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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 9 Collections and/or Records:

Andrew Jackson Allen autobiography and diary

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230330851]
Identifier: MSS SC 3213
Scope and Contents Photocopy of a microfilm copy of a typescript of an autobiography and diary. Allen writes about his youth in Kentucky and move to Missouri after he joined the Mormon Church. He later moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and joined the Mormon exodus to Utah in 1847. He tells about the hardships of early settlement in Salt Lake City, Utah. His diary starts in 1857. It has many gaps and entries were often months apart. He writes about the "Utah War;" his work on the railroad in 1868 and 1869; his...
Dates: 1857-1884
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Andrew Jackson Allen autobiography and diary

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
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Benjamin Franklin Cummings diaries and an autobiography

Joseph Curtis diaries

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230331719]
Identifier: MSS SC 3245
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of a microfilm copy of handwritten diaries. Curtis also writes about his early life. He was born in Pennsylvania and joined the Mormon Church in 1833. He lived in Missouri and told about the persecution of Mormons there. He later lived in Nauvoo, Illinois, and served on two missions at that time. He came to Utah in 1848 and later settled in Utah Valley, Utah. Curtis was involved in numerous activities including defending Utah from the Utah Expedition in 1858.

Dates: 1836-1858
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Joseph Curtis diaries

Ira Nathaniel Hinckley diary and family papers

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230331172]
Identifier: MSS SC 3206
Scope and Contents Photocopy of a typescript of a microfilm diary. Hinckley kept his diary from 5 March 1857 to 6 June 1858. He worked as a blacksmith in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then went to help immigrants along the Platte River. He visited Dakota and Crow Indians, and returned to Salt Lake City in the fall of 1857. He mentioned speeches of Mormon Church leaders relating to the religion and preparations to resist the Utah Expedition. Also included are "Some Events" in the life of Ira Hinckley. These...
Dates: 1857-1940
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Ira Nathaniel Hinckley diary and family papers

History of Robert Gardner, Jr. / written by himself at St. George, Utah

 Item — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230305424]
Identifier: MSS SC 793
Scope and Contents Photocopy of typescript. Detailed account of frontier life in Canada; his family's conversion to Mormonism in the early 1840s; a trip to Nauvoo, Illinois, in June 1845; the trip across the plains to Utah in 1847; and life in pioneer Utah.Also includes account of the author's mission to Canada (1857-1858) and his subsequent recall because of the Utah War, along with his family's move to settle St. George, Utah. Ends with text of Gardner's patriarchal blessing, genealogical...
Dates: 1884
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / History of Robert Gardner, Jr. / written by himself at St. George, Utah

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
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Charles Lambert autobiography

Charles Sansom diaries and an autobiography

 File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS SC 3137
Scope and Contents Photocopy of a microfilm copy of handwritten diaries and an autobiography. Sansom writes about his early life in England, the death of his father, and his work in a woolen factory. He tells about his migration to Utah and his career as a trombone player in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also writes about the Utah Expedition, 1857-1858. He tells about his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to England from 1873 to 1874. He writes mostly about his activities and those of...
Dates: 1873-1907
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Charles Sansom diaries and an autobiography

Enoch B. Tripp papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 2032
Scope and Contents Eighteen volumes of journals and other papers. Volumes document Enoch B. Tripp's conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his missions to the state of Maine, his visit with Joseph Smith's mother (Lucy Mack Smith), wife (Emma Smith), and son (Joseph Smith III) in Nauvoo in November 1855, his participation in the Utah War in 1857, and his life in Salt Lake City. Tripp discusses anti-polygamy legislation, his time on the Mormon "Underground" to avoid arrest for practicing...
Dates: 1841-1908
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Enoch B. Tripp papers

Nelson Wheeler Whipple diaries

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230233444]
Identifier: MSS SC 38
Scope and Contents

Two different typescripts of the same diary kept by Whipple: one prepared by Phyllis Clayton Pettit, the other by Anor Whipple. The diary gives genealogical data about Nelson Whipple's ancestors and tells of his early experiences in the Latter-day Saint Church, his move to Nauvoo, Illinois, his journey across the Plains to Utah and his life there.

Dates: 1863-1867
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Nelson Wheeler Whipple diaries

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