Sarah Ann Ivie. Born 1829, Bedford County, Tennessee., d 27 June, 1890, Scipio, Utah

Married: William Dayton, 5 September 1845, Monroe County, MO

James Pettyjohn Hirons, 25 February 1850, Provo, Utah

Henry M McArthur, 5 March 1860 at Mt Pleasant, UT.

Sarah had at least 9 children of whom 7 reached adulthood. All three husbands served in the Mormon Battalion. James P Hirons was born 15 July 1819, Highland, Ohio. McArthur was born 21 February 1829, died 5 March 1896. Dayton was killed in a canon accident in 1849.

Henry M McArthur

LIFE OF SARAH A. McARTHUR

by Dora Bradfield and Ida L. Robins

I do not know the details of my mother's early life, except she was born in Shellyville, Bedford County, Tenn. On April 3, 1829, a daughter of James Russell Ivie and Eliza McKee Fausett.

While still a young girl her family joined the Mormon Church Colony at Nauvoo. I am unable to say how long she lived there but I know she was among the Mormons who were driven out of Nauvoo and emigrated unto Jackson Co. Missouri. During this time she married a non-Mormon, William A. Dayton, 5 Sept 1845, a man who cast his lot with the Mormons because of his devotion to his mother. Their first child Eliza was born 16 Mar 1847, at Council Bluffs, Iowa

They crossed the plains with the second Brigham Young Company in 1848 and settled in Salt Lake City.

Their second daughter, Nancy was born 21 Feb 1849. But their joy over the arrival of Nancy was saddened when three days later on the 23rd their little daughter Eliza became ill and died.

In March 1849, John S. Higbee, who had accompanied Parley P. Pratt on his tour of exploration, was called to form a settlement on Provo River in Utah Valley. Thirty families answered the call. Sarah and William with their family, the Ivies arrived March 12th. On Sept. 1st, a deplorable accident occurred at Fort Utah. A hatful of powder, had been secured from some emigrants. Lieutenant William Dayton, who had some knowledge of cannons assisted by George W. Bean, gave a demonstration of the use of cannons on the bastion. The cannon had been fire and was being reloaded, but the gunner had failed to swab out the bore and insure against danger from remaining sparks. Suddenly as the charge was being rammed home, there was a terrible explosion and the men were hurled from the bastion nearly half way to the gate. William was literally blown to pieces. George Bean lost his arm, but recovered to health again.

It was a shock to Sarah losing her husband so soon after losing their little three year old daughter.

After three years of mourning she remarried to James P. Hirons. She and her second husband were married in Salt Lake Endowment House and moved to New Harmony where two children were born, Sarah Mellissa, July 25,1851 and James F. Sept 9, 1856. Later they went to San Bernardino with the Saints who had gone there to settle that territory and make a place of embarkation for the missionaries who were leaving for the islands and to build a post for commercial enterprise as well. But when word came out from the Prophet for all to leave California and return to Utah, Sarah sent word to her father to come get her and her three children. It seemed James Hirons had turned his back on the church and it's teachings and sought only to make a lot of money which he did through gambling. Because of cruelty caused by his drinking, mother was forced to leave Hirons and obtain a divorce.

James Ivie, Her brother and another man went for her and brought her home to her folks, who were living in Ephraim. They later moved to Mount Pleasant where she met father, Henry McArthur, when he moved to Mt. Pleasant from Battle Creek, which we know as Pleasant Grove (sic).

Henry McArthur had been a member of the Mormon Battalion and it was when he was released that he met Sarah. They married 5 Mar 1860, in Mt Pleasant where they made their home for 5 or 6 years. While living here three children were born to them. Sarah's family and her brother left for Scipio when they received a call to go help colonize Scipio, Utah then Round Valley. A few years later they wanted Sarah and her husband to follow them and join them.

The day they left Henry McArthur carried his little daughter Susan Isadora out to the wagon, where all their worldly possessions were loaded.

They built a log cabin on the corner where Morrel and Ida now live (190 S. Main). Later 2 more log rooms were added. They were the only family that didn't move into the fort. Henry always said the Indians knew him and wouldn't hurt him and his family.

Henry McArthur

Four more children were born, Ida, Will and 2 who died.

Mother has often told me the story of the most horrible affair she ever witnessed. She stood on her milk cellar (sic) and watched while Indians killed her father James Russell Ivie in a pond field. The settlers recovered the body after dark, as they were afraid the Indians would see them and go after them in the day. Also the same day a Wright boy was killed by the creek while herding cows. This happened June 10, 1866. After Mother's brother Jim Ivie, sent a warning to the Indians, that he would kill the first Indian that came into town.

He made good on his promise by shooting Chief Panaccara, who came to town defying the warning. Panaccara was a friendly Indian and for this act Jim was excommunicated from the church. Also my father, because he thought Jim was justified in killing the Indian Chief. Father was later forgiven by Brigham Young and others and was baptized. Jim Ivie was given the same opportunity but he refused.

