Charles E. Griffin Utah War

“On the 14^th of Aug. 1857 I was in the City and received notice to be at the Tithing Office that night armed and equipped for a campaign. I did not enquire where. I returned home, saddled my horse, took my gun and blankets, that being all the arms I then had, and returned to the City where I found the company assembled. We camped there that night and the next morning, the 15^th of August 1857, we started East.”

The tensions between the Mormons and the outside world had been slowly building up. In response the leadership of the Nauvoo Legion had issued ORDERS to all of the counties in the Territory to increase their military preparedness. Word of Johnson’s Army leaving Fort Leavenworth, Kansas reached the Salt Lake Valley on July 24^th. On August 15^th the ORDER sending Charles E, Griffin and his fellow soldiers East to face the oncoming Federal Army was issued. A unit in Provo received a similar ORDER.

Charles wrote that he left home with a single “gun”. However weapons and SUPPLIES were quickly forwarded to the Cavalry units manning the front lines. The most sought after weapon for the cavalry units was the COLT DRAGOON six shot, cap and ball pistol. Charles was to carry such a weapon during much of his military service.

As the situation became more intense MARTIAL LAW was imposed throughout the Territory.

One of the interesting aspects of the Utah War was the correspondence between Col. Alexander, the Federal Commander, for much of the campaign and Brigham Young. In these LETTERS each stakes out their opposing point of view.

The Life Guards made a rapid trip from the Salt lake Valley to the area near Devils Gate. One of the first major milestones was crossing the ridge before dropping down into the Bridger Valley. From the TOP OF THE RIDGE the view is toward Fort Supply a view Charles would have taken many times before the campaign was over. All that remains of Fort Supply is a beautiful MEADOW.

As the Life Guards retreated before the oncoming Federal Army they would have made many crossings of the Sweetwater River like the one named 6^TH CROSSING.

SOUTH PASS was the single most significant point on any crossing of the Oregon Trail. Just after crossing South Pass you find PACIFIC SPRINGS the sight of the first major confrontation between the opposing forces.

As the Life Guards retreated across Wyoming they did everything they could to deny the Federal Army the resources the land had to offer to support the men and their animals. One of their last acts was to burn FORT BRIDGER with its tall rock walls in order to deny its use to the Federal Army.

Unable to make it into the Salt Lake valley that year the Federal Army was force to go into winter quarters at FORT SCOTT just south of Fort Bridger.

The records for the Utah War were kept separately from the rest of the military archives. Here are a few surviving MUSTER ROLLS from the Life Guards. By the end of the campaign Robert T. Burton was commanding some 300 men.