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Show • MORMON IBOUBLBS WITH THE UTAHS.' • 149 put a stop, hy force, to further aggressions, whioh, if not resisted, could only epd in the total destruction of the colony. Before coming to this decision, the'authorities called upbn me to consult as to the policy of the measure, and to request the expression 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 forbearance 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 toy judgment,, the contemplated expedition agtpnst 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 Jiad . openly threatened that he would kill every white man that he found alonp. upon the prairies. In addition to this, I was convinced that the completion of the yet unfinished purvey of the Utah Valley, the coming season, must otherwise be attehde^ d with serious difficulty, if not actual hazard, and would involve the necessity of a largely increased ftr^ d armed escort . for its protection. Such Jbeing the circumstances, the course proposed cotfld. not but meet my entire approval. A force of one hundred men wad accordingly organized, and, upon the application of President Young, leave was given to Lieutenant Holland, of the Mounted Rifles, then ' on duty with my command, to accompany the expedition as its adjutant: * uch 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, dome forty of them killed, and, as many more token. prisoners; the latter, consisting principally of women* and children, were carried to the city ahd distributed 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 liff. The experiment, however, did not succeed as was anticipated, moBt of , the prisoners escaping upon the very first opportunity. On the 22d of February,. about three ?. M., a slight shock of an earthquake was felt in the southern part of the jcity, the vibra- |