Skip to main content

Utah Expedition (1857-1858)

 Organization

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 8 Collections and/or Records:

William Adams autobiography

 File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 569
Scope and Contents Handwritten autobiography with a typescript of the item. Adams came from Ireland, migrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, and later to Salt Lake Valley, Utah. He also lived in Springville, Spanish Fork, Parowan, and Cedar City, Utah. Adams writes about Jacob Hamblin's efforts to convert Indians, the preparations to meet the United States Army coming to Utah in 1857 and 1858, going on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and meeting Emma Hales Smith, the wife of the first...
Dates: 1894

Orley Dwight Bliss autobiography and diary

 File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 615
Scope and Contents Handwritten autobiography and diary. Account is retrospective until 1864, when Bliss writes short daily entries about his journey from Salt Lake City to Nebraska by ox team to help gather the poor to Utah. On the return trip to Utah, Bliss describes weather conditions, daily camping locations and mileage, encounters with Indian tribes, and more than twenty deaths from cholera. Bliss immigrated to Utah at age 8 and participated in the Utah War. Several pages of family genealogy are included...
Dates: 1864-1865

Benjamin Franklin Cummings diaries and an autobiography

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 164
Scope and Contents Handwritten diaries including an autobiography. Cummings' autobiography covers his early life when he lived in Ohio and Navuoo, Illinois, served on a mission to Maine, and left Illinois for Utah. Cummings' diaries tell about his mission to the Indians in Idaho in the "Salmon River Mission," his service during the "Utah Expedition" of 1857-1858, his various encounters with Indians, his mission to Iowa in 1878 and 1879, and his life in Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah. Also included is a...
Dates: 1854-1879

Charles Lambert autobiography

 Item — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230338193]
Identifier: MSS 927
Scope and Contents

Typescript of an autobiography. Lambert was born in England; converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1843; moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1844; migrated to Utah in 1849; and served on missions in England in 1870 and 1882. He also writes about the "Utah War" and about problems with swarms of crickets.

Dates: 1883

Hans Peter Larsen autobiography

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230349307]
Identifier: MSS 515
Scope and Contents

Typewritten copy of an autobiography. Larsen was converted to the Mormon Church in Denmark, migrated to Utah in 1855, served in the Utah Militia during the Utah Expedition of 1857-1858, helped build the fort at Wellsville, Utah, and settled in Mendon, Utah.

Dates: 1828

Life history of Albert Douglas Dickson

 Item — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230342914]
Identifier: MSS 752
Scope and Contents

Typescript of an autobiography. Dickson migrated to Utah in 1852. He first settled in American Fork but later moved to Kaysville. He participated in resisting the U.S. Army during the Utah War, mentions the Morrisite War, and moved to Richville, Utah, where he served as bishop of the Richville Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Also included are poems dedicated to Dickson and some anecdotes on his life.

Dates: 1892-1922

Clarance Merrill autobiography

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230326230]
Identifier: MSS SC 2754
Scope and Contents

Handwritten autobiography. Merrill lived in Nauvoo, Illinois, as a young boy. He migrated to Utah in 1852 and lived in Provo, Salt Lake City, Bear Lake Valley, Cove Creek, and Fillmore, Utah. He also participated in the "Utah War" of 1857 to 1858.

Dates: 1908

Thomas Todd autobiography

 Collection — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230232164]
Identifier: MSS 685
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of a typescript of an autobiography. Todd writes about his youth in Scotland, his conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1850, his immigration to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1854, his service in the Utah Militia during the Utah Expedition, and his life in Spanish Fork and in Heber City, Utah. He also includes family genealogies.

Dates: approximately 1895