Even after this terrible ordeal mother never refused to feed or befriend Indians. One Indian told mother how he came one night as she was ironing, with intent to kill her but had left her unharmed as she had always been good

to them.

Their children went to school in the fort at first, then to school at mom Martin's one room school house. The children set along the wall on wooden a bench. There was shelf above where school mom's few precious dishes were stored. The bigger boys often bumped their heads if they raised their heads straight when leaving for dinner or recess. They got a real reprimanding from school mom Martin. After the children left at noon, school mom Martin would prepare dinner for her husband and family and then have everything cleared away when it was time to start school in the afternoon.

Mother passed to the great beyond on June 27, 1890. Although she had been a great sufferer for 18 years, her passing was mourned because of her willingness to do, not only for her but also for many others. Her constant advice to her children was always, "Be good to the Indians, and never turn a hungry person from your door."

Henry was Dr. Veterinarian and dentist for the community. Although some of the practices there would not be recommended now, they did the best they could. Dyptheria broke out and several children died. McArthur went the rounds each day and swabbed out each victims throat with a feather dipped in a bottle of hum bag oil. Her daughter Susan had typhoid when she was fifteen for such a long time and nearly died. She looked so awful that when anyone came to the door she would cover her face with a cloth so they couldn't see her. She went to St. George with Daniel McArthur until she regained her health. She was among the first to receive her endowment Feb. 15, 1877. The St. George temple had been dedicated Jan. 1, 1877.

The story is told of one May day when the whole community went for an outing down to the Sevier River bridge. They caught fish and fried them over the camp fire in their bake skillet. Everyone was having a big time when someone yelled that three boys were drowning. . They had got into a sink hole just below the bridge. Sarah's husband came running, unbuttoned his vest on the run, put his pipe in his mouth and then went in after them. First he brought out Bill Memmott (Zella Martin's father), the second boy was Murray's brother, and third was Tom Strange, John's brother. He was black and had stopped breathing but McArthur gave him first aid and soon he was breathing again. Everyone said he saved their lives.

Sarah's family was the first to have a sewing machine in Scipio and the girls did sewing for other women in the ward. They also had two old heavy flat irons and Delcina Thompson's mother had one so they arranged to both do their families ironing together one evening a week. They carried two irons to Lorinda Thompson's house one

week and the next week to the McArthur's home. They would set the

irons on the hearth front of the fire place to heat with their faces to the

heat.

When the United order was started the cows from the community were taken to the Dairy Knoll about Scipio Reservoir. Here the cows were pastured and milked by the men and boys of the community and the milk was made into butter and the cheese by the women and girls and each taking there turn to cook for the men. They would set a long table at noon, the men at one end and the boys at the other end. The food started at the men's end of the table and after the boys sometimes didn't get all they wanted and needed. The system was soon done away with. Henry McArthur died 1896.

---------------------------

William Dayton

"A tragedy occured on August 30, when William Dayton, who had some knowledge of cannons, and assisted by George W. Bean, attempted to give a demonstration of the use of the cannon. The gun had been fired once, but on reloading, "the gunners failed to swab out the bore to insure against the danger of remaining sparks. Suddenly, as the charge was being rammed, there was an explosion, and the men were hurled from the bastion nearly halfway to the gate. Dayton was killed and Bean seriously wounded.

As there was no physician or surgeon in the colony, it became necessary to send for one. Hout Conover started out at 8 o'clock in the evening, soon after the accident occured, and by hard riding and changing horses on the way, succeeded in bringing Dr. Blake from Centerville to the fort by 4 o'clock the next day. He had ridden 120 miles over rough roads in twenty hours—Bean's wounds were dressed and his left forearm amputated between the wrist and the elbow. "

Dayton was the first husand of Sarah Ann Ivie. They had been married a few years previously in Monroe county, Missouri by Mark Twain's uncle. Although Dayton is said not to have been a Mormon himself, he agreed to migrate to Utah with the Ivie family, and even served in the Mormon Battalion. Their second daughter, Nancy was born 21 Feb 1849 in Salt Lake City, but tragically, just three days later their little daughter Eliza became ill and died. The shock of losing her husband so soon after must have been devestating to Sarah Ann

------------------------------------------------

Henry McArthur

!Patriarchal blessing by John Young in Pleasant Grove 30 Jan 1857. Record

volume 26 pp 263. This shows he was born in Hartland, New York. Baptized Aug 1844 by Duncan McArther. Record 1 c seventies pp 345 66 Quorum. Ordained 21 Nov 1862

by David Candland. Rebaptized 24 Dec 1868, Scipio ward records. Another rebaptism 22 Sep 1877.

Henry Was a private in Co.D of the Morman Battallion.

