The Governor's Lady a Letter from Camp Scott, 1857

Utah Historical Quarterly

Vol. 22, 1954, Nos. 1-4

THE GOVERNOR'S LADY A LETTER FROM CAMP SCOTT, 1857

EDITED BY A. R. MORTENSEN

MUCH HAS BEEN written about the causes, real or imagined, which led up to that clash between the Mormons and the federal government variously known as the "Utah War," "Echo Canyon War," "Buchanan's Blunder," or the "Utah Expedition." Much also has been told about the effects of the clash upon Utah and its people with the subsequent garrisoning of the territory with a considerable body of troops. However, the complete and definitive story yet remains to be told.

Whatever the cause and results, the affair, when viewed objectively and from the vantage point of nearly a hundred years, has many of the earmarks of comic opera. However, to the participants at the time on both sides, the affair was real and serious enough.

Brigham Young is reputed to have said when the Pioneers first entered the valley, "Give us ten years of peace and we will ask no odds of the United States." Ten years had now passed and the Mormons were faced with the realities of an approaching army on their eastern border. Ten years earlier the Latter-day Saints, after years of trouble and persecution in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, had fled to a sanctuary in the Rocky Mountains. Here they had hoped to build a community, a thousand miles from anywhere, free and unfettered from persecution. Their desire to be left alone and to build up their Kingdom of God on earth was rudely shattered by the discovery of gold and the subsequent westward movement of humanity. In a short span of time the erstwhile isolated Mormon capital found itself sitting fairly astride the great overland highroad to the Pacific. The increase of gentiles caused by overland travel, accelerated by the Gold Rush and augmented by federally-appointed officials after the creation of the territory, led to continual frictions which culminated in the first great crisis in Mormon affairs in the West. Brigham Young now had had his ten years. How well he had builded remained to be seen.

Brigham Young had been appointed governor after the establishment of the territory, September 9, 1850. The territorial legislature also was, of course, in the hands of the Mormons, for they were far in the majority. The judicial branch of the territory Was another thing. Here the judges almost exclusively were gentiles and, for the most part, were violently opposed to Mormons, their religion, and their way of life. It was in this area where the majority of the crises occurred and the final eruption took place mainly as a result of the character and actions of one judge, W. W. Drummond. But that is another story in itself.

During the winter and spring of 1857, President Buchanan saw fit to appoint a new governor for the territory and practically a complete new set of other officials. Because of the charges of Drummond and others that Utah was in a state of rebellion, Buchanan thought it necessary to send as an escort for the newlyappointed officials a considerable part of the United States Army. Alfred Cumming from Georgia, and more lately Superintendent of Indian Affairs on the upper Missouri, had accepted the appointment as governor. Advance units of the army had departed from Fort Leavenworth late in July. The Second Dragoons, the rear element of the expedition, under Colonel Philip St. George Cooke of Mormon Battalion fame, did not leave Fort Leavenworth until September 17, acting as an escort to Governor Cumming, his wife, and other officials. Cooke should have known better; late September was the time to arrive, not the time to set out on a long, overland journey. But he, like everybody else in the army, was obeying orders. It was not until November the 19th, that Cooke and his charges made rendezvous with the main part of the army in the vicinity of Fort Bridger and went into winter quarters. The last few weeks of the journey were indeed harrowing and near tragic, as Cooke's official report bears out, and as Mrs. Cumming bears witness in her letter. But for the skill and experience of Colonel Cooke, the march might have been even more tragic.

Mrs. Cumming was Elizabeth Wells Randall, daughter of Dr. John Randall, of Boston, Massachusetts, and granddaughter of Samuel Adams of Revolutionary fame. She was a woman of considerable intelligence, discernment, and education, as her letters testify. She was accompanying her husband to his new post as the chief executive of the Territory of Utah. When winter and Mormon opposition prevented the civil officers and their troop escorts from crossing the Wasatch and entering the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, Mrs. Cumming remained for the winter, encamped with the rest of the Utah Expedition on Black's Fork in the vicinity of Fort Bridger, Mrs. Cumming wrote several letters on the way to and during her sojourn in Utah. They are particularly descriptive of the country and the people with whom she came in contact. While they reflect the hardships of the journey and the winter, living in tents in the mountains, considering her cultured background and her supposed lack of contact with the rougher side of life, they show a sense of humor, patience, and actually a certain amount of joy at her experiences, which is lacking from the diaries and letters of the male members of the expedition. The letter here printed apparently was the first one sent after her arrival at Camp Scott, and is addressed to her sister-in-law, Mrs. Peter Sken Smith (Ann Eliza Cumming). Other letters written during the remaining winter and the following summer delineate in considerable detail living conditions at Fort Bridger and Camp Scott, and give insight into the Mormon way of life from a woman's viewpoint.

