John W. Gunnison's Letters to His Mormon Friend, Albert Carrington

John Williams Gunnison, 1853, in Nolie Mumey, John Williams Gunnison..., 1955.

John W. Gunnison's Letters to His Mormon Friend, Albert Carrington

BY BRIGHAM D. MADSEN

ON MAY 31, 1849, CAPT. HOWARD STANSBURY and his second in command, I st Lt John Williams Gunnison of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, left Fort Leavenworth with a small support party for the new Mormon settlement at Great Salt Lake City. Their chief mission was to explore and survey the valleys of the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake, and the Jordan River After a typical crossing of the Great Plains in company with thousands of California-bound gold rushers, the expedition arrived at Salt Lake City to find Brigham Young and the Mormon leadership apprehensive about the government's intention in sending the army engineers to Utah. Stansbury was able to convince the Mormon prophet of the above-board nature of the survey assignment, especially when the captain hired Young's private secretary, Albert Carrington, as an "assistant on the survey." In a private letter to Amasa Lyman, a Mormon apostle in California, Brigham Young noted that having Carrington along in the Stansbury party "will enable us to know at all times what their movements & discoveries are."1

Then, while Stansbury spent the autumn of 1849 in exploring a new road to Fort Hall and in making a reconnaissance around Great Salt Lake, Gunnison and Carrington directed two crews in a survey of the Jordan River and Utah Lake. The two men very early developed a warm friendship that was to last until Gunnison's untimely death on October 26, 1853. The Stansbury party spent the winter in Salt Lake City which afforded Gunnison the opportunity to gather material about the theology and culture of the Utah Saints that he later incorporated in his book, The Mormons, published in 1852. Albert Carrington was his chief source for the volume, and the two shared a deep interest in subjects concerned with religion.

During the spring and summer of 1850 Stansbury, Gunnison, and Carrington conducted an exploration, survey, and triangulation of the Great Salt Lake that resulted in the first accurate map of the lake and its surroundings as far" south as the south end of Utah Lake. Carrington, although the holder of a diploma from Dartmouth College, had to learn the intricacies of surveying. He accomplished the task so well that Stansbury hired him to return with the expedition to Fort Leavenworth and then go on to Washington, D.C, there to add Gunnison in the preparation of the maps and notes of the survey for the report the captain was to write for the Corps of Topographical Engineers. Carrington supervised the transportation of all the records and instruments of the expedition across the plains and to the nation's capital, which he reached in mid-December 1850. Gunnison and Carrington worked closely together on the report every day in their Washington offices until May 9, 1851, when Carrington left for his home in Salt Lake City, leaving the captain engaged in writing up the project The journals, two maps, letters, and published documents of the Stansbury expedition were compiled and edited by the author of this article and copublished by the University of Utah Press and the Tanner Trust Fund of the University of Utah Library in March 1989.

Although both Gunnison and Carrington had New England backgrounds, the former from Goshen, New Hampshire, and the latter from Royalton, Vermont, the two men's lives had dramnatically diverged. Gunnison graduated with high honors from West Point in 1837 and began his military career as an active participant in the Seminole War in Florida before being transferred to the Corps of Topographical Engineers a year" later. After some survey work in Florida, during which he married Martha A. Deloney on April 15,1841, he was sent to work on projects in the Great Lakes region where he was still engaged when the order came directing him to join the Stansbury expedition.

Albert Carrington chose a different road after completing his work at Dartmouth College in 1834. He taught school and studied law for a while in Pennsylvania; moved then to Wisconsin to engage in lead mining; and married Rhoda Maria Woods in Hamilton, Wisconsin, on December 6, 1838. On July 18, 1841, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, much to the dismay of his mother and other members of his family. Carrington then moved to Nauvoo where he was given some leadership positions in his new faith and embraced polygamy by marrying a second wife, Mary Ann Rock, on January 31, 1846. Winning the confidence of Brigham Young, he was chosen to accompany the party of Mormons to Salt Lake Valley in 1847. He returned to Council Bluffs that fall with Young and brought his families back to the new Salt Lake settlement the following year. From this time on he played a prominent role in Utah affairs.2

Having described the background of the Stansbury expedition of 1849-50 and the amicable relationship that developed between army officer Gunnison and stalwart Mormon Carrington, it is now appropriate to explain a circumstance that gives further insight into the lives of these two individuals. By coincidence, at about the same time as the publication of the book. Exploring the Great Salt Lake, a descendant of Albert Carrington gave to the Marriott Library at the University of Utah an extensive series of letters from and to Carrington covering the years 1847 to 1881. Among them are eight letters from John Williams Gunnison to Albert Carrington, starting with one dated August 8,1851, Washington, D.C, and ending with one written at Manti, Utah, on October 18, 1853, just eight days before Gunnison was killed. The Gunnison letters are significant in providing new information about events in Washington, D.C, that affected Utah as well as additional facts concerning the Stansbury expedition. The eight letters that follow will be given brief introductions and explanatory footnotes where necessary. The two letters from Washington were written while Gunnison was still helping Captain Stansbury complete the official report of the Stansbury expedition.

Washington August 8th 1851

My Dear Carrington

You will see by this that I am back to the old stand and again at our work of mapping and calculation None of the work has gone to engravers yet, of the topog work I mean, but the detail map is about ready— My time at balinarin [?] farm3 passed off quite rapidly & it was with much regret that I was so soon recalled, expecting that you had so finished matters that the one map of our triangulation would have gone at least— but you know how these things are managed & now it shall be off directly— It looks beautifully in the copy, & it ought to do so, you will say, when it has taken so much longer to copy than to project, prepare the data, plot& draw in the first instance—The other map of reconnaissance4 will be a month on the stocks yet& we have nearly all the other Work to prepare for the press—The Capt has been poorly all summer, he thinks you have slighted us in not writing back from the river or some of the forts— We should like much to Know how you get along— and I assure you that I miss my fides Schates [faithful shadow], my old friend in the office and at the table—For one week my quarters have been Mrs. MacPherson's to Keep the Captn in heart during the absence of his family5 who are spending a few days at Fortress Monroe Va He often speaks of you and of having some more information about the valley & the geology I believe on the way back—And he says there must be a paper chapter on what constitutes you in the mountains a peculiar people, & as he will depend much on what I noted down to make it up, I have concluded to write you, so that if there is time & you please to give me a few heads it may assist in placing such remarks in the true light You Know full well my desire to do justice to the character, doctrines and polity of the Mormons—and this will constitute my letter official in asking you to write me whether communicating anything or trusting to our present knowledge—

I found in Mich, quite am excitement on the Spiritual rappings. The Spirits have progressed & make their medicines, write out answers to questions, instead of calling over the Alphabet— sometimes twisting over the hand & having the pencil between the fingers, according (as they say) to the manner in which they cam control the hand the best—I fought them by adopting in full your theory of evil spirits or "Seducing Spirits" as Paul calls them-and I think did a good deal of good in checking the enthusiasm of some who were carried away by the subject We had one on a visit to Rapids while I was there— it would have done me a vast dead of good to have had you there to expose the true character of the witches — —3

I have tried our Lunars at Fort Laramie, they are a little wild, perhaps the means may do-have worked out only two— —

By this time you doubtless have had the satisfaction of meeting with your amiable family7—please to remember me in the kindest terms to them all— I learn that my brother from California, talks of coming to yr City, R I. Delany, if so he will find you out by my directions— I think it better to tell you this than to send a formal letter, of introduction for I know you will do him all the good you can, even to make him a "believer"-at least the latter by showing him the prosperity of the valley.