Elder Nauvoo Temple Endowments 1845-46

----------------------------------------

James P Hirons

compiled by Len Evans

James P Hirons was the second husband of Sarah Ann Ivie. They were married 25 February 1850, Provo, Utah, and had two children Sarah Mellissa Hirons, born 25 Jul 1851, James F Hirons, born 9 Sept 1856. The family was living in San Bernardino, California, where Hirons is reported to have become a drunk and a gambler and refused to return to Utah when the Mormon colony was abandoned there in 1859. The last that is known of Hirons is his application for a Mexican War pension in 1883.

Hirons was a member of the Pueblo Detachment

The Pueblo Detachment and the Mississippi Immigrants.

Norma B Rickets

In April 1846 Brigham Young called John Brown to lead church members living in Monroe County, Mississippi, west. They were to take a diagonal southern route from northeast Mississippi to the Platte River and rendezvous there with the Nauvoo Saints. There were fourteen families and several single men in this group of 43 adults (24 men, 19 women) and an unknown number of children. Brown selected five men to go with him to assist the families. They left April 8, 1846. When this group reached Independence, Missouri, they were joined by the Crow family, consisting of 17 adults and children. With this addition the Brown company totaled 60 adults.

By mid June Brown and his company were at the Platte River where they waited two weeks for the Nauvoo Mormons. When no one arrived they continued traveling on the Oregon Trail towards Fort Laramie until they learned there were no Mormons ahead. They were advised by a trader to go to Fort Pueblo, Colorado, for the winter. Fort Pueblo was in a sheltered valley; trappers residing there had corn; other food and supplies could be obtained from nearby Bent's Fort. John Brown and his group arrived in Pueblo August 7, 1846. They immediately began building log cabins and planting crops. Absalom P. Dowdle was appointed presiding elder of the Pueblo branch.

On September 1, 1846, after helping the families get settled, John Brown and his assistants left Colorado to return to their families in Mississippi. On September 12 these men on their eastward journey met the Mormon Battalion traveling west and told the soldiers about the branch of the Mormon Church in Pueblo. Brown's group continued east and reached their families in Mississippi October 29, 1846.

Meanwhile, as the Mormon Battalion continued west along the Arkansas River, Lieutenant A. J. Smith, temporary battalion commander, decided to send the women, their husbands, and children back to Pueblo. The chance meeting with John Brown had provided him with an answer of what to do with the women and children. This first detachment, known as the Higgins Family Detachment (Arkansas Detachment), consisted of 11 men, 9 women and 33 children under Captain Nelson Higgins. They left the battalion on September 18 and arrived in Pueblo in early October, 1846.

When Philip St. George Cooke assumed command of the battalion in Santa Fe, he thought there were too many women, children, and sick soldiers and decided to send a second detachment to Pueblo. This group left Santa Fe October 18 under James Brown, captain. They arrived in Pueblo November 17 with 92 men, 19 women and 10 children. This was the Brown Sick Detachment (Santa Fe Detachment). James Hirons and wife were part of the Brown Sick Detachment a William Walker of Co B was also listed with note# Did not go west.

Colonel Cooke sent Lieutenant William W. Willis with the last detachment at the Rio Grande River November 10. They arrived in Pueblo December 20, 1846. There were 56 men and one woman in the Willis Sick Detachment (Rio Grande Detachment).

Altogether there were 159 men, 29 women, and 43 children in the three detachments. The names of these men are known from military rolls, journals, family histories, and from the mustering-out roll. Fifteen soldiers died en route to Pueblo or during the winter.

This Mississippi-battalion contingent (about 300 men, women and children) spent the winter in Pueblo. The soldiers built additional cabins plus a larger building for church and social purposes. A few men worked for the trappers, while others found employment at Bent's Fort. As spring approached the Crow family grew impatient and decided to start west without waiting for the others. Because of this early start the Crows were waiting at Fort Laramie when Young and the Pioneer Company arrived June 1 and traveled with them on the last part of the journey for the historic 1847 entrance into the valley.

Although their period of service was up, there was no one to discharge them. They believed they had to go to California to be discharged and receive their mustering-out pay.

On July 28 they had their first view of Salt Lake Valley. Abner Blackburn and several others climbed a mountain crest and were impressed by "the grandest view that ever mortal beheld, the air was clear and perfect for a great view, the great Salt Lake glistening under the sun's rays, range after range of mountains in every direction, the great desert to the west and Utah lake to the south east and the mountains beyond. A more sublime view was seldom seen from a mountain top."

On July 29, 1847, President Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, George Albert Smith, Amasa Lyman, Wilford Woodruff, Ezra T. Benson and five other authorities rode on horseback to the mouth of Emigration Canyon, where they met the incoming Pueblo colonists. A violent thunderstorm prevented a grand welcome, but a fife and drum corps greeted the new arrivals. Thomas Bullock described the formation: "Council & Officers first, Infantry next with Martial Music, then followed the Cavalry—with baggage wagons bringing up the rear."

