John Stevens' Courtship: A Story of the Echo Canyon WarGates, Susa Young
General
John Stevens' Courtship: A Story of the Echo Canyon War
Gates, Susa Young
Latter Day Saints -- Fiction; Utah Expedition (1857-1858) -- Fiction
"I fear," said Governor Powell, reflectively, as they retraced
their way sadly through the silent echoing streets to one of the
few inhabited houses in the city, the hotel on Main Street, "I fear
that the messenger was right. I had occasion to doubt the rashness
of General Johnston's temper before we left the camp. Yet, I hope, I
hope it is not true. I am loath to see the blood of good men shed for
naught. But what a strangely dramatic people! They sing their defiance
instead of announcing it."
There was another council held the next day; messengers were sent from
both the Peace Commission and Governor Cumming to Camp Scott, and at
length the whole matter was patched up, and the Commissioners were
permitted to have their way. But meanwhile Brigham Young, with all his
associates, had fled once more to the South and the deserted streets
of the city were pressed only by the feet of the few and scattered
non-"Mormons" who had chosen to remain through all these troubles
within the borders of the unhappy Territory.
XVIII.
THE ARMY ENTERS THE VALLEY
The armies of the United States were to enter the valleys of Utah.
President Buchanan had said they must, the Peace Commission and
Governor Cumming said they ought, and Brigham Young said they might.
On the twenty-sixth day of June, 1858, at daybreak, the advance column
of the army began its march through the streets of Great Salt Lake City.
The soldiers, whose eyes had for so many months rested on desolation,
looked down from the mouth of Emigration Canyon with a pleased surprise
on all the goodly evidences of civilization about them. Houses, with
blinking windows and comfortable porches; wide streets, flanked on
either side with running streams of clear, cold, canyon water, over
whose rippling surface drooped in graceful lines the native cottonwood,
which had been dug from the neighboring canyon streams and planted
along every water-course to furnish shade and rest for man and beast;
commodious homes, barns, fences and outbuildings gave this unique
city a look of mingled rural simplicity and urban attractiveness.
The huge blocks were laid out in large lots, whereon sat with sturdy
independence each snug house, its surrounding fruit and vegetable
plantations fenced in with poles or cobbles, thus forming a generous
combination of orchard and kitchen garden.
The soldiers were not more curious nor more deeply impressed with the
queer appearance of this well-built yet deserted city than were the
officers, who rode here and there inspecting their various divisions.
Colonel St. George Cooke, who had been in service with the "Mormon"
Battalion in Lower California, rode through the city with bared head
and gloomy eye, as a silent evidence of a respect and sympathy which
did his head no less honor than his heart.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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