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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 5 Collections and/or Records:

William Greenwood papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS SC 39
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1847-1884

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

Thomas L. Kane newspaper clippings on Mormons, 1858-1859

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Vault MSS 792 Series 3 Sub-Series 14
Scope and Contents

Contains newspaper clippings on the Mormons collected by Kane. Includes information on the development of Utah, the Mormon Church, and the Utah Expedition. Some articles discuss Kane's role in the settlement of the crisis. Materials date from between 1858 and 1859.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1858-1859

Thomas L. Kane papers on Utah Expedition, 1857-1858

 Sub-Series — Box 14: Series 3 [Barcode: 31197232550761]
Identifier: Vault MSS 792 Series 3 Sub-Series 6
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence, reports, speeches, and other materials related to Kane's involvement in negotiating a resolution to the Utah Expedition. Materials date from between 1857 and 1858.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1857-1858

John Bates Warall letter

 Item — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230312305]
Identifier: MSS SC 1392
Scope and Contents

Handwritten and signed letter written at Camp Floyd, Utah and addressed to Colonel Daniel Ruggles at Fredericksburg, Virginia. Warall gives a general report on the condition and activities of the camp which includes the establishment of musical bands, temperance societies, masonic lodges, and other organizations and events promoting morale among the soldiers.

Dates: 1859