The letter that follows, and others referred to, was obtained from the Alfred Cumming Collection in Duke University Library, Durham, North Carolina, and is published through the courtesy of that institution. This and other Elizabeth Cumming letters will form part of the forthcoming Mormon anthology by A. R. Mortensen and William Mulder.

Camp Scott- Utah Terr y Dear Anne, Nov. 1857.

express leaving & I have but a moment left in which to write- Our animals are all dead or dying, & we must stop here all winter, where there is wood & water. Alfred has made this the seat of govt. \Written above: Mormons have been arrested, near here, particulars you will see in papers] Alfred (Jn 1- ) I have not yet seen- The express which takes this, takes Alfred's Proclamation & letter to B. Young, 2 to Washington- You will see them in the papers, if this express should get there- The two or three last days of our journey here, our animals could just stand- We had no corn for them- We were passing a long desert, little or no grass- Thermometer below Zero in the day- at night, not only Cold, but wind. We left about 200 animals dead [deleted: on the road.] we loosed the harness & they fell on the road- some stood still in the snow- \ravensl~\ all around them, the animal freezing but not dead- only motionless- The Command which preceded us about three weeks had about 6000 animals, & in the same storm, (which met us on the summit of Rocky mountains & met them near this point) they lost 2000 animals. In passing through the last desert (mauvaises Terres) we were two or three days passing through this Golgotha. 20, 30 bodies in view at a time sometimes. There was no wood to burn- & the weather intensely cold- only Sage bushes for fuel- which burns like paper- so we cut up the deserted U. S. waggons for fuel- fine, large new waggons- harness & all left most of them with their six oxen, (or mules as might be) lying by their sides- We gathered the yokes from the dead oxen, & chopped the thin parts of the waggons, & carried them on for fuel- & so we cooked sometimes, sometimes had no food at night.

The morale was worse than the physique. In the very cold weather, the teamsters seemed more like madmen than human beings. Much Sin abounded- The cold & privations seemed to make them crazy.

Alfred is well. I am well- but have not had a shoe on till to-day for a month- foot frost bitten, & not being able to stop to take care of it, it swelled & burst & I had a very bad foot. We have been here long enough & the weather has moderated sufficiently to improve it- I have been afraid I might be permanently lame- the inflamation in the joints being so bad,- I do not walk yet, except with pain & difficulty- but it is much better- I found some letters from friends here- but none from you- Direct as before- the mail, if it comes through again, this winter, will stop here- must stop here-

You will see by the papers what B. Young has been doinghis position- A. would have gone on to Salt Lake, but we have no animals. Those that are living can just stand, not pull at all- we have no corn- & though there is grass here- there is none beyond, & grass only keeps them alive in their present weak condition.

We wish much to hear from you & yours- We brought a letter to Alfred junr. directed to his uncle's care from Georgia- He has just arrived here from some camp close at hand, (a few miles distant,) & I have not seen him yet- This is the third day of our abode here- as yet we are crammed into one little tentbut hope to have another soon- We dressed & undressed only once in two or three weeks as yet. Not very comfortable- There were no means of washing of course, after the weather was so very cold, & so badly off for fuel too, as we were. I must stop now- The mail leaves here in a few days, but it is doubtful if it can get through- This express is more likely.

Excuse repitition & incoherence- All is in such confusion around- torn, dirty & crowded- One thing stands on another & a dosen on top of that. All our wagons unloaded at once- & tents not up- & snow clouds hanging heavily, promising snow before we get our things protected- but the few remaining mules are to walk away to a sheltered place, as soon as they can be taken- to save them alive, if possible.

I cannot describe this place, for I have not yet seen it- am a prisoner with my foot- There is wood & water & grass under the ridges- Rocky mountains behind us- Wasatch mts. in front.

My friends were all well on 19th Sept. (The date of the letters rec d here.) I have little to tell, that I can tell- If I ever get to the States again, I shall have a good deal to say-

God grant we may return in some other season than winter- It is like a nightmare to think of our journey, since we reached the summit of Rocky mountains & winter at one & the same time. My good little pony, my six years old friend, whom I rode so much in the previous part of the journey, was lost in the snows, & so probably starved to death- We could not find him in the morning, & remained two hours seeking him, but could spare no more time- He has eaten from my hand so long- When we had only 3 bushels of corn left for 55 mules, food for five days, he ate my bread With me morning & night. Perhaps he has only starved a little sooner- He was my pet, & I miss him very much

