The Mormon War - American History, 1493-1945

John Moore to Mary Moore from the frontier of the Utah Expedition

November 1857

View the letter from John Moore to Mary Kelly describing life following the Mormon trail in the resource

In the summer of 1847, following continued disputes between neighbouring communities and the murder of Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Mormon pioneers began to leave the United States to settle in Utah. Seeking religious freedom, the remote nature of Utah appealed to the Mormons, despite its harsh conditions. However, this isolation did not last, as the discovery of gold in California in 1848 led to a rush of prospector migrants to the west.

The primary source of friction between the Mormon community and the rest of the U.S. population was the practice of polygamy. His strong anti-polygamy stance played a vital role in James Buchanan’s successful presidential campaign in 1857. On his inauguration, Buchanan took measures to gain tighter control of the Utah territory, replacing Mormon leader Brigham Young as governor with his own choice, Alfred Cumming. Further to this, he sent 2,500 troops to Utah to set up a post and act as law enforcement to ensure a smooth transition.

Having fled to Utah to avoid persecution, the little news that they had about Buchanan’s actions made the Mormon community extremely nervous, resulting in them launching a defensive campaign.

This letter was written by John Moore in November 1857 to his wife Mary. Moore, a physician with the American Army, had become trapped with his regiment in the mountains on their way to Salt Lake City, Utah. As a harsh winter closed in around them Moore wrote of their challenges and hardships and his letter provides an interesting insight into inhospitable life on the trail. Realising that they were stuck until the spring thaw, the letter explains that the troops had turned to eating the horses and mules. Moore’s complaint was of the tough meat, not improved by the absence of salt: “It was thought that carrying salt to Salt Lake City would be like carrying coals to Newcastle.” With five months of the meat ahead of him he jokes, “If I continue in this way until spring I shall want no other condiments in order to eat a mule than its shoes taken off.” He informs his wife of the delay to their supplies due to them being held up by the Mormon defensive, and that beaver trappers and Indigenous Peoples travelling through the pass tell them that there were as many as 2,500 Mormons in the mountains. Buchanan’s new governor of Utah was also at the camp: "Gov. Cummings is here with his wife, she and three other ladies – wives of Officers pretend to enjoy living in a tent amazingly." Having not been able to receive any post from them, Moore ends his letter affectionately, with well wishes to his wife and children.

In April 1858, Cummings and the rest of the U.S. Army arrived in Salt Lake City. Although Brigham Young surrendered his title, there was concern within the Mormon community as to what would happen if they allowed troops into Utah. Tensions continued throughout the summer and many Mormons fled south to Provo, abandoning their homes. The conflict eventually became an embarrassment to Buchanan, as many Americans began to admire the Mormons spirit in the face of adversity, and it was felt that a lot of army time and resources had been wasted without substantial evidence of dissent in Utah. In June 1858, the Mormons accepted a Presidential declaration of amnesty, although tensions between the two sides continued for decades.