Utah Expedition (1857-1858)
Dates
- Existence: 1857 - 1858
Administravtive History
The Utah Expedition (1857-1858) was a bloodless military conflict between the Mormon militia, referred to as the Nauvoo Legion, and the Unites States government over the installation of a new governor in the Utah Territory.
From May 1857 to July 1858, the Utah Expedition, otherwise known as Utah War, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, Mormon War, or Mormon Rebellion, was a result of President Buchanan’s decision to replace Governor Brigham Young with Governor Alfred Cumming. The Presidency feared the Mormon community would not accept a non-Mormon governor, resulting in the suspension of mail to Utah and 2,500 troops accompanying Cumming’s journey. Upon news of advancing troops Utah men were called to bear arms and Northern communities were evacuated. After several months of this standard, and continually hoping for peace, the Mormon leader’s willingness to accept Cumming was heard. The agreement ended with the installation of Governor Cumming and a permanent government garrison near Salt Lake City in exchange for peace and amnesty.
Citation:
LCCN 58011786: Hafen, L.R. The Utah expedition, 1857-1858, 1958(hdg.: Utah Expedition, 1857-1858)Wikipedia, viewed February 11, 2013 :(Utah Expedition, also known as the Utah War, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, Mormon War, Mormon Rebellion, was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers and the United States Government, from May 1857 to July 1858, located in Utah and Wyoming)
Encyclopedia.com, April 20, 2016(Mormon Expedition of 1857-1858; was a federal force sent by President James Buchanan to force the Mormons, led by Brigham Young, to obey federal laws ; Utah Expedition)
OCLC, April 20, 2016(access point: Utah Expedition (1857-1858); usage: Utah Expedition; Utah War; Utah Campaign; Buchanan's Blunder; Mormon War; Mormon Rebellion; Mormon Expedition)
Library of Congress, via WWW, Feb. 12, 2018 (Utah Expedition, also known as the Utah War, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, Mormon War, Mormon Rebellion, was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers and the United States Government, from May 1857 to July 1858, located in Utah and Wyoming; Mormon Expedition of 1857-1858; was a federal force sent by President James Buchanan to force the Mormons, led by Brigham Young, to obey federal laws)
Mormon Encyclopedia, via WWW, Feb. 12, 2018 (Mormon militia, called the Nauvoo Legion, vs. United States government in a bloodless but costly confrontation; President James Buchanan to replace Brigham Young as governor of Utah Territory; It delayed, but did not prevent, the installation of Governor Alfred Cumming; Buchanan thought Latter-day Saints would reject a non-Mormon governor; mail to Utah suspended and 2,500 troops with Cumming to Great Salt Lake City; Utah communities were called upon to equip a thousand men; President Young announced on March 23, 1858, that all settlements in northern Utah must be abandoned and prepared for burning if the army came in; Church leaders willing to accept Cumming and a permanent army garrison in exchange for peace and amnesty)
Found in 32 Collections and/or Records:
William Adams autobiography
Washington F. Anderson diary
The collection contains a typewritten copy of a diary kept from 30 July to 12 August of 1857. Anderson writes about a company of Mormons travelling from Carson Valley, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah. He tells about Indian troubles and about the miles travelled every day.
George B. Bailey papers
Holographs; typescript; printed forms (photocopy). The collection includes a journal (l p. by wife, Elizabeth) which describes life in Salt Lake Valley and related problems with the United States government in 1856-1857 and gives genealogical data on the Bailey and Young families. Also included are a letter fragment, poem by George, and 6 Latter-day Saint Church family group sheets of the George Smith Bailey and Victoria Price family.
Henry Ballard diary
William Bench letter
Orley Dwight Bliss autobiography and diary
James Buchanan proclamation
John Lowe Butler autobiographies
Collection includes three typewritten versions of the autobiography of John Lowe Butler. The autobiographies describe Butler's conversion to the Latter-day Saint Church, building Nauvoo, Illinois, officiating in the temple, experiences as Joseph Smith's bodyguard, the martyrdom of Smith, the expulsion from Nauvoo, the journey to Utah, the colonization of Spanish Fork, Utah, the Utah War and genealogical information of the Butler family, family wills and patriarchal blessings.
Collection on Utah Expedition
The collection contains the original and typescript of "The Echo Canon War," probably written by William Stowell, and a typed document regarding the Weber Military District and the Utah War, beginning with Chapter 3 [no author].
Peter Wilson Conover autobiography
Photocopy of a typescript of an autobiography. The date of composition of the item is uncertain. Conover writes about the persecutions of Mormons before their emigration to Utah, his service in the Utah Militia against the Utes and in the Utah War from 1857 to 1858, and his family.