I have never seen Alfred in better health- He is busy with gentlemen, (officers &c) nearly all day- arranging for the future, talking over this prisoner business- &c. &c. All the different detachments of troops, sent out during the summer, have assembled near here- to have sufficient force to repel an assault- All the civilians are camped about us- We are less than half a mile from the main camp. Chief Justice Eckles, Dist. Attory Hockaday- Less Tomay, (the Supt. of Utah Indians.) & two or three other civil officers 5 (the rest will come in spring) all our teamsters, (who must stay with us, as they cannot go) all the Gentile mechants, with goods for Salt Lake, (who cannot go on either, under penalty of death if they enter the city) are of our camp. The climate is good, they say- Water is good, I know. The officers and troops are said to be in good spirit- The dragoons, who accompanied us are very glad to be through with the cold journey, & the haunting & reasonable fear, that our animals might not last alive long enough to get us out of the desert. Notwithstanding the Mormons have burned 72 of our provision waggons, it is thought that with care & a rigid economy we have enough to feed us, through the winter. There are no settlements, no buildings, no anything to fall back upon, if they should fail- but the chief danger is of their being burned- The waggons are all corraled, that is, enclosed with a strong fence of posts- & a strong guard is kept over them- One of the prisoners 8 taken in had been concerned in the burning of the 72 waggons. He is being tried by Judge Eckles. Letters were found upon him signed by mormon authorities- ordering the destruction of our provisions & animals, telling where re-inforcements were to be placed, to be called upon to assist in doing it. also a cipher, agreed upon for farther communication. No more now. Farewell- Love to all friends when you write-

As ever, yr sister Elizabeth-

P. S. The Express was delayed, so, as you see, I have added- 29th Novr 1857

We are all safe here, every body believes- only nobody likes to be in tents all winter in this climate- or to be delayed in the business for which we came- However, we will hope & endure & Spring will come at last- All are well- & only one man died on the journey- We have been very prosperous, so far- all things considered, accordingly. The profit is [one word illegible], however. They have all their teamsters & "hands" (hired only for the journey) to feed all winter, in the midst of scarcity of provisions- They have lost nearly all their animals by the storms & extreme cold which injured & killed so many of ours, &c.

But what will you say to the price of salt! The salt of our commissariat is all destroyed & otherwise gone- but a few days since some of these traders bought salt of the Utah's (Indians) who, had made their way through snow & peril to bring it- The traders paid five dollars a quart- & retail it at six- & not much to be had at that price.

A fortnight or so since, (before the Indians brought this salt to us) Brigham Young sent some mules laden with 800 lbs of salt, as a present to the commanding officer here- They were, of course sent back instantly- notwithstanding the longing for it, openly expressed by the unsophisticated.

We season our food with bacon- we use the fat of it to raise our bread- but there is very little of that now- but the climate gives health & appetite-

Ink is scarce- We brought in our train a waggon load & a half of stationary- about 4000 dollars worth, they tell me- The boxes of ink all froze & the bottles all broke- & the ink is very scarce- The broken bottles were examined and all the ink saved that could be- The result, I am told, is about one pint for the use of the Legislature & the Governor- We had much stationary left behind at Fort Laramie- Every thing that could be left was left there to make room in the waggons for corn for our animals- as preparation for our passage through the deserts. These details may seem dry & statistical- but they are the incidents of our lifeand represent one phase of our existence.

We live in five tents- One a dining room, second a store room of trunks boxes & so forth. & such little provisions as we have- Third a kitchen, in which we are building a chimney- Fourth- a sleeping tent for the young girl- Fifth- a double wall tent divided into parlour & bed chamber- eight feet by 10 each & is the admiss [?] account thereof, I believe. In my parlour I have a carpet made of a grey blanket- in the centre is a little rug- A settee, covered with charts, fills one side & a long, but narrow table with two little shelves of books upon it, fills the opposite side- one chair stands in the centre- I have also a little stand for a work box & at the side of the entrance is a tiny stove- You can hardly imagine how cosy & comfortable it looks. I quite enjoy it-

Alfred uses the dining room tent which is lofty & pretty large as an office & dressing room- It is shaped like an Indian lodge.

Alfred is very well- & though annoyed at being obliged to remain comparatively inactive, yet as he cannot move at presenthe must bear it- otherwise he is well in body and mind-

They have sent for the letters- & I must bid a hurried good bye, without reading over what I have said- Please give my kind regards to Mr. Smith, & kind remembrances to all friends- We get no news or letters from the east- 19th Sept was the last date- We long to hear from all- It is very long since we heard from you-

Always afftly Elizabeth

[The following notation was written in the top margin of the first page of this letter. Bracketed words indicate obliteration on film.]

[Will?] write again by the mail, but send this, as more [likely to?] reach you- The new mail contract was made too low- There is not money to defray the expenses of so many animals as must die in taking it in winter- So they tell me here. I write under difficulties & in great haste-

Love to all friendsyrsister E-

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