History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

LOT SMITH'S OPERATIONS. 515
submit his letter to the commanding officer immediately
on his arrival; that meanwhile the troops were
there by order of the president, and that their future
movements and operations would depend on orders issued
by competent military authority.
On receiving the answer of Colonel Alexander,
Wells determined to open the campaign, a plan of
which had been before arranged at Salt Lake City.
Inviting to dinner Major Lot Smith, who had conveyed
the despatches to and from the enemy's camp,
he asked him whether he could take some forty men,
the only available force then at the Mormon camp at
Cache Cave, where Wells was now encamped, and,
passing in rear of the foe, turn back or burn the supply
trains still on the road. " I think I can/' replied
Lot Smith; and the next evening he started out.
Wells then addressed to Major Joseph Taylor the
letter of instructions already quoted.
Hiding all night at the head of his detachment,
Smith came in sight of a westward-bound government
train on the morning of October 3d, and ordered
the drivers to go back. This they did, but turned
round when out of sight. During the day a party of
troops passed them, and relieving the wagons of their
freight, left them standing. Smith then started for
Sandy Fork, sending a few of his men under Captain
Haight in another direction. Soon he observed a
cloud of dust in the direction of the old Mormon trail,
and was informed by his scouts that a train of twentysix
wagons was approaching. Halting and feeding
his men, he approached them at dusk, while encamped
at a spot known as Simpson's Hollow, on Green River,
and there lay in ambush for several hours. Meanwhile
he ascertained, as he relates, that there were
two trains, each of twenty-six wagons—there being,
in fact, three, with seventy-five wagons in all. 4
4 Rept of Commissary Clarke, in House Ex. Doc, 35th Cong. 1st Sess., x.
no. 71, p. 63. Col. Alexander, however, in his official report to the adjutantgeneral,
dated Camp Winfield, Oct. 9, 1857, says that only two trains were
destroyed on Green River, but that one was burned on the Big Sandy, together