June 26, 1858, “Johnston’s Army,” marched through Salt Lake City. All day long the troops and trains passed through the city. The only sounds heard was the noise made by the horses’ hoofs and the roll of the wagons. The city seemed as if dead. Hardly a person was seen on the streets. Quietly and orderly the soldiers marched on. Colonel Cooke, once the commander of the Mormon Battalion, bared his head as he rode through the streets in honor of the brave “Mormon” boys who had marched under his command.
The army camped that night across the Jordan, and then continued its march to Cedar Valley, thirty-six miles south of the city. About two years later, the soldiers went back to the east where they took part in the great Civil War. The commander, Albert Sidney Johnston, fought on the side of the south, and fell in the great battle of Shiloh.
The Saints returned to their homes in July, 1858. Thus again, the Lord preserved his people, and protected them from their enemies.
Topics.—1. The mission of Colonel Kane. 2. Governor Cumming installed. 3. Meeting with peace commissioners. 4. The move south. 5. The entrance of the army.
Questions and Review.—1. What did Colonel Kane do at Washington? 2. What was his mission to Utah? 3. Where was the army camped? 4. Who was Governor Cumming? 5. What did Colonel Kane get the governor to do? 6. What did the governor find in Salt Lake City? 7. Why did the Saints move south? 8. What did they propose doing if the army came to harm them? 9. What were Governor Cumming’s feelings? 10. Tell about the meeting with the peace commissioners. 11. Describe the march of the army through Salt Lake City. 12. Where did the soldiers camp? 13. When did they leave Utah, and where did they go?
The action of the “Mormons” in again leaving the homes they had newly made in the wilderness of the West, called the whole world’s attention to them. Many honest people began to see what a mistake it had been to send armed soldiers against an innocent people.
When the army was withdrawn, peace once more prevailed, and the Church was again busy preaching the Gospel to the world and gathering the honest from the nations. Many missionaries were sent out and new fields were opened.
From Europe the Saints came by the thousands. Sometimes a whole ship would be engaged to take a company of Saints across the ocean, in charge of one of the Apostles or some leading elder. From the sea, they would travel in train loads to the end of the railroad, where companies of teams and wagons would take them the remainder of the journey to Utah.
Now came the telegraph line westward. October 17, 1861, it was completed to Salt Lake City, and the next day President Young sent the first message east. At this time the war between the north and the south was beginning, and in this first telegram President Young said that Utah had not seceded, but was firm for the Union.