MORMON TROUBLES WITH THE UTAHS. 149 



put a stop, by force, to further aggressions, which, if not resisted, 

 could only end in the total destruction of the colony. Before 

 coming to this decision, the authorities called upon me to con- 

 sult as to the policy of the measure, and to request the expres- 

 sion of my opinion as to what view the Government of the United 

 States might be expected to take of it. Knowing, as I did, most 

 of the circumstances, and feeling convinced that some action of 

 the kind would ultimately have to be resorted to, as the forbear- 

 ance already shown had been only attributed to weakness and 

 cowardice, and had served but to encourage further and bolder 

 outrages, I did not hesitate to say to them that, in my judgment, 

 the contemplated expedition against these savage marauders was a 

 measure not only of good policy, but one of absolute necessity and 

 self-preservation. I knew the leader of the Indians to be a crafty 

 and blood-thirsty savage, who had been already guilty of several 

 murders, and had openly threatened that he would kill every white 

 man that he found alone upon the prairies. In addition to this, I 

 was convinced that the completion of the yet unfinished survey of 

 the Utah Valley, the coming season, must otherwise be attended 

 with serious difficulty, if not actual hazard, and would involve the 

 necessity of a largely increased and armed escort for its protec- 

 tion. Such being the circumstances, the course proposed could 

 not but meet my entire approval. 



A force of one hundred men was accordingly organized, and, upon 

 the application of President Young, leave was given to Lieutenant 

 Howland, of the Mounted Rifles, then on duty with my command, 

 to accompany the expedition as its adjutant : such assistance also 

 was furnished as it was in my power to afford, consisting of arms, 

 tents, camp-equipage, and ammunition. 



The expedition was completely successful. The Indians fought 

 very bravely, but were finally routed, some forty of them killed, 

 and as many more taken prisoners ; the latter, consisting princi- 

 pally of women and children, were carried to the city and distri- 

 buted among the inhabitants, for the purpose of weaning them from 

 their savage pursuits, and bringing them up in the habits of civil- 

 ized and Christian life. The experiment, however, did not succeed 

 as was anticipated, most of the prisoners escaping upon the very 

 first opportunity. 



On the 22d of February, about three P. M., a slight shock of 

 an earthquake was felt in the southern part of the city, the vibra- 



