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Show 72 Several thing are apparent from this letter. By mid-August the contin-gengy plan was already well developed, although it was yet to go through some changes. The present conflict was also viewed as having a far greater scope than the Utah settlements alone. Wells saw a war that apparently engulfed the entire western plains if not more. It is also obvious that the Utah militia was tampering with the Indians in an attempt to enlist their support. The Mormons were faithful in patrolling the mountains and finding the desired locations for the grain caches. Joseph Fish, a Parowan resident, wrote that he went on two such expeditions. One exploring tour of four days took him into the mountains west and northwest of Parowan from August 26 through 29. Fish went again in early September spending eight days scouring the mountains northeast of his home.31 It was reported by the New York Herald of May 25, I858 that the Mormons had "large caches of provisions" at the head of City Creek Canyon in the mountains above Salt Lake City. 32 In letters signed by both Daniel H. Wells and Brigham Young, district military commanders received the "plan of operations" in September. The following is the greater part of the letter received by Major Evans of the Lehi military district in Utah County. Note the emotion and feeling of the embattled Saints in the fall of 1857: Headquarters Nauvoo Legion Sep 16, 1857 Col. David Evans Sir, accompanying this are copies of the Governor's Proc. declaring martial law. You will probably not be called out this fall but are required to be ready for a big fight next year. The plan of operations is supposed to be about these. If the U.S. Government send out an overpowering force, we intend to desolate the Territory, and conceal our families, stock and all effects in the fastness of the mountains, where they will be safe, |
