America's forgotten war: LDS raiders kept Army at bay in 1857-58

It was only a march of just over 35 miles. But it would take two weeks in the winter of 1857. Blizzards hit the Army near Church Butte. That was the march that would be called the "Camp of Death," as worn-down animals died in droves and soldiers raced in sub-zero temperatures to Fort Bridger.

Animals lying along the road every rod, almost, and daily and hourly dying as they are driven along the road. Snow about 7 inches deep. Fort Bridger is our hope. If we once get there we shall be safe with our stores. Hundreds of animals die every 24 hours. . . . Cattle have died so rapidly that they have to send back oxen to draw one train at a time. — Capt. Jesse Gove, U.S. Army

The thermometer fell last night to sixteen degrees below zero. . . . The animals are still dying rapidly. They are seen fallen in such attitudes as could only result from the last possible of remaining strength to resist the effects of starvation and cold. — Capt. John W. Phelps, U.S. Army

The army under my command took the last possible step forward at Bridger, in the condition of the animals then alive. — Col.. Albert Sidney Johnston, U.S. Army

When the Army arrived at Forts Bridger and Supply, they found the Mormons had burned them. The protected valleys around Bridger (which the Army renamed Camp Scott, also in honor of Winfield Scott) would allow the troops to survive the winter, barely, in part by finding stores of a few vegetables that Mormons had left when they had hurriedly retreated.

Today, some of the burned-down ends of wooden pickets that had surrounded Fort Supply are still in place and visible near present-day Robertson, Wyo. Visitors to Fort Bridger can also see excavations of the original site, revealing old foundations and some stores of goods left behind there.

Visitors today can also find the remains of "Eckelsville" on Black's Fork south of Fort Bridger. That is where the new territorial officials sent by Buchanan lived for the winter and were officially sworn into office as they arrived in the Utah Territory. It was named in honor of new Chief Justice Delana Eccles.

Eccles convened a grand jury there, composed of Army teamsters, and indicted Brigham Young for treason.

Young likely found out about that indictment quickly. Eldredge says that Young claimed that he had such good intelligence on Eckelsville, mainly from Mormon spies watching from surrounding hills, that Eccles could not "go to the willows" without him knowing about it.

Meanwhile, Mormons would keep watch on Camp Scott and any signs of advancement from nearby buttes and from other points overlooking the road to Salt Lake City, as they