Captain Brown led 29 wagons filled with soldiers, their families, and Mississippi Saints to a campsite about one half mile north of the temple lot. The next morning, July 30, Brigham Young and the Council of Twelve Apostles met with the battalion officers and told them, "Your going into the army has saved the lives of thousands of people."

Since their enlistment period had expired, Brigham Young and the church authorities decided to disband the three detachments and not have them continue to California for severance pay as originally planned. That evening in a general meeting for the Saints Brigham Young spoke until he was hoarse. He expressed a warm feeling toward the soldiers and requested that the men build a bowery on the temple lot so they could hold their meetings in the shade.

On July 31 Brigham Young assumed command and assigned the soldiers to gather brush for the bowery. They built a comfortable shelter forty by twenty-eight feet in size. During that week the soldiers continued to work under church direction, cultivating the soil and making adobe bricks for both living quarters and the fort. The addition of the men from Pueblo greatly aided in the heavy work in the valley during those early months. ( rickets -Crossroads

Norma B. Ricketts is an LDS writer specializing in the history of Mormons in California during the period 1844-1860. A former newspaper columnist, she has written books and articles for three decades. Her latest work, The Mormon Battalion, U.S. Army of the West, 1846-1848, is a definitive prize-winning work on the battalion. She currently is revising the fourth edition of Mormons and the Discovery of Gold (first published in 1963) for California's sesquicentennial in 1998. Her address is 6209 East McKellips Road, #216, Mesa, Arizona 85215-2846

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Sunday November 14 - Saturday, November 20, 1847

By David R. Crockett (crockett@ldsworld.com)

Great Salt Lake City, Utah

Among the duties of the High Council at that time was to judge divorce cases. Battalion member James R. Hirons and his wife, Mary Ann Jameson Hirons had separated. They had spent the previous winter at Pueblo with the sick detachment. Sister Hirons' father, Charles Jameson presented a petition to the High Council to decide on the disposition of the property. After hearing testimony, Charles C. Rich said: "My decision is: give the woman half the blankets and the cow and let Hirons see that she is supplied with breadstuffs until after harvest." City marshal, John Van Cott, was ordered to see that the decision was carried out because James R. Hirons was about to leave for California.

On Monday, the High Council discussed sending an expedition to California. Asahel A. Lathrop, Orrin Porter Rockwell, and Elijah K. Fuller were appointed to go to California, to purchase goods for the Saints. They were each given a blessing for their mission. This group would travel with battalion soldiers, including Jefferson Hunt. The expedition consisted of eighteen men. The brethren took instructions to the battalion members still in California: "We counsel all of you not to re-enlist as soldiers . . . But as fast as you are liberated from your previous engagements, and as you circumstances will permit repair to this place, bring with you all you can of things that will be of value." Part of the company left on Wednesday, the rest of them left on Thursday.

James P Hirons as member of the Hunt Expedition to California

from Schindler, Harold. Orrin Porter Rockwell:man of God, son of Thunder (Univ of Utah Press, SLC 1966)

Jefferson Hunt, a lean, stern-faced Kentuckian, was a captain in the Mormon Battalion, recently from California. When Hunt rode into Great Salt Lake City from Sutler's Fort in October, he looked at the bleak array of adobe huts comprising the "fort" and, like Sam Brannan before him, mentally compared the scene with the lovely country he had left behind. But more than that, Hunt was troubled by the obvious lack of food supplies in the valley. Wagon after wagon would be pouring through Emigration Canyon within weeks and by spring the population would reach an estimated two thousand persons, yet provisions were dwindling at an alarming rate. Unless livestock, seed, grape cuttings, and grain were brought into the valley, the Mormons faced bitter privation.6 Hunt (p175) approached the High Council to offer a possible solution. He suggested that he be permitted to lead a small company of picked men to California, there to purchase whatever the church needed. Since winter snows would prohibit travel by the northern route through the Sierra Nevada, Hunt recommended that the party explore a southern route to the Pacific. His enthusiasm for the venture made a favorable impression on the council. The Spaniards were known to have cut a trail in the area in 1776; then too, Fremont had come north by this route in 1844.

After careful consideration the council agreed to Hunt's plan and on November 15 announced that Asahel A. Lathrop, Orrin Porter Rockwell, and Elijah K. Fuller would make the journey as emissaries of the church to purchase "cows, mules, mares, wheat and seeds" at their discretion. Lathrop was to be the expedition's religious leader; Hunt would be in temporal command, with Rockwell's duties confined to scouting and hunting. The remainder of the party included Fliller, William Peacock, Joseph M. Davis, Eli Harvey Pierce, Thurston Larson, James Hirons, Jake Workman, Jackson Workman, James Shaw, John Y. Greene, Elias F. Pearson, William B. Gomogg, Jefferson Hunt's sons, Gilbert and John, and his adopted son. Peter Nease.