The weather is hot and close and Washington does not agree with my internal arrangements; boarding is not like one's home where he can regulate his diet I received your note of correction to the odom [odometry] notes at the Rapids—Do write us & tell all about the journey, who you met at the Forts & how old Bridger gets along8—and particularly of our friends in the valley- Remember me most kindly to the Presidency, Genl. Wells, Mr & Mrs Heywood9 and any who should inquire after such a body as myself purports to be-

I remain my dear sir Yrs Sincerely JW Gunnison P. S. Don't forget to tell me how much the Deacon weighs & his little sisters [?]— My love to Miss I am—

J.W.G

Washington March 6th 1852—

My Dear Carrington

Your highly esteemed favors have been received, but two of them were retained here until I came on about one month since. I was glad to hear you got back safely and found your family all well and was pleased to know they remembered me with so much favor.

I have delayed writing, presuming the maul would not go through until April, and have not yet received your promised letter telling about the new Capital10 and Parvan Valley—You had quite a flare up with the Judges it seems and I laugh at their being frightened so easily. Have seen Judge Brocchus once—he complained of your want of feeling on the journey, in not asking him in the mornings "how d'ye do!"—and that you refused to pay him twenty dollars, I think but that you put in a counter charge & brought him in debt—It was but a few minutes confab & that was the amount of it I can't learn that the returned judges are saying or doing anything further than what was done by the Report which you must have seen— Some Senators have asked my opinion about the matter, & I told them it was a matter of moonshine, fright and homesickness, that the Mormons felt their feelings outraged, perhaps by mistaking the language [sic] and replied pretty pointedly. You Know that I was aware of the feeling entertained about the " ladies man," and I told them he was not the one to lecture on chastity under that prejudice—All seemed to think the Judges were more scared than hurt.11

I have been anixious to get out the [Stansbury expedition] Report in order to enlighten the world on the subject of the true rights of your people to self government— I shall not appear in it as Appendix, as at first thought The report is enormously large already. It praises you to the skies, & has a condensed view of religious claims & expectations from my article.— I have some lectures on the mountains & people which F m urged to print My object would be to prevent collision between the two governments by giving the Mormons, rulers out of their own citizens. Perhaps, if printed you will think I have gone far beyond my depth in Theology—that, if erroneous, can be corrected— but I have tried to give your peculiar teachings a full display, if they are true you may find me a pretty good preacher of them; & if the doctrines don't suit the world they will know what is in the world & reject them if they please I think nothing is stated but there is chapter & verse for— what is com common to the religious world has not been given, except in taking "The Latter Day Saints' faith," as published by Orson Hyde12—in extenso to comment upon—

Some think I'm rather heretical in sticking up so for "the awful Mormons"—it is high time that you come out & defend plurality— it is now so vaguely understood that prejudice is working you mischief—Dr. Bernhisel13 tells me you are soon to put a book in circulation showing its propriety—& since Br. Hyde has come out and avowed that the Savior had three wives, the matter cam't be dodged any longer— 14

We have a rumor that the Saints have declared independence of the general government-that is of course nonsense You have only to hold on & in a politic way get along a few years & then be admitted as a state-and yet all the whole be your own rulers de facto. That, I suppose is the object of the new Captial City for the civil gentile officers, who will have, from the nature of things only to draw their pay & eat their grub, for you have no lawsuits for them to adjudicate—

My family is in Michigan-& I was ordered to the Lake service in the Autumn & returned here to help the last touches—The maps are not quite done yet—but the Report is all written out—The Captain will mention our names eulogistically— and he wants to go back again to distinguish his name as a travelling Explorer. He is not very well—rheumatick

Congress has done next to nothing thus far, and are president making and settling platforms. The contest on persons is to be settled by National Conventions in June15 —Your surveyor generalship [for Utah Territory] shall be attended to if I remain—The Delegate told me he had the papers.

Give my regards to your wives, & Miss Jane, and the younger scions Kisses innumerable for me. Your sweet daughter will soon be a young lady & I invite her to pay us a visit when she travels to finish her education.

Did you get a Patent Office Report, which I sent to you per mail from Thos. Eubank Com

The old lady, Mrs. Stansbury died two weeks since very suddenly—of apoplexy.

The "Spirit Rappers" are busy as ever, but give such contradictory statements that they will fall into ridicule—I preach just as you did, that they are "Seducing Spirits"—and they are about as big devils as the "Mediums" themselves.—

Please write me often, direct to Grand Rapids, Mich, until next October, then to Detroit I remain truly yr friend

J. W. Gunnison

The next four letters addressed from Cleveland, Mackinac, and Detroit were written by Gunnison while he was engaged in survey work in the Great Lakes region. He was sent to Green Bay in July 1852 to serve in a party under the command of Capt. J. M. Macomb to "make preparations for the determination of the latitude of a point of triangulation upon which he was formerly engaged there." By the end of the year, Gunnison was at the Straits of Mackinac engaged, among other duties, in a comparison of the stage of water in the straits and reported it to be 2.2 feet higher than in 1849 when first measured.16 He was promoted to captain on March 3, 1853, and, still under Macomb, began preparing "a new computation of the positions of the triangulation points in Green Bay" and also spent some time in drawing maps of the area.17

Cleveland Ohio March 19th 1852.

My Dear Carrington

Two or three weeks ago I wrote you a letter while at Washington, and since have started for home again to be attached to the Lake Survey [ Great Ladies]— Now I want to add a postscriptum and ask you to write me at Detroit and tell me something about the Hieroglypicks that are found on the rock in Utah and Deseret—Will you particularly reply to these queries— On what Kind of rock, & in what situation, they are usually placed'— In what manner and by what instrument are the figures cut!— Are they generally of the same size, or cut between the same parallel lines— Are these lines vertical or horizontal.— Do you or your translators regard them as the same of those from which the B. of Mormon was translated.—

And if you have any translated, besides those I obtained from Sam Pete, translated by W. W. Phelps Esqr will you please to send me a few lines with the figures. What was the rock at Sam Pete Sandstone or limestone or trop! —

You know that considerable interest is now taken in preserving the relicks of the past and it was with regret that I found that those we brought down, which was quite abundant, were rejected—But probably they will be Kept & cam be referred to at a future time. I only took a copy of a few and Phelp's translation beginning with "I Mahanti" etc etc-but I did not write down a description of their position.

