison with a view to forwarding it to his family. He accordingly sent Dimick B. Huntington, the noted Indian interpreter, to the scene of the tragedy, with instructions to report to Captain Morris and render him all possible aid. Mr. Huntington was requested to hire Kanosh, the Pauvant chief, and other friendly Indians, to go with him to the Pauvantes on the Sevier for the especial purpose of recovering the lost Government property. This was deemed a better service and a wiser course to pursue than to send troops to punish the murderers, who might never be found. Mr. Huntington started south on November 1st, and on the 2nd met Captain Morris, Lieutenant Beckwith and their party at Nephi, on their way to Salt Lake City. They gave him a guide and he proceeded southward, and on the following day reached Fillmore. He there met Kanosh and Parashont, two of the Pauvant chiefs, who had already recovered the stolen notes and instruments- excepting an odometer-from Gunnison's murderers, and brought

* Governor Young, in his message to the Legislature in December, 1853-see pre- ceding chapter-referred feelingly to the lamented death of Captain Gunnison. Later the town of Gunnison, in Sanpete County, was named in honor of this friend of Utah and her people.

Dinice, Baker, Huntington.

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them to President Call. The scene of the massacre was next visited, and the scattered bones gathered up and buried, most of them where they lay. Those of Captain Gunnison and the guide Potter were interred at Fillmore. A lock of Gunnison's hair was sent, as a memento, to Governor Young, who forwarded it to the Captain's widow. Lieutenant Beckwith took charge of the Surveying Expedi- tion, and completed the work begun and in part executed by Captain Gunnison.

The trouble with the Pauvant Indians ended with the Gunnison massacre; a result doubtless due to the prompt action and conserva- tive policy of Governor Young, well and wisely executed by Anson Call, Dimick B. Huntington and others. Several months later, after a few more hostile acts, such as the burning of houses and mills at various points, and the running off of some stock, but with little or no additional bloodshed, the Walker war also came to an end.

In the spring of 1854, Governor Young, General Wells and other prominent officials took a tour through the southern part of the Territory, during which they came in contact with some of the native tribes, and did all in their power to placate the hostiles and put out what sparks remained of the still smouldering strife. "It is cheaper to feed the Indians than fight them," was a favorite maxim of Brigham Young's, and in his capacity of Superintendent of Indian Affairs this was the policy-as wise as it was humane-that he strove ever to pursue. Accordingly, he took with him upon this journey several wagon-loads of presents, especially designed for Walker and his bands, who were now known to be anxious, though too proud to sue for peace.

A meeting between Governor Young and the Utah chieftain was finally brought about in May, on Chicken Creek, in Juab County. Walker was attended by his braves, and the Governor by his official escort. Kanosh, the Pauvant chief, and some of his warriors were also present. After a long talk and the smoking of the peace calumet, a treaty was entered into and the war formally closed. The Ute chief claimed that he was not responsible for the late

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troubles, which he said were due to the fierce tempers of some of his young warriors, whom he could not control. The statement, whether credited or not, passed unchallenged, the Governor's party being quite as anxious as the Indians for a cessation of hostilities. Yet an incident occurred at this very meeting, which, though apparently of little moment, had its ill effect not been at once retrieved, might have led to more trouble. The two parties sat facing each other from opposite sides of a tepee in which the council was held, and the presents brought by the Governor were being distributed. Among the gifts was quite a quantity of tobacco. This, General Wells was asked to dispense to the assembled braves. He did so, taking the sack which contained it and tossing to each of the warriors a plug of the compressed weed so delightful to the senses of most savages, and, it may be added, of most civilized men as well. The General's action, though not meant to offend, was very displeasing to the dignified Ute chieftain. His eyes blazed with anger, and he refused to lift his piece of tobacco from where it lay. Some one directed his attention to it, whereupon he remarked that he was not a dog, to have a present thrown to him, like a bone to a cur. General Wells good-naturedly made amends for his oversight, and taking a new plug of tobacco presented it to Walker with a polite bow. The chief's anger was at once dispelled, and the proceedings continued amicably to the close. Walker remarked on this occasion that Governor Young was a big chief, but that he was a big chief, too, and illustrated the principle of their equality by holding up both his thumbs, one as high as the other.

So ended the Walker war, during which about a score of white people had been killed, as well as many Indians. Several small settlements, as stated, had been broken up, the inhabitants seeking refuge in the forts and larger towns, leaving their houses and improvements to the mercies of the marauders, who had not hesitated to apply the torch to them. Among the settlements which had suffered most severely in this respect were Santaquin, in Utah County, and Spring City -- Allred's settlement-in Sanpete. The latter,

John Nabeker

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during the winter of 1853-4 was burned to the ground. Besides the losses incurred by the settlers, which were estimated at $200,000, the war had cost the Territorial treasury about $70,000. This and other amounts due from Government to the people of the Territory on account of Indian outbreaks, Congress was very tardy in appropriat- ing, causing much dissatisfaction in Utah. In fact only a portion of this money has ever been appropriated and paid by the general government.