An epistle to the Saints in California was composed under the council's direction and placed in Lathrop's keeping; portions pertinent to the exploration read as follows:

It seemeth good to us to write you a few words of council and advice by our trusty and confidential brethren, Asahel A. Lathrop, Orrin P. Rockwell and Elijah K. Fuller, who in company with others are going to California this winter to obtain seeds and animals to bring to this, our city . . .

You will be advised and counseled by our confidential brothers, Asahel A. Lathrop, Orrin P. Rockwell, and Elijah K. Fuller, whom we hereby authorize and fully empower as our representatives to trade and make all contracts in our behalf, and in behalf of this people for our mutual benefit and prosperity . . .

We counsel all of you not to re-enlist as soldiers . . . But as fast as you are liberated from your previous engagements, and as your circumstances will permit repair to this place, bring with you all you can of things that will be of value.8 (p176)

The reference to re-enlisting held a special significance for Hunt. When he had been mustered out in August, government officials, pleased with the exemplary service of the Mormon Battalion, sent a message to Brigham Young through Hunt asking the Mormon leader to supply another military unit as a garrison for Los Angeles — this was the council's answer to the request. Rockwell was also charged with a task incidental to the journey; to bring back whatever mail awaited the Saints in California.

Pleasant weather prevailed on the morning of November 18 as the party mounted and rode out of Great Salt Lake City. By week's end they had passed Mountain Meadows and descended the Santa Clara and Virgin rivers into present Nevada. In planning the expedition, Hunt estimated the journey would take a month and carried supplies sufficient for that period. But when the provisions were exhausted, two hundred long miles still stretched between the Mormons and their destination. None of the eighteen in the party is known to have kept a journal of that eventful exploration, but in 1905 John Hunt recalled the adventure he had experienced as a boy of fourteen.p "We found the directions very hard to follow, and lost the trail so often, and spent so much time hunting it again, that we finally ran out of provisions before we had reached the vicinity of Las Vegas," John Hunt related. Despite Rockwell's prowess as a scout and tracker and Jefferson Hunt's experience in the desert, the party was faced with a clear choice — eat its horses or starve.

Three of the animals were butchered and consumed by the desperate company; "the first we killed at Mountain Spring, just beyond Vegas, the next at Amargose springs, and the final one near the Mojave river." Two of the mounts belonged to Greene, the third to Cornogg. When the eighteen had left Great Salt Lake City it was with a saddle horse each and twenty pack animals; now, near present Barstow, the Mormons realized they could go no farther without aid. Weak and exhausted, Rockwell went in search of game while two volunteers, Shaw and Cornogg, took the best horses and struck out ahead. John Hunt remembered, "They sent a Mexican to us with beef and fresh mounts, and we moved on again, arriving at the Chino ranch after forty-five days on the trail." (p177)

Rancho Santa Ana del Chino,l0 a sprawling layout near San Bernardino owned by Isaac Williams, seemed like heaven to the half-starved Mormons as they stumbled out of the mountains on Christmas Eve, 1847. The two youngsters, John Hunt and Peter Nease, were able to walk only by holding onto mules' tails for support.rl On sighting the rancho they dropped in their tracks and cried. Williams turned his house over to the little company until they had regained their strength. He furnished them with milk and flour for some six weeks.

When recovered from his ordeal, Lathrop purchased two hundred cows for six dollars a head, pack mules, mares, and forty bulls. Williams had offered to provide "all the bulls you can drive off" without charge. Lathrop was confident the mission was a success. But here on the sunny southern rancho something occurred between Hunt and Rockwell. Exactly what the friction was or what caused it is lost to history, but in the end Rockwell refused to return in Hunt's company. The two men may have argued about the wisdom of driving cattle across the route they had just traveled; Rockwell more than likely advised against taking a herd over the forbidding southern trail. Whatever the reason, Hunt started the company back on February 14, 1848, reaching Great Salt Lake City three months later. All but one bull had perished from thirst, half the cattle had died on the drive, and the party had constantly been plagued by Indians.l2 (178)

6 The "Second Company" of 1847 was supposed to bring provisions enough for the first year. Hunt's concern had longer range objectives.

7 Adopted by acclamation of the pioneers during the August 22 meeting. 8 Journal History, November 16, 1847.

9 Hunt described the trip in an article for the Deseret News, October 7, 1905, p. 27.

10 For further description of this famous emigrant stopping place, see Annual Publications of the Historical Society of Southern California (Los Angeles, 1934), Vol.

XVI, p. 1-5.

1 I Deseret News, October 7, 1905, p. 27. 12 I bid.

Hiron's as Indian Fighter

from

BEING THE

OF THE NOTORIOUS

Written by Himself, with Explanatory Notes by

J. H. BEADLE, ESQ.,

of Salt Lake City.

----------

----------

--1904 EDITION--

CHAPTER III.

FROM 1850 TO 1854.