We saw a few figures on Bitter Creek, cut on a limestone, at Sulphur Springs,-perhaps you remember the circumstance of our Sunday walk together— 18

I saw Dr. Bernhisel just before leaving W.—he appeared in good health and I reckon is a very judicious Delegate for you. By the letter of Mr. Grant we judge that he would hardly have done for the place.19 Babbitt I only passed in the street once or twice Does he belong to yr. church.20

The returned judges I hear are rather mortified at their hasty move and perhaps would like to try again, all but the speech maker. They have Kept shy of us, probably they heard of our views on the subject of the giveing [sic] proper men for your governors—

The Report was to go to the Bureau the day after I left-if no procrastination Kept it back then it is now in the hands of the printer.21 My part on your History and Theology will be printed separately at Phila and I suppose it will not please anybody, for I give mere facts with scarce any commentary in order to let each one form his own opinion. People seem to expect either praise to the skies or blame down to the bottom of the bottomless pit, and of course I shall catch it-; but if controversy arises on any side & I'm attacked, then it will be time to put forth opinions. No good comes from bitter denunciation of those we think wrong in opinion and charity is much wanted in all religious discussion now-a-days. The publisher to whom I submitted the manuscript remarked, "I see you are very apologetic for the Mormons"—let that be as it may, you will think I'm severe enough no doubt-but don't flare up to sharp, but write me, if you receive a copy, about any point on which I may be mistaken— I have seen several books this year which were long ago printed which bestow a lot of curses on the doings at Nauvoo, and yesterday I met a man, from Illinois who thinks you were " awful bad" people & are to be a most terrible thing one of these days. But so long as you maintain right and justice between man and man-and treat emigrants well & sell them provisions at a reasonable rate, we shall have no reason to complain but think your empire a good thing in the Mountains22—Give my Kindest respects to your wives and little ones—Also make my regards Known to the Governor, Mr. Kimball, Heywood and all friends—Yours truly

J. W. Gunnison

Survey of the Lakes Mackinac Mich, Sept 18th 1852-

My Deau Carrington

Your highly esteemed favor of June was received by me a few days since and it did me a great deal of good as well as improvement in topographical Knowledge of your country— all your explorations possess great interest for me & I cam seem to follow you & see all the hills, ravines & lakes which you well described. Indeed the mountain scenery is indelibly impressed upon my mind and the trip to the Salt Lake will no doubt be the crowning incident for the page of individual memory—

You flatter me by the confidence in which yourself and the respected presidency & others have expressed themselves. Some have gone so far among the "gentiles" as to censure me for partiality, even Capt. Lee23 whom you Know & esteem says I have praised the Mormons too highly. But I shall want to hear the criticisms of the Utahs and then shall be better able to judge whether I have attained the object of holding even the scales of Justice between the two parties as an impartial looker on No doubt you will secure a copy of my notes before this— and I beg you to send me the News, if it publishes any remarks no matter how severe One copy has been sent to me only-it is full of verbal errors, but nothing to materially alter the sense— I am so out of the world in these wild woods that it is out of my power to send you an account of the doings in the peopled world other than is common to both of us, namely the newpapers when we get them.24

We have received a Base Appauratus, which compensates for change of temperature, has a Level to show the contact & is a most delicate scientific affair-& if we only had the Salt Lake ground it would be fine indeed— But we are on ridges between which are swamps & we grade & dig & after all have most sorry ground. Just send down six miles of that "dear old" shore & we'll measure it in style. Capt Lee is here superintending and often speaks of you, or rather we have many talks about your people & my fides Schates in particular". Did the Colonel send you our(Stansbury's) Report You perceive that he takes all the credit-quite modest But we can stand it you Know—the work takes well— I left before the maps were off the stone & of course some mistakes are in them—

Dr Blake has been out with another attack on S__ y & swore to his former statements, but he will have to back up, in person, all statements of this kind and get some underground influence to obtain a hearing. If he returns with lots of gold I should not wonder if he made a fuss yet.25

Congress has just adjourned, or rather we have lately heard of it— Nothing was done for the Army interests, & we must wait for another War before being considered meritorious-and a bill making certain Lieutenants into Captains failed in the House for want of time to reach it—We who are directly connected with the business of the country instead of waiting to fight, appear to have work enough cut out in the Riv. & Harb. bill

Your Surveyor Generalship is sleeping yet & when it will be made is uncertain.26 Please tell me who the new Judges are which are sent out & what they may be expected to do. We have heard that Judge Snow has rejoined your church and that was the reason he "was suffered to remain"—27

My family are at Detroit & all well, & I wish you had come our way when you went back for being my most particular correspondent it would have been a satisfaction for them to know what a kind and sincere hearted gentleman you are-Perhaps the President [Brigham Young] will send you on a Mission before long and then I shall expect a visit, but I presume you have given up the idea of making me over in theological matters—Your old Seven hour disputer [?]— Lucius Lyon—died suddenly last year. He was struck speechless and lived a few hours— It would have been a satisfaction to have heard a few words, if he was in good sense, just before his exit from the stage.28 There are curious things going on in Virginia-the spiritual company there are printing a copy of the Bible directly revealed by the spirits-& the "devilish fools" made the most absurd thing of it possible—With their ineffableness, transcendental cases & all the superlatives of the language combined they pass up into the mysterious far enough to suit those minds that simplicity & common sense have such antipathies for—

The political world is fermenting again and if any one is elected by the people it must be Pierce He is a fine, liberal man & a gentleman whom you would like I reckon—Webster is to be a side candidate in order to run the election into the Ho. of Reps, where he will stand a chance—The Freesoils run Hale for President, which will draw from both parties, but most from the Whigs.

I am glad to hear you are flourishing so well & see occasionally yr. name as Clerk of the Assembly & on other duty— It is very gratifying to Know that the Gov. the Lt Gov—29 and other esteemed persons remember me so Kindly. Please make my regards Known to all my friends, as you Know who they are I'll not stop to mention them—My kindest remembrance to your wives & Miss Jane, and when I made that grand triangulation we'll take the deacon as assistant & by the time it is over he will never forget me—as long as he lives. Being in great haste & having the boat cabin to write in with three companions & they talking & jabbering & laughing, no doubt you'll find it hard to make out any sense or coherence, but I hope you will see that I remain dear Sir your friend etc

J. W. Gunnison

Detroit Oct 5th 1852-

My Dear Carrington

A day or two before leaving Mackinaw in conversation with Capt. Lee, he told me that he thought you could procure yourself perhaps a pecuniary benefit and otherwise further your desires by sending to Col. Abert, for the Secretary of War,30 or requesting him if he thought proper to lay before the Secry some account & maps of your explorations—The Colonel will no doubt be glad to get additional information for the maps we have published, and when the Secry approves I believe it is usual to pay out of some appropriation for surveys for such things.

