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Show The Intruders, 1550-1882 39 and to replace the natural vegetation. The Mormons also acted to curtail the trade in horses, slaves, and tribute between the Ute People and the Mexicans. The People were frustrated in their attempts to adjust to the new situation. In the summer of 1853 while Wakara and his band were camped on Spring Creek near Springville, Utah, a struggle took place over trade in which a settler killed a Ute and wounded two others. This incident finally precipitated a war. Wakara and his brother Arapeen began a series of raids on Mormon settlements which would be called the Walker War. During the next ten months less than twenty whites and many more Ute People were killed.19 The war, however, was futile. Brigham Young sent out word to "fort up," and to curtail the trading of arms and ammunition to the Indians. There was trouble with factionalism among the Ute People. Also, no alliance between bands was possible. Fort Massachusetts guarded the four bands of Utes in southern Colorado, and Fort Laramie kept track of the Parianuche and Yamparika bands. And the Utah Ute People were out-numbered. In the six years since their arrival, the Mormons had become the majority. Peace was arranged by Brigham Young and Wakara at Chicken Creek in May 1854. Wakara died on 29 January 1855, a defeated man. The "Mericats" (Americans) and their "Dog Soldiers" controlled his former trading areas. The Mormons were taking over his homeland and its resources and forcing his people to depend on their charity. Arapeen succeeded his brother as leader, and within two years he was dominated by the Mormon authorities.20 Indian affairs in Utah were complicated by the mutual hostility of Mormons and federal officials. There was constant conflict as to who should administer Indian policy. In the conflict Congress neglected Utah and ignored the Indians. The United States government took over Utah without a single Ute land title settled and without any treaty of cession negotiated. Federal officials sent to Utah Territory began charging the Mormons with using their influence over the Indians against the interest of the federal government. The Mormons did make alliances with Indians. Their success in doing so is shown in the Paiute Indian participation in the massacre of 120 emigrants by Mormon extremists at Mountain Meadows in 1857.21 |