FIRST YEAR IN UTAH--FIRST INDIAN WAR--LIEUT. J W. GUNNISON--A SERIOUS DEFEAT-BETTER COUNSELS--A VICTORY--A BRAVE MILITIA OFFICER( ?)--A BATTLE ON THE ICE--MASSACRE OF INDIANS--TAKING THE HEAD OF BIG ELK--

After arriving in Salt Lake, I stopped a few days with one of my friends, then located the place ten miles south of the city, where I lived until five years ago. I went to work, and worked hard until in the winter.

At this time there was only two settlements in the valley south; the first was on American Fork, a stream some two or three rods wide, emptying into Utah Lake. The next was a settlement on Provo River, fifteen miles further south, some three miles from Utah Lake. This river was claimed by a strong band of Indians. These Utah Indians went by different names, such as Timpa-Utes, Pi-Utes, Yampa-Utes and Gosh-Utes, each having its Chief, fishing and hunting grounds, &c., which they claimed as their own; but in reality they were all the same tribe, spoke the same language, and would hunt and fish on each other's lands, as a general thing, unmolested. Sometimes these different bands would have difficulty; but in war with the whites they were all united.

This Provo band was considered very brave, having held that river for a long time. The Mormons got permission of them to settle there, and made them presents, and they were glad to have them come and raise grain. They petted and humored the Indians too much, and this winter they began to do as they pleased. They first commenced stealing their horses and cattle, and seeing they were not chastised for it, would take cattle or anything they wanted, and deliberately drive it off at any time, saying to the people, "You are all petticoats, and won't fight." This continued until in February, when they commenced shooting at the people if they tried to hinder them from taking anything they wanted.

The people called for help from Salt Lake, and one hundred and fifty men were soon raised under charge of George Grant, to go and give them a clearing out. Among this company was Capt. W. H. Kimball, Adjutant Gen. Ferguson and the lamented Captain Gunnison, who was wintering in Salt Lake, with a Government party of topographical engineers under Colonel Stansbury. This military clever gentleman volunteered his services, and went with us. So did the Surgeon of that United States party, and a few others. The Captain was never behind, always showing skill and bravery. I became very much attached to him, and he was well liked by all as far as I knew. About 9 p. m. we got to the settlement at Provo, which was two or three miles west of where the city of Provo now is. I was sent ahead in charge of the advance guard.

All was quiet, and we got through their half fortified place without the Indians knowing of us, and made the necessary arrangements for quarters, forage and supper. I was sent for, and found a council of war was called, the object of which was to fix the modus operandi of an attack on the Indians the next morning, which were about three miles above us on the river, in thick brash and heavy cottonwood timber. Officers were appointed, and companies formed, all satisfactory, and then a display of talent from the new and highminded officers ensued.

The canteen passed around frequently, which inspired their minds, and made assurance of an early victory next morning. I was silent till Colonel Grant turned to me and said, "Well, Captain Bill, what have you got to say? I have not heard a word from you."

I told him I did not like any of their plans. I reasoned on the Indian mode of fighting, that they would resort to all sorts of stratagem and advantage, and in that light we should look at them, and against such movements lay our plans, which I had not heard proposed by any of his staff. I made a few more suggestions and stopped. The canteen passed again, and when it came my turn the Colonel said: "Bill, take a good one; you must be down at the heel." I drank a success for the morrow, after which the Colonel arose, gave orders that the cannon which we had taken with us, should be placed above on the south side of the river, that two small companies should be placed on the north side above and one below, and I should make a selection of twenty horsemen, with good horses, sabres and pistols; that those companies north, east and west, should charge on the camp (now this camp was supposed to contain one hundred warriors), and drive them out into fair ground, where I could, with my company, charge upon and chop them up.

I went to my quarters, studying whether it was the want of brains or too much canteen that had caused such plans. But, thought I to myself, if it suits you I am satisfied.

All set and off in the morning as per order. One of my men asked me as we were going to the field of battle, what I thought of their running the Indians out of the brush for us to kill. I told him I would agree to eat all the Indians we got a chance to kill that day. All reached their posts about nine o'clock. The sound of musketry was heard, and the roar of cannon, which was kept up all day. Occasionally we would see them packing off a dead or wounded man, but no Indians for us. The sun was about an hour and a half high, when I made a rush with my company of cavalry within a hundred yards of the Indian camp without orders, fired into them, wheeled and left for our place. Several balls whistled amongst us, but nobody was hurt.

Soon after this the bugle sounded a retreat, and the Indians set up such a yell of victory that one would think ten thousand devils had been turned loose. We went back to our quarters. Officers and men looked sad. Some of our men were killed, and some wounded. Supper being over, I was sent for again. I went in and looked around, but did not see a big feeling man amongst them. I felt rather tickled to see the contrast between that and the night before.