You could take the projection of Fremont off upon another paper, & then mark where he conjectures, the true account of the vallies & mountains & streams, & give a succinct description like you have already done to me. I could easily do so from your notes-but you must Keep yourself before the departments as a Topographer & Surveyor in order to secure the Surveyor General ship—Think of this subject & try to get a little winter leisure [?] between the wood haulings and fire buildings to give the Bureau a "touch of your quality"—It is surprising how far a little thing, or what the author may deem of small moment, can go with the great men of a nation—Even if there should not be anything sent that circumstances should called for its publication, still the Colonel & the Secretary would feel the flattery & compliment of being remembered & noticed—

Much sickness prevails in the country I believe & especially in our cities— I am writing in the chamber of a dead child, one & the only of one of a friend— My family have stood it remarkably well on Homeopathy though some of them have had serious dysentery attacks—And this system seems to be growing more popular every day, whether on the tendency to isms so rife in these " United States"—or from read merit, is yet to be made manifest in order to unanimous opinion—31

I wrote you two weeks since, in time probably for this month's mail and shall look anxiously for your answer— By the way, the Editor of the Free Press (of Detroit), which paper is the leading Democratic one in this region, is very well disposed to do your people Kindness and has a high opinion of your merits on various scores and as am important element in our national development He is a friend of mine and he doubtless would like to exchange his large weekly for the Deseret News-will you try to effect the matter if agreeable to Dr. Richards—The Dr writes so pleasantly & forcibly that I should like to see some of his articles myself & if the exchange is made it will not be difficult.32

If you get Harper's Monthly for October look at the literacy notices— The world is flooded with new publications & who reads them or buys them all I cant imagine-By the way if you cam glean anything curious in Indian matters, traditions or present history, send it with a letter to Henry R Schoolcraft, LL.D. Washington City & if he puts it into that great national work of "Historical & Statistical" etc etc of the American tribes, you become entitled to a copy of all the volumes at public expense & can have it sent you by mail. It is a superb work; & the three volumes now out probably cost fifty to seventy five dollars— 33

But good night; remember me to those Kind ladies of your heart & the sweet Fraues [?] & I remain yrs truly at midnight

J. W. Gunnison

Detroit Mich. Dec.r. 25th 1852.

My Dear Carrington

What has made you so suspicious of my not appreciating very highly your correspondence and that I am not willing to abate a jot in length or breadth of it— Now here has come to hand only a half sheet, but very good what there is of it, written the 12th of September—but I have two or three letters somewhere on the way since that date which I hope reached their destination or will do so before you entirely break off from brother G---- Now I have not concluded " to fall into the ranks," as you say, but not for the reason you hint at, "not popular enough," though I must say, that of all dissenters the "Saints" of Utah present the most rational and brotherly example of any. There is a consistency of reasoning and correspondent action among them that I very much admire Yet I do not see the truth of the premises, the basis on which the new Church is founded requires a sanction. It will not do to point to success to prove its religious truth, for the Methodists claim that to prove that God had accepted them in their asserted priesthood of Bishops, priests etc—

But I am glad to hear of your prosperity as a community and cam readily allow that the that the [sic] feeling of brotherhood-like that of the early Church is blessed of God. You have a practical system of socialism that works wonders, and when I relate your feats of heroism & endurance and point out the future which a continuance of such praiseworthy efforts will give you, it makes people stare widely enough. But every body are on the high road to fortune, or striving mighty hard to make money. It is a terrible slavery in the working world just now. The country is prosperous beyond precedent Rail roads are multiplying in every direction. The channels of trade are changing in various parts of the country and prices of provisions, though the harvests are abundant, are ruinously high with us salaried persons, for we don't go up in purse according to the general prosperity—Any discussion of doctrines with the greedy seekers of wealth is useless and most others will enter into or rather upon theological subjects only for dialectical amusement

What kind of a muss the new doctrine of "plurality" will Kick up I can't imagine. Probably a few newspapers' notices will be given and impatiently read by some as they turn to the items of the price of flour, corn & cotton. No doubt the Senate will be talked to on the subject General Cass told me that he intended to advocate the giving a section of land to every settler in Utah as in Oregon-and he thought that would carry in so many of other creeds that you would not then be dangerous. I could not help laughing & saying that was the very policy you wished and that I had long advocated & printed that you ought to have the land and that it would be absorbed quite quick—34

As you write to ask about the Report in which you took so great a part on public account, I shall consider this a "Pub Doc" enough to send to Dr. Bernhisel to ask him to call on Col. Abert to fulfill his promise. Indeed you ought to write to the Col. yourself you were a favorite with him in thought Stansbury has tried his best to please you and no doubt hopes to have you get him back on a larger work.35 I understand the Col. Says he did nothing he was sent to do-no not that, but that we reported on nothing & that the information was not practical. The surveying which was our work cannot be gainsaid. That was as I expected. The work is for the people to read, a book of travels & popular pictures & it suits the market He had plenty of help, the family were a year in getting the manuscript ready; and Lippincott has published it on private account of which S. has a consideration of course, & Lippincott writes me that it sells well. If Dr. B. has not sent on both works I shall ask him to do so immediately-for the information in my little book was gotten under government auspices, & was written-(the first part I mean) for the Report & is almost literally given there by S.-without credit to me-But I can show you plenty of sentences taken out of the manuscript bodily—I have the original paper returned to me which S. had for months to write & re-write & then say, "I believe Lt G intends to publish etc"—I altered or wrote the matter printed in mine, much from recollection of that & the notes used in making it up;-at any rate the whole is legitimate matter for franking. If he has not a copy to send, I will see that you have one myself—& the beauty of the new postage laws are felt, in the privilege we have of mauling books.

I reciprocate the Kind feelings of yourself & wives & Miss Jane—please make Known my cordial regards and good wishes for their welfare. When you bring the Deacon down we will compare boys, for if you have one "hard to beat," then if I should beat what a great victory it will be But you beat me on numbers, having two strings to your bow, while I have only one & that one don't make that Kind of music now-a-days. The Editor of the Free Press lives with me and he saw your letter and to day gives an article on the subject of plurality, amusing & instructive, but not at all denunciative—He has never spoken disparagingly of you & this paper is called Genl. Cass' organ & is the leading paper in this section. So you see the doctrine is likely to become Known, but some of the Senators will think themselves deceived for Col. Kane said it was not your practice36 & then they voted for your excellent governor Prest Young for his office. It was told me that Fillmore was puzzled when those judges reported, but I informed the Senator [Cass] that it would be bad policy to turn out brother Brigham— Remember me Kindly to all acquaintances & friends who have not forgotten me, and I remain Truly yr. friend

Gunnison

The last two letters from Gunnison to Carrington are concerned with the army officers' assignment to head an expedition to locate a suitable route for a railroad to the West Coast through the central part of the country. Jefferson Davis, secretary of war, on March 3,1853, the day of Gunnison's promotion to captain, ordered an exploration and survey of a possible route for a transcontinental railroad between the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth parallels. Much to his surprise, Captain Gunnison was selected, on May 3, 1853, to head this expedition. He now looked forward to a return visit to Mormon country as the route would take him by way of the Huerfano River, across the Rocky Mountains through Cochetopa Pass, and along the present Gunnison and Green rivers to Sevier River.

