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 9 Collections and/or Records:
William Adams autobiography
Orley Dwight Bliss autobiography and diary
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.
Joseph Curtis diaries
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.
Duke family biographies
Typewritten biographical sketch of Jonathan O. Duke, prepared by Ruby Duke Stringham, which tells (mainly through excerpts from his journal) of the Mormon expulsion from Nauvoo, Illinois; residence in Iowa; immigration to Utah; life in Provo, Utah; and participation in the Echo Canyon War. Also includes two unsigned handwritten sketches: One of Jonathan Duke and one of his son, Robert S. Duke.
William Greenwood papers
Contains twelve handwritten, signed letters which concern Greenwood's conversion to Mormonism in England, his immigration to the United States, activities in Nauvoo, Illinois, and the 1847 trek to Salt Lake City and American Fork, Utah. Also includes a bound autobiography (plus typescript) written between 1869 and 1884.
Joshua Hawkes autobiography
Photocopy of a typescript. Hawkes was born in Missouri and lived in Nauvoo, Illinois, as a small child. He later came to Utah and lived in several places. He eventaully settled in Franklin, Idaho. He participated in the Walker War against the Ute Indians and also in the Utah War against the United States Army.
Charles Lambert autobiography
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.
Nelson Wheeler Whipple diaries
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.