After talking over all that had transpired that day, I was the first one asked to say what should be done the next day. I told them that my plan of strategy and surprise would not work now, as the Indians knew we meant fight in earnest; that I saw no other way than to select the best Captains, and let them pick their companies, and take the brush, crawl up within gun shot, and play upon them, while the Colonel would be where he could see what was going on, and at any time in the afternoon that he thought fit, sound a charge on which a general rush was to be made to wind up the fight.

My plan was adopted without any opposition, and I was chosen for one of those brush Captains, and placed on the north, where the hottest fire had come from the day before. I got my men within eighty yards of their camp without being seen, and poured a volley of shot in amongst them, which made a great scattering and hiding. We got under cover of brush and banks, and whenever an Indian showed himself we would turn loose onhim. In this position we lay all day, in snow fifteen inches deep, but I never heard a man complain of being cold. The companies played upon them above and below. Capt. Kimball from in front, or rather from the south, made a rush to take a log house within gun shot of them, in which he had his horse shot dead under him. Kimball was both brave and venturesome.

Captain Conover, who had charge of the Company above me in the afternoon, laughingly asked me if my men were all there; I told him I thought so. He said I must be mistaken, and asked me if I had had any killed. I told him no; upon which he said: "One of your men is dead, the one that wore that tall hat." I looked around, and that one was gone. The Captain laughed again, saying: "He is dead. When I saw you bringing your men into position. I saw him stop about one hundred yards behind in a bunch of brush. The Indians saw him, and commenced shooting at him, when he left and ran close to me. I called to him to stop, but could not get him to halt, and saw him jump through the fork of a tree twelve feet high, and know he broke his neck before he stopped." Poor fellow; he luckily escaped, and was as brave a man as I had at the supper table.

This brave soldier is now one of the Colonels of the Utah militia, and expects to whip the United States when Brigham gives the word. Such men should be greatly feared, lest they get scared, and sure enough break their necks.

There was no charge sounded, but we knew we had done good execution that day. The Indians made a lamentable yell until the bugle sounded a retreat, then all was still. No shouts of victory or Indian yells were heard that evening. All went to quarters. Two days of fighting, and that breakfast spell of Indians not wiped out yet.

The next day was Sunday, and fighting was suspended. In the afternoon the Colonel took some fifty men, me with them, to ride around the Indian camp, and see how things looked. After some time I was satisfied there were no Indians there. I told the Colonel so, and urged him to make a charge on the camp, as there was plenty of us to use them up anyhow. He was not in favor of it. I fell behind, and when a good opportunity offered, made a dash through their camp; saw some children and some wounded; rode around quickly and out again, and called to the Colonel. He said they might be in ambush. Then James Hirons, as brave a man as I ever was with, came to me, and we dashed in again, and around, and then called to the company, who rushed in and found the Indians were gone.

The dead and wounded lay thick, only half-a-dozen sick children were left. Everything was burned, and we took with us the children, who were well taken care of. The next day we found the remainder had gone to the mountains, the snow being very deep there. We placed a guard at the mouth of the cañon, and went in search of other portions of the tribe in the south end of the valley. I was sent with a party of six to spy out the situation of the Indians on Spanish Fork, twelve miles south. We found the Indians encamped in the brush on the creek, and fifty or sixty head of horses feeding on fair ground close by. On our arrival in sight some of the Indians rushed out and drove their horses into the brush. On our return conversation was about the number of Indians we had seen. Some said thirty, some forty, and some sixty. I was riding with Captain Carus, a fine, clever old Dutchman. "ell," said he, "Villiam, how many do you say we saw." I told him twelve, for I had counted them; I mention this to show you how things multiply to persons when fear and excitement have possession of the inexperienced, such as these.

On the next day we marched for them, but on search, found a trail where they had left for the Utah Lake, some twelve or fifteen miles west. While searching I accidently spied an Indian in the brush, in all probability left as a rear guard. I rushed towards him; he shot two or three arrows at me, and wheeled to run. I shot at him, which made him bound through the brush, tearing off his quiver of arrows, but did not hit him.

Here I must stop and tell a story of my outfitting before leaving Salt Lake. One of the old fathers, sixty-five or seventy years of age, came and brought me his old-fashioned broad sword, asking me if I would accept it on this trip. I told him I would, and thank him, too; upon which the old man said: "May God bless and preserve you, and may I have the pleasure of cleaning it on your return." The Indian was scared by my pursuit, and going through the brush had about one hundred yards of a clear place to pass. I crowded my horse at his full strength through the brush, just keeping in sight of the Indian; but I thought of the request of the old man to clean his sword on my return, so I drew it, and before be got through the open space overtook him and made a heavy back-handed cut on his head. He fell, and I jumped off my horse and ran the sword through him, putting it up without wiping:

We then struck on the Indian trail, found them at dark encamped on the lake near the head. General Daniel H. Wells had just come to us on the Indian trail. He was Commander-in-Chief. He stationed guards around the Indian camp in order to prevent their escape during the night. This was a bitter cold night on the Lake shore--snow on the ground, and the wind blowing a gale. We had had no dinner, had no supper, no blankets, and nothing but sage-brush to make fires, and even that was scarce and small. The body of the men camped or rather stopped below, and took turns pulling this brush which kept them from freezing.