After a trip to Washington, D.C, for further instructions, he left for St Louis, reaching there on June 3,1853. He began purchasing supplies and instruments and was soon joined by his assistant, LL E. G. Beckwith, and by five other topographers and scientists. Gunnison described his journey across the plains and Rocky Mountains in a series of letters to his wife and mother. This interesting correspondence is now part of the Gunnison Collection at Huntington Library.

Leaving St Louis on June 9, the expedition reached Fort Leavenworth by June 14 and the Arkansas River by July 12. Arriving at the town of Manti, Utah Territory, on October 18, 1853, the captain penned his last letter to his wife, indicating that because it was so late in the year he would not be able to return east until the next spring.37

Camp Ind. Tery [Shawnee Reservation]: June 19 1853

My Dear Carrington

I am on my way again to the Mts: on survey of "Pacific RR Routes" & have the "Benton" one which passes the south of yr. settlements or mostly38 — It does not give you the line along the valley which would make you the granary of the Pacific Coast & open a splendid market both ways— But I hope to demonstrate the feasibility of that route for I am to return in the vicinity of the old track we came down upon—

I may have to winter among the Mts. again & be once more the partaker of your hospitality, & I want to know what you think of me as author, but I can't get anything but a paragraph that "you're down upon me" etc—however, this 2d trip will enable me to correct errors of the former- and you most certainly will not be backward in giving me the chance to do you all the justice possible.

I delayed a day in Washington to meet the President, [Franklin Pierce] who is an old acquaintance of mine & tell him a little about you as a people and how highly I esteemed you-and at other times I have had a finger in the pie. I do hope that no change will be made in the Governorship & I saw no indications of any intention to replace friend Brigham— I have just finished a hasty note to him— My orders were very sudden. I have had to hurry everything & all other parties being fitted out, to take the poorest of the lot, & am deficient in some instruments now—My Civil Engineer was taken sick on the road in N. Y. & is back with two Barometers—& it is doubtful if he joins me at all—

I am forming camp, buying horses & mules & hiring green teamsters. You'll see descriptions of my party & route in the St Louis papers of the 10th

Your mail passed a day or two since & I wanted to see if there was not a letter from you in answer to several that I've written, since getting an answer—

If there's any way of communicating at Little Salt Lake39 do write there and ask the Governor to loan me a guide from the Vegas Santa Clara, (west point of my south S.) if he can, through the best vallies North to L Utah— In truth it seems to me that you will do all you can to aid me in preventing the Great Road from going through Texas on the South to Rio Gila, on from Minnesota to Pugets Sound on the North-& let me add that most untiring efforts are making to carry it either one way or the other-

There are people prejudiced against you still, though I've done much to disabuse them. My statement of facts, as I understood them, has done better than indiscriminate praise would have done—

Also let me Know if you can level through the Weber Kanyon (lower) in the fall & whether a Raul Road could be built along its sides by a little blasting at places-at any rate if you will make a reconnaisance through it & report to me I will pay any reasonable sum for the information If the Road was brought to Mud island40 we can bridge easily to Promontory Point across Bear River bay greater worlds [?] than that are done now-a-days, in & along rock bluffs they cut out tracks for "old iron horse."

I left my family at Grand Rapids again— my wife says I like too well to go back among the Mormons, and looks rather incredulous when I assure her that I have none there & will not add to my present number of" better halves." I went to see Orson Pratt, but that day he had started for England-his work I did not obtain & wish now to have it—41 The Spiritualists are about to break up, having done immense damage & filled insane hospitals— their day is over. You were right in calling them "of the devil"—

Give my regards to your wives and Miss Jane, the Deacon & little girl-the others I must see in order to appreciate. And my friend, in all the haste of camp, excuse my scribble, for I remain Truly yrs

J. W. Gunnison

Manti Oct 18 1853

My Dear Carrington

By the blessing of God you see I am again near the old ground where we were friends together—And I most heartily wish you were here to go with me to Lake Sevier, about which you wrote me— I left my train on the Sevier R this morning & brought John Bellows42 to send express for you, but so much danger I learn from Indians, he can't go—I've hired the Gents. [?] Potter43 for guides round to Utah Lake-& leave in the morning for the purpose—This is my intent at least

We have opened a new road into Utah-a wagon road, for we have a large train— Emigrants are close following us. Two of your faith are among them who are to tarry.[?] There are many things I want to say but must omit them— Please write me to Provo or Timpanogas or whatever it is called— tell me where I can winter the stock best; whether it is best to herd or hire the mules & horses herded. I have some very good officers with me, not given to spreeing— I wish to make up my maps this winter44 & have the use of the Library for reference to history—My respects to Mr. Stains, the Librarian I learn—45

Also say whether I can hire a house for office, & if I cam Keep house with a few of my men & the rest can board. All those things will give you trouble, but you are used to such on my account & will pardon it— I see 4 letters advertised for me & for others of my party— Do not let them go back dead.

Now what do you think of the R R to the Pacific—Will Gov. Young back me well to have it come plenar [?] through Utah— We must have it on one of these central routes, by Laramie Plains or Sevier River.—

If possible I must examine Timpanogas Kanyon this fall So if you cam find out for me how to winter to best advantage it will be much to my advantage & leave me time to work I tender my respectful regards to your ladies & the young lady Miss Jane— Also remember me kindly to all my friends at the City— Much would I give to have you with me for a month; it would do you good to get into camp for awhile, though no doubt you would not like to leave a lovely home very long- Have been long without news & can get but little I find here from abroad—

In haste—yrs truly J. W. Gunnison

With this last of the eight letters from John William Gunnison to Albert Carrington, it is only necessary to report the captain's tragic end

at the hands of some Southern Paiute Indians. Apparently in revenge for an earlier attack against them by a party of white emigrants, a band of Pahvant Indians, on the morning of October 26, assaulted Captain Gunnison and eleven of his party while they were in camp on the Sevier River. Four of the group were able to escape, but Gunnison and the other seven men were killed and their bodies mutilated. The massacre was discovered the next day by Capt. R. M. Mortis and his military escort, soon joined by Lieutenant Beckwith and the rest of the expedition which had been detached from the Gunnison party. The remains of the bodies of the slain men were buried a few days later by a group of Mormon settlers.46

The first reaction of most people in the United States was to blame the Mormons who, it was believed, must have joined the Indians to perpetrate this deed. Most scholars today, however, agree with Beckwith's assessment of the tragedy: "The statement which has from time to time appeared (or been copied) in various newspapers of the country since the occurrence of these sad events, charging the Mormons or Mormon authorities with instigating the Indians to, if not actually adding them in, the murder of Captain Gunnison and his associates, is, I believe, not only entirely false, but there is no accidental circumstance connected with it affording the slightest foundation for such a charge."47

