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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 29 Collections and/or Records:

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

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

Enoch B. Tripp journals, 1854-1908

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2032 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains 18 journals kepts by Enoch B. Tripp, dated 1854 to 1908.

Dates: 1854-1908

Winslow Farr journals

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1420
Scope and Contents

Collection includes daily accounts of his family, his church mission to England (vol. 2), the Utah War, persecutions concerning his practice of polygamy, his subsequent prison sentence, and his life in Colonia Dublán, Chihuahua, Mexico. Typescripts of the journals are also included in the collection.

Dates: 1856-1910

Luke William Gallup autobiography and diaries

 Collection — Box 1: [Barcode: 31197231186922]
Identifier: MSS 2347
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of a microfilm copy of a handwritten autobiography and diary. Gallup writes about his early life in Connecticut, his migration to Iowa, and how he joined the Mormon Church. Gallup moved to Springville, Utah, in 1851. He writes about his life in that town, his service during the Utah Expedition of 1857-8, his relationships to his wives, his mission for the Mormon Church to Connecticut. Gallup moved to Santa Ana, California, in 1888.

Dates: 1842-1891

Lorenzo Hill Hatch autobiography and diary

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230330463]
Identifier: MSS SC 3135
Scope and Contents Photocopy of a microfilm copy of a handwritten autobiography and diary. Hatch writes about his early life, joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1839, his life in Nauvoo, Illinois, his migration to Utah in 1850, and settling in Lehi, Utah, in 1851. He tells about his mission for the Mormon Church from 1856 to 1858, his work as a farmer and a carpenter, and Mormon Church meetings. He writes about serving in the legislature of Utah. He also tells about his service as a...
Dates: 1855-1885

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

Kane family collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 3190
Abstract The Thomas L. and Elizabeth W. Kane family collection, 1835-1931, contains a series of materials relating primarily to Thomas, Elizabeth, and three of their four children: Harriet Amelia Kane, Elisha Kent Kane, and Evan O'Neill Kane. Among these is an American Civil War pocketbook kept by Thomas L. Kane; an original patriarchal blessing given to Thomas at Council Bluffs by Mormon patriarch John Smith and recorded by Wilford Woodruff; a letter sent from Brigham Young to Thomas when the latter...
Dates: approximately 1835-1931

Thomas L. Kane diary

 Item — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Vault MSS 807
Scope and Contents

Pocket diary kept by Kane beginning in June 1858, apparently while he was in Utah negotiating between the Mormons and government during the 1857-1858 Utah War.

Dates: 1858

Nauvoo Legion quartermaster diary

 Item — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230306349]
Identifier: MSS SC 854
Scope and Contents

Diary of the Quartermaster's office of the Nauvoo Legion from April 12 to May 28, 1858. At that time the Nauvoo Legion was resisting the entry of "Johnston's Army" of United States government troops into Utah. Each entry records briefly the weather in Salt Lake City, and tells of the dispatching of supplies to various areas and troops. The diary also reports the arrival and departure from Salt Lake City of various important militia and Mormon Church leaders.

Dates: 1858