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Show 90 In all probability,- it was at the January 4 conference with Lee that Young confided his plans to him and suggested the locatior. which is near the present city of St. George, Utah. Until now the church had put up a pretty solid front. The army had been condemned in no uncertain terms, and the Saints were certain to come off with the victory. From this point on, however, the pattern would change. An increasing doubt began to mount in the minds of the church leaders as every arrival and every mail seemed to bring more dismal information for the Saints. One of the first to show signs of doubt was George A. Smith who declared in the Legislative Council on December 21, "if we carry out these resolutions we may prepare our necks for the Halter if they catch us."35 Mormon leaders were clearly showing signs of receding confidence as the winter rolled on.. Tabernacle speeches became less bold, and more emphasis was placed on alternative solutions to end the conflict. The people, however, were as confident as ever. On February 3 the California mail was again received in Salt Lake City. The news was grievous. Included was a copy of Buchanan's message to Congress of December 8. The President had declared that Governor Young had brought his people to the brink of open rebellion and that the hope of avoiding a military confrontation had vanished. As a result, the administration was recommending to Congress the raising of four additional regiments for Utah.36 This confirmed Benson's report of two weeks before. Comment on this latest turn of events was plentiful. Wilford Woodruff, after spending the evening in the President's office reading the latest news, remarked in his diary that "the United States are determined to annihilate we mormons." And in an apparent mood of resignation,be added, "the war is now between God and the Devil. "37 Samuel Pitchforth received the news in Nephi two days before it reached Salt Lake. On February 1 he wrote: |