Beckwith wrote Gunnison's widow assuring her that the Indians were solely responsible for the captain's death. Brigham Young also sent condolences. The Mormon leader expressed regret that after the wolves had eaten away the flesh, all that was left of the captain's body were a thigh bone and a lock of hair. He added," I lay the hair in the letter loose to prevent it from chafing."48 Eventually, a slow-moving Congress, on June 3, 1858, finally recognized Mrs. Gunnison's loss by awarding her a pension of $25.00 a month.49

In his February 27, 1855, Report on the Several Pacific Railroad Explorations, the secretary of war commended the work of the dead captain:

ROUTE NEAR 38TH PARALLEL OF NORTH LATITUDE

The exploration of this route, conducted by Captain Gunnison, of the Corps of Topographical. Engineers, exhibits the high professional skill and sound judgment which characterized that officer. The extensive and reliable information which he collected, and the exact manner in which his operations were conducted, up to the period when he lost his life in the discharge of his duty, show how thoroughly he would have completed the task he had commenced, and how great a loss the service sustained in his untimely death.50

Lieutenant Beckwith continued the survey started with such hope by John W. Gunnison.

In the Albert Carrington Papers at Marriott Library, there are also two letters concerned with Gunnison's death. A brother-in-law, W. G Deloney, wrote Carrington from Athens, Georgia, on December 7, 1853, requesting particular details about the Gunnison Massacre. Carrington responded on March 31, 1854, in a long letter, explaining that he and Gov. Brigham Young had already written Mrs. Gunnison, giving a complete description of the events surrounding the captain's death. In addition, Carrington assured Deloney that he and the governor were preparing to send the personal effects and other property of Gunnison to his widow.

From September 1849 until his death in October 1853 John Williams Gunnison maintained a remarkable friendship with Albert Carrington. They worked comfortably together as surveyors and engineers, shared a keen interest in geology and science, and enjoyed each other's company. Their journals and correspondence reveal two well-trained and intelligent men who kept up with national affairs and who especially were intrigued by one another's views on religion. It was possible, even in the maelstrom of controversy over Mormonism in the early 1850s, for the army engineer and the Utah Saint to agree to disagree about theological matters and yet to continue an amicable and rewarding relationship.

NOTES

Dr. Madsen is professor emeritus of history. University of Utah, Salt Lake City.

1 Brigham D. Madsen, ed., Exploňng the Great Salt Lake: The Stansbury Expedition of 1849-50 (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1989), pp. 155, 189.

2 Nolie Mumey, John Williams Gunnison- The Last of the Western Explorers (Denver, Colo , 1955); Andrew G Booth, "Notes of Biography of Capt John W Gunnison" (Goshen, N H., 1860); Steven H Heath, "Biographical Sketch of Albert Carrington" (Marriott Library, University of Utah), Ace 32.

3 The farm cannot be identified, but Gunnison's family, his wife and three children, usually lived at Grand Rapids, Michigan, while he was away on his trips According to a Carrington letter of May 7, 1851, to his wives, Gunnison left Washington early in April 1851.

4 The two maps reproduced in Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, are (1) Salt Lake and Utah valleys and (2) reconnaissance between Fort Leavenworth and Salt Lake City.

5 Captain and Mrs. Stansbury were the parents of a daughter and a soa The son, Howard E. Stansbury, later graduated from West Point and distinguished himself at the Battle of Murfireesborough in the Civil War.

6 Interest in Spiritualism was very high at this time In 1848 two girls, Margaret and Kate Fox, of Hydesville, New York, reported hearing "strange knockings in the cottage where they lived They spoke to the spirit who produced the knockings, suggested a code, and began to receive messages." Encyclopaedia Britannica (Chicago, 1974), vol. 17, p. 512.

7 At this time the Carrington family was composed of his two wives, Mariah and Mary Anne, and three children—Jane Maria, the oldest daughter, a younger daughter, Frances; and Albert Rock, the son of Mary Ann who was born November 9, 1849 Stansbury and Gunnison had evidently taken a great interest in the infant, Albert Rock, whom they fondly referred to as "The Deacon."

8 Jim Bridger, at this time owner of Fort Bridger with his partner, Louis Vasquez, had accompanied Stansbury as guide during the Captin's reconnaissance of a new route from Fort Bridger to Salt Lake Valley and also had guided the party on its return trip from Fort Bridger; td Fort Laramie Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, pp 130, 619, 694.

9 The LDS First Presidency at this time was composed of President Brigham Young with Heber C Kimball as first counselor and Willard Richards as second counselor Daniel H Wells was the commander of the Nauvoo Legion, as the first Utah Territorial Militia was called Joseph Leland Heywood was bishop of the Seventeenth Ward and Salt Lake City postmaster The first Mrs Heywood, who was to share her husband with three other wives, was one of the social leaders of the city, described by Mrs Benjamin G Ferris as "pretty, well-informed and accomplished," in The Mormons at Home (New Yrk, 1856), pp 137, 266

10 In a diary entry of October 22, 1851, Carrington noted, "Started for Parowan as one of the committee to locate the site for our seat of government Located said site in Parowan Valley, near its eastern side or both sides of a creek called Nu-quin, called it Fillmore City." "Diary of Albert Carrington," inKateB Carter, comp., Heart Throbs of the West, 12 vols (Salt Lake City: Daughters ofthe Utah Pioneers, 1939-51), 8:126.

11 President Millard Fillmore was friendly toward the Mormon people, and, after territorial status was given Utah on September 9, 1850, he appointed the following individuals to office: Brigham Young as governor, Broughton D Harris of Vermont as secretary; Lemuel H Brandebury of Pennsylvania as chief justice to replace Joseph Buffington who refused to serve; and Perry E Brocchus of Alabama as an Associate Justice Judge Brocchus aroused the anger of the Saints when, in an address to them at the Bowery on September 8, 1851," He directed a portion of his discourse towards the ladies, and libertine as he boasted himself, strongly recommended them to become virtuous." Although the judge later disclaimed any intent to "offer indignity" to Mormon women, the Saints regarded his remark as an insult directed at polygamy and the women who practiced it.The federal officials soon clashed with the Mormon leadership, chiefly over what Secretary Harris maintained were certain irregularities in the way elections were held Unsuccessful in gaining their way Judges Brocchus and Brandebury and Secretary Harris fled the territory on September 28, 1851, and forever after were known as the "runaway officials." The trio filed a report with the federal government listing all their charges against the Mormons in Utah but were faced with powerful figures in Washington who were supportive of the Saints: Col Thomas L Kane, Sen Stephen A Douglas, and Secretary of State Daniel Webster The case against the Mormons was brought to a close by Senator Webster's advising the runaway officials to return to their dudes in Utah or resign For a full discussion of this affair, see Brigham H Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church , 6 vols (Salt Lake City, 1930), 3:501-44; and U.S., Congress, "Report of Messrs Brandebury, Brocchus, and Harris to the President of the United States, December 9, 1851," in "Speeches and Important State Papers," The Congressional Globe, appendixbc, voL 25, 32d Cong., 1st sess. (Washington, D.C: John C. Rivers, 185,2j.