Among the notable events that took place in Utah during the prevalence of the Indian troubles of 1853-4 may be mentioned in the order of their occurrence the following:

August 1st, 1853 .- The re-election of Hon. John M. Bernhisel as delegate to Congress.

September 3rd .- A terrible flood in Iron County, which did much damage to property.

October 6th-9th .- During the Mormon Conference at Salt Lake City men and families were called to strengthen the settlements north, south and east of Salt Lake Valley. Among those sent upon these missions were George A. Smith and Erastus Snow, with fifty families to Iron County; Wilford Woodruff and Ezra T. Benson with fifty families to Tooele Valley, and Lyman Stevens and Reuben W. Allred with fifty families for each of the Sanpete settlements. Lorenzo Snow was directed to select another fifty and go with them to Box Elder County, and Joseph L. Heywood was to lead an equal number to Juab County. Orson Hyde was given a mission to raise a

company and found a new settlemeet on Green River.

This

company started in November. It was composed of two parties from Salt Lake and Utah valleys, John Nebeker and Isaac Bullock being prominent members. It founded Fort Supply on Smith's fork of Green River. Prior to this President Young, as stated, had purchased the Fort Bridger ranch, which was the first property owned by Mormons in the Green River country.

Early in 1853 Summit County was settled by Samuel Snyder, who had previously built saw-mills in Parley's Park. It was in the

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vicinity of these mills, the reader will remember, that some of the murders committed by Indians took place during that summer.

A list of the various settlements in Utah at the close of 1853 is here given :

Salt Lake County : Salt Lake City, Butterfield (now Herriman), West Jordan, Mill Creek, Big Cottonwood, South Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood and Willow Creek (now Draper).

Davis County : North Canyon (Sessions' Settlement), Centerville, North Cottonwood (Farmington) and Kay's Ward.

Weber County : Ogden, East Weber (Uintah), Willow Creek and Box Elder (Brigham). The latter two are now in Box Elder County.

Utah County: Provo, Dry Creek (Lehi), American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Mountainville (Alpine), Springville, Palmyra, Pe-teet-neet {Payson), Summit Creek (Santaquin) and Cedar Valley.

Sanpete County : Manti and Pleasant Creek (Mt. Pleasant).

Juab County : Salt Creek (Nephi).

Tooele County : Tooele and Grantsville.

Millard County : Fillmore.

Iron County : Parowan and Cedar.

Utah's population at this time was about twenty thousand souls.

In January, 1854, the Utah Legislature created the counties of Summit, Green River, and Carson.

On the 31st of that month a mass meeting was held at Salt Lake City to again agitate the question of a great national railway from the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast. A memorial was prepared and sent to Washington, asking Congress to authorize the construction of such a railway, and that the line be made to run via South Pass and Salt Lake City.

February 7th. This day John C. Fremont, the famous explorer, passing through Utah from the east, arrived at Parowan in Iron County. He was accompanied by nine white men and twelve Delaware Indians. They were perishing with hunger and cold, and were assisted over the mountains into the settlement by the people of that county. One man had fallen from his horse, dead, before

Great Salt Lake City in 1853, Looking South.

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reaching the settlement. Fremont was no friend to the Mormons, but they received him kindly and administered to his needs, supply- ing him with provisions and fresh animals which enabled him to , pursue his journey. His party remained at Parowan nearly two weeks, resting and recuperating, and then continued on to California. Mr. Carvalho, the artist of the expedition, remained three months in Utah, as related, gathering materials for his book from which we have quoted.

On the 11th of March the people of Utah were called to mourn the death of Willard Richards, editor of the Deseret News, post- master of Salt Lake City, one of the First Presidency and the His- torian of the Mormon Church. His death was caused by dropsy. Dr. Richards, at the time of his demise, was in the fiftieth year of his age, having been born at Hopkinton, Middlesex County, Massa- chusetts on the 24th of June, 1804. He was a man much beloved and trusted, every inch a gentleman, and full of calm courage and unflinching integrity. His varied gifts and generous usefulness were such that his decease was looked upon as a public calamity. He was succeeded in the First Presidency by Jedediah M. Grant, a man worthy to be his peer. Elias Smith was the next post-master, and Albert Carrington became editor of the News. George A. Smith filled Dr. Richards' place as Church Historian. A better choice could not have been made. "George A.," as he was familiarly termed, was not only a genial, whole-souled man, but one with a mind as big as his heart. He was gifted with superior intelligence, had a capacious and retentive memory-an indispensable thing in a historian-and was a walking encyclopedia of general information. He was a man of sublime courage, simple and unpretentious, and his soul a mirror of truth and candor. These appointments all followed swiftly upon the heels of the sad event that gave them birth.

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History of Utah, Part 47

Author: Whitney, Orson Ferguson Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Salt Lake City, Cannon Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Whitney, Orson Ferguson
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Cannon
Number of Pages: 1026