I was placed above on the Lake shore with Lot Smith and John Little, Jr., who would take turns going to the fire, leaving one with me all the time. My orders were to stay until relieved. I walked my post and kept from freezing with much ado.

As soon as it got light I got orders at the sound of the bugle to charge their camp, and strange to say, I was alone when the charge was sounded. I ran up on the beach in order to give me a fair view of what was or would be going on. Firing commenced, and I saw an Indian coming towards me unnoticed by the company. I got behind a bush and waited until he was within eight feet of me, when I shot him dead, ran for the battle, and saw an Indian start on the ice. I ran him some three or four hundred yards, got within fifty steps of him and downed him, returned, and the battle was ended. Fourteen Indians lay almost in a pile.

Some twenty odd were killed in all. General Wells started a party of fourteen of our men up the Lake bench to see if there was any more Indians near by. We had not gone more than two miles when we saw five Indians coming down the Lake shore on horseback, on the edge of the ice, which was about two feet thick, with a little snow on it. They turned back, and we after them. Here was a nice chase, but as usual, only three or four of us had horses fast enough to catch the Indians. I shot the first, Lot Smith the next, and I the next, who came near falling off his horse, but recovered. The savages were shooting back at us with rifles and arrows whenever we got close to them.

Lot was a brave man; whenever he emptied his gun he would get another and pitch in again. These guns were willingly handed him by those cautious fellows behind, and he emptied some half-dozen of them. I had a slide rifle; six shots in a slide, and three slides, making eighteen shots on hand. Lot shot at an Indian whose horse had fell on the ice and broke his gun, but he kept trying to shoot. We halted and gave him six or eight shots before he fell. One Indian alone was on his horse wounded, and I saw Lieut. R. T. Burton make a dash for him. He had a good horse, and I thought it no use to go any further, as Burton would be sure to get him. I watched him and saw him shoot off his pistols at the Indian when two or three hundred yards from him, and turn back. I mounted my horse, a good one, too, and crowded him for the Indian, who by this time was a mile ahead. He left the Lake and started across the bench for the mountains. I dismounted, took good aim at him, and fired; he fell, then rose and climbed over some rocks. I shot at him again, when he left his horse, went up the mountain about a hundred yards and fell dead.

I went to camp, and we had provisions sent to us, which were very acceptable, as we had had nothing to eat since breakfast the day before. We scouted the country a few days and went to Provo to go up the canon and wind up the war. Two companies were sent up the cañon, one under Captain Lameraux, and one under Captain Little. I was sent ahead as a spy with Mr. Hirons, of whom I have already spoken. We proceeded up the cañon some two or three miles, occasionally going up the side of the mountain so we could get a fair view of things ahead. We did not see anything for some time, when all at once we looked below and saw the Indians in a ravine not a hundred yards off. We had reached this place under cover, saw the Indian spies looking down the cañon, and knew from all appearances we had not been seen. "What shall we do?" said Hirons. I answered, "We will give them a shot apiece, and if they don't run, we will." "Pick your man so we won't both shoot at the same Indian," said he. We lay snug behind the rocks; the word was given by him, and we both fired, fetching our men. The Indians broke, and we fired again, but I do not think we hit any, as they were running. We threw ourselves in sight, and waived our handkerchiefs for the companies to come on. As far as we could see the Indians were running up the cañon.

We went down to see the Indians we had shot. Hirons told me I had killed the chief, Big Elk. I took off his head, for I had heard the old mountaineer, Jim Bridger, say he would give a hundred dollars for it. I tied it in his blanket and laid it on a flat-rock; hid his gun and bow and arrows, forty-two number one good arrows, and awaited the arrival of the company. The reason I hid the above named articles was because I had tried to get some arrows or some relic to take home with me, from several of those cautious fellows who were great warriors, but not one could I get; they had all been taken by them to take home to show what victories they had achieved.

The companies soon came up, when we attacked and killed nearly all the Indians. We took about fifty women and children prisoners. When I came to where I had killed the chief, I had to laugh. Those rear fellows who had been in the habit of picking up everything, had untied the blanket that was around the chief's head, but on seeing what it contained left it untied with the head sitting in the middle of it, entirely untouched. I took the head, gun, bow and arrows, mounted my horse, took a pretty spuaw [sic] behind me and a sick pappoose in front, and was off for our quarters.

This wound up the Indian war of '49, so called, although it was in the spring of '50. We took the prisoners to the city, and distributed them among the people. The warriors were all killed but seven or eight, and the next spring all the prisoners that wanted to went to adjoining tribes.