12 Orson Hyde joined the Mormon church in 1831, was made an apostle in 1835, and served as president of the quorum from 1847 until his death in 1878. At the time of Gunnison's reference, Hyde was in charge of the Saints at Winter Quarters, Iowa, until the spring of 1850 when he first visited Utah. At Kanesville (now Council Bluffs), he published the "Frontier Guardian the only newspaper published at that time within a radius of 150 miles." Orson Hyde was an articulate and literate defender of the Mormon faith Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 4 vols., (Salt Lake City, 1901-36), 1:80-82.

13 John M Bernhisel was a practicing physician in New York City when hejoined the Mormon church early in its history He moved to Nauvoo in 1843 and finally emigrated to Utah in July 1851 On August 4, 1851, he was elected Utah's first delegate to Congress. Ibid., 1:723-24.

14 Dr Bernhisel advised Brigham Young in a letter of August 14, 1851, not to publish an explanation of the Mormon practice of polygamy because "the public mind is exceedingly sensitive on that subject." And yet, earlier, in a March 28th letter ofthe same year, Albert Carrington had written his family from Washington, D.C, that the president had just appointed Brigham Young governor of Utah "& all this when it was currently reported that Prest Young& others had more wives than one, & that we believed in & practised the system of plurality, still I do not think that Prest Fillmore or many of them believed it, though one member of Congress said what if thev do, that is their business." But the leader ofthe Saints had determined to make ain official announcement of the doctrine that the church had been denying and instructed Aposde Orson Pratt to deliver a public statement, made on August 29, 1852, at a conference ofthe church membership in Sadt Lake Cirv Richard S. Van Wagoner, Mormon Polygamy: A History (Salt Lake City, 1986), pp. 83-84; letter of Albert Carrington to his family, Washington, D.C, March 28, 1851, in Albert Carrington Papers, Ace 32, Marriott Library-, University of Utah.

15 The Democratic nominating convention of 1852 at Baltimore endorsed the compromise of 1850 and nominated "dark horse" candidate Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire for the presidents' The Whigs, in their meeting at Baltimore, ignored President Millard Fillmore and chose Gen Winfield Scott as their candidate Pierce won an overwhelming victory with 254 electoral votes to onlv 42 for Scott.

16 U.S., Congress, Senate, Report of the Colonel of Topographical Engineers, Ex. Doc 1, vol. 2, 32d Cong., 2d sess., 1853, serial no 659, pp 219-20.

17 U.S., Congress, Senate, Report of the Colonel of Topographical Engineers, Ex Doc 1, vol 2, 33rd Cong., 1st sess., 1854, serial no 692, pp 22-23.

18 On March 13, 1850, Gunnison had noted the following in his journal: Hiroglypicks found on Rock in Sampiche valley Great Basin [A pencil sketch is located here.]

"I Mahanti the2 King of the Lamanites in 5 vallies in the Mountains make this record in the 12 hundreth year since we came out of Jerusalem—And I have three sons gone to the South country to live by hundng antelope & deer." Translated by W W Phelps.

Found 100 miles south of Litde Salt Lake Valley—(on high escarpment) [A peiicil sketch of hieroglyphics is on the page facing sketch above, which latter is on the page. Following the first sketch.]

From Sampiche quarry.

The Melchisedek Priest Toand blew his trumpet thrice for the people to assemble & the multitude stood about him until the third hour, when the glory of the Lord appeared by the side of the burning altar & they fell on their faces to the ground while Toand receive a the following commandments remainder not copies (guessed by ****)

Sketches of these petroglyphs and their "translations" were included by Gunnison in his book The Mormons... (Philadelphia, 1856), p. 63, but he failed to identify the supposed translator whom he names as W W Phelps in his journal William W Phelps joined the LDS church in June 1831 and very early became prominent "to assist in writing and printing for the Church." From the beginning of his membership he exhibited an interest in spiritual manifestations and at one time, on August 11,1831, while at the Missouri River, he "saw in open vision, by daylight, the Destroyer in his most horrible power ride upon the face of the water." He was later made a counselor in the church presidency of Far West, Missouri, but was excommunicated on May 17,1849 He was later reinstated and came to Utah He was elected speaker of the House in the first Utah Territorial Legislature, September22,1852, and died in the Mormon faith, March 7, 1872, in Salt Lake City Andrew Jenson, Church Chronology, (Salt Lake City, 1886), pp 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 37, 44, 87, 91, 196 From Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, pp 312-13.

19 This apparently refers to Jedediah M Grant, the first mayor of Salt Lake City, who signed three letters published in the New York Herald and refuted the charges made by the runaway federal officials According to an entry in the History of Brigham Young manuscript for June 1852, p 56, Col Thomas L Kane was the real author See Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church, 3:528-29.

20 Almon W Babbitt, a lawyer by profession, joined the Mormon church very early in its history and continued to play a prominent part in church affairs He was a contentious and controversial figure, being disfellowshipped twice, but, being readmitted to membership each time, he finally moved to Utah in 1848 where he was elected as the first delegate to Congress from the proposed state of Deseret Arriving in Washington, D.C, later in 1849, he was not permitted to take his seat In 1853 he was made secretary of Utah Territory, which position he maintained until his death in 1856 during an attack of Cheyenne Indians near Fort Laramie Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:284-86.

21 Both Gunnison and Carrington were highly critical of Captain Stansbury's habit of taking his time about fulfilling commitments. For example, in his journal entry for May 9, 1850, while in New York City on his way home from Washington, Carrington recorded, "our barometer not ready owing to the shiftlessness of Captn S in not informing Green— " Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, p 768.

22 An analysis of many emigrant journals and diaries offers evidence that, in the main, the Utah Saints did "treat emigrants well" and sold "them provisions at a reasonable rate...." See Brigham D. Madsen, Gold Rush Sojourners in Great Salt Lake City, 1849 and 1850 (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1983).

23 Thomas J Lee was a graduate of West Point (1830) and joined the Corps of Topographical Engineers on July 7, 1838. He was an assistant in the Topographical Bureau from 1851 to 1855 when he resigned from the service George W Cullum, Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy C Washington, D.C, 1839, vol 1, pp 362-63.

24 Most gentile reviewers of Stansbury's Report and Gunnison's book. The Mormons, were highly critical of the two authors' flattering notices about the Utah Saints One editor noted that despite the lieutenant's penchant for putting "the most favourable construction on their [Mormon hosts] doings," he could record such damaging charges that 'The Danite Band" was sworn to exterminate certain enemies of the Saints Gunnison had tried to give a balanced analysis of Mormon theology and culture Most reviewers preferred Stansbury's style of writing over that of Gunnison For a fuller discussion of reactions to the two works, see Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, pp. 799-807.

25 The geologist and physician Dr James Blake, left the expedition at Salt Lake City after a rancorous quarrel and some court appearances with Stansbury. Gunnison, Carrington, and the Mormon leadership supported Captain Stansbury throughout the prolonged controversy which was finally settled when the secretary of war refused to pay the extra compensation Blake had demanded For a full discussion ofthe case, see ibid., pp. 553-91.

26 Carrington never received the appointment he sought as surveyor general of Utah Territory although Governor Young did appoint him on April 12, 1852, to be topographical engineer o the Nauvoo Legion with the rank of colonel. Albert Carrington Papers.

27 Zerubbabel Snow, a resident of Ohio before moving to Utah, was a brother of Mormon apostle Erastus Snow and was appointed an associate justice for Utah at the same time as Perry C Brocchus When the latter, Brandebury, and Harris left Utah, Snow remained and served out his full term. Lazarus H. Reed of New York succeeded Brandebury, Leonidas Shaver took the place of Brocchus; and Benjamin G Ferris replaced Harris as secretary Orson F Whitney, History of Utah, 4 vols. (Salt Lake City, 1892-1904), 1:451, 476; see also Clifford L Ashton, The Federal Judiciary in Utah (Salt Lake City, 1988), p 1.

28 Here Gunnison is referring to a seven- hour debate that took place in the winter of 1850 in Salt Lake City between Carrington and Lucius Lyon, who was at the time assistant surveyor general of the United States in charge of the Northwest Lyon was a believer in Swedenborgianism Gunnison devoted most of a letter to his wife to explaining in great detail the arguments advanced by Lyon and his Mormon opponent Marguerite Beck Block The New Church in the New World[New York, 1968), p 132; Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, pp. 271-73.

29 Heber C Kimball was lieutenant governor of Utah under Gov Brigham Young in the provisional state of Deseret.

30 Col. John J Abert was in charge of the Corps of Topographical Engineers; Charles M Conrad was secretary of war.

31 Homeopathy is defined in Webster's New International Dictionary (1957) as "the art of curing, founded on resemblances; the theory and its practice that disease is cured by remedies which produce on a healthy person effects similar to the symptoms of the complaint of the patient, the remedies being usually administered in minute doses."

32 Willard Richards served as secretary of state for Utah Territory after B D Harris fled the scene. On June 15, 1850, Richards became the editor of the Deseret News which he continued to edit until his death on March 11, 1854 Whitney, History of Utah, 4:23-25.

33 Henry R Schoolcraft eventually produced six volumes of his famous work during the years 1851 to 1857. The complete title was Historical and Statistical Information Respecting the History, Condition, and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States.

34 Lewis Cass was elected senator from Michigan in 1845 and served until 1848 when he resigned to run for the presidency as the candidate of the Democratic party He was reelected to the Senate in 1851.

35 As indicated in a letter of February 6, 1852, to botanist John Torrey, Stansbury hoped to be assigned "to make an exploration from somewhere near the heads of the Yellow Stone, Northward, embracing the heads of the Columbia, & all that region " He never achieved this desire Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, p 781.

36 In an exchange of correspondence between Millard Fillmore and the steadfast friend of the Mormons, Col Thomas L Kane, in July 1851, the president asked for assurances of the "moral character" of Brigham Young as the chief executive considered the Utah leader for the governorship Kane responded that he could testify to Young's "irreproachable moral character, because I was able to speak of this from my own intimate personal knowledge." Whitney, History of Utah, 1:477.

37 Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, pp 812-13.

38 Sen Thomas Hart Benton vigorously promoted the central railroad route from St Louis by way of Cochetopa Pass and opposed the other proposed routes, especially that along the 32nd parallel. See William H. Goetzmann, Army Exploration in the American West, 180J-186J (New Haven, Conn., 1959), pp 266-67, 183-86 In a letter drafted bv Carrington for the signature of Delegate John Bernhisel and addressed to W B Phillips of Washington, D.C, Carrington discounted any advantages for the "northern," "Gila River" and "Santa Fe" routes and came out strongly for the " Kansas" route He explained that the best way through Utah was down the Provo River to the North end of Utah Lake and thence across Nevada to Walker Pass in the Sierra Nevada Albert Carrington Papers.

39 Little Salt Lake was a small body of saline water located in the desert just west of present Parowan, Utah. This community was first colonized in December 1850 by about thirty families under the leadership of George A Smith Whitney, History of Utah, 1:433.

40 Mud Island, although located on the Stansbury map near the mouth of Weber River, was hardly an island at all and does not exist today Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake, p 336.

41 Orson Pratt, an early convert to Mormonism, was appointed an apostile in the church and became perhaps the most literate and articulate defender and explainer of Mormon theology of his time Established in Washington, D C, in January 1853, Pratt began a monthly publication entitled The Seer and devoted its first twelve issues to a discussion of preexistence and polygamy Gunnison is here probably referring to Pratt's treatise on plural marriage, "Celestial Marriage," which was printed in The Seer. Breck England, The Life and Thought of Orson Pratt (Salt Lake City, 1985), pp 178-79.

42 John Bellows served with the Stansbury expedition of 1849-50 as the man in charge of caring for the instruments He was listed in the Utah census of 1850 as being twenty-five years of age and a native of Illinois Madsen, Exploring the Great Salt Lake. pp 10, 218.

43 While at Manti, Utah, Gunnison hired as guides the brothers, G G Potter and William Potter, who were to travel with the expedition to Sevier Lake Mumey, John Williams Gunnison, p 52.

44 In the letter to his wife of the same date, October 18, 1853, Gunnison expressed his feelings about having to spend the winter in Salt Lake City away from his family:" I have hurried hard to escape the awful tedium of this wintering in the mountains—as you know, but the route has been longer, harder & more laborious than anticipated—" J W Gunnison Collection, Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

45 William C Staines, a native of England, joined the Mormon church at age twenty-three, emigrated to America in 1843, and arrived m Salt Lake City in September 1847 He was a linguist, a horticulturist, and a merchant, and in his later life he b(?came the church emigration agent in England. When a territorial library was opened in Salt Lake City in February 1851, with an appropriation of $5,000 to purchase books, Staines was named the territorial librarian. Whitney, History of Utah, 1:483; 4:116-19.

46 Mumey, John Williams Gunnison, pp 113-15.

47 U.S., Congress, Senate, Ex Doc No 78, "Report by Lieutenant E G Beckwith" in Reports of Explorations and Surveys.. .from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean (1853-54), 33d Cong., 2d sess., 1855 serial no 759, p 74.

48 Brigham Young and Albert Carrington to Mrs J W Gunnison, Salt Lake City, November 3, 1853, Brigham Young Papers, Ms fd 219, reel 32, box 13, fd 9, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City.

49 J W Gunnison Collection.

50 U.S., Congress, House, Ex. Doc. 129, Report of the Secretary of War, 33d Cong, 1st sess., 1855, serial no. 736, p. 24.