The Utah War: How “Buchanan’s Blunder” almost sparked a civil war. Ep. 185

Рет қаралды 22,509

Жыл бұрын

In 1857, rumors circulated that the “Mormons” out West in Utah Territory were in a state of rebellion against the United States. Instead of investigating the claims, President James Buchanan sent an army to Utah to replace Governor Brigham Young, and to restore peace. In this video, Dave explores how the Latter-day Saints responded to the incoming army - and avoided an early civil war in the process.
Video transcript: saintsunscripted.com/faith-an...
- “Carpetbaggers, Reprobates, and Liars: Federal Judges and the Utah War (1857-58),” by Thomas Alexander: bit.ly/3VzEO4a
- “‘Proud as a Peacock and Ignorant as a Jackass’: William W. Drummond’s Unusual Career with the Mormons,” by Ronald Walker (Journal of Mormon History): bit.ly/3VzFqXw
- “The Brink of War,” via Smithsonian Magazine: bit.ly/3uet1g2
- “The Utah War” via Utah History Encyclopedia: bit.ly/3XQgPQg
- “The Governor’s Lady a Letter from Camp Scott, 1857,” via Utah Historical Quarterly (transcript of a letter or two from Alfred Cumming’s wife, Elizabeth, reporting on expedition conditions): bit.ly/3H40OQK
- “The Utah War” via the Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual (2003): bit.ly/3VKAyPu
- “A Different Pioneer Day,” by Matthew Grow: bit.ly/3H3PDaO
- Handwritten reports on the proceedings of the peace conference on June 11 & 12, 1858: bit.ly/3OQlRYR / bit.ly/3VKzM52 / bit.ly/3XIQzqV
- Sept. 13, 1857, remarks from Brigham Young regarding the approaching army: bit.ly/3Vruc7C
- “Proclamation- Rebellion in the Territory of Utah,” via President James Buchanan (April 6, 1858), in which he offers Utahns a full pardon: bit.ly/3ulCZfC
- “Prelude to Civil War: The Utah War’s Impact and Legacy,” by William P. MacKinnon: bit.ly/3VGheCO
Notes:
- President Buchanan also had political motivation to address the “Mormon problem” out west. 1856 was an election year. One of the selling points for the Republican party was that their candidate would oppose what were referred to as the “twin relics of barbarism,” namely slavery and polygamy. The Democratic party supported slavery, but did not support polygamy. So, once the Democratic candidate (James Buchanan) won the election, he felt pressure to at least do something to address those polygamous Mormons out west.
- There is some historical disagreement on the date when the riders brought news of the incoming army and when Brigham became apprised to the situation. See footnote #52 here: bit.ly/3B0XBNU
- The Saints didn’t dislike federal appointees just because they weren’t members of their faith. For example, the Saints mourned the deaths of both Judge Reed and Judge Shaver. “During their residence in the Territory, by their uprightness as judges and their deportment as men, they had endeared themselves to the whole community….” Source: “History of Utah” 1:543, by Orson F. Whitney.
- William Drummond wrote in his resignation letter, “I do believe that, if there was a man put in office as Governor of that Territory, who is not a member of the Church … and he supported with a sufficient military aid, much good would result from such a course.” Source: "History of Utah," 1:582, Orson F. Whitney
- The Saints considered William Drummond unfair and immoral. Even one of his fellow federally-appointed chief justices (John Kinney) thought Drummond should be removed from office.
- Brigham Young is said to have made the following stark warning to Buchanan’s peace commissioners. However, I have yet to track down the original source for these remarks, so take them with a grain of salt.
“Now let me say to you Peace Commissioners, we are willing those troops should come into our country, but not to stay in our city. They may pass through it, if needs be, but must not quarter less than forty miles from us.
"If you bring your troops here to disturb this people, you have got a bigger job than you or President Buchanan have any idea of. Before the troops reach here, this city will be in ashes, every tree and shrub will be cut to the ground, and every blade of grass that will burn shall be burned.
"Our wives and children will go to the canyons, and take shelter in the mountains; while their husbands and sons will fight you; and, as God lives, we will hunt you by night and by day, until your armies are wasted away. No mob can live in the homes we have built in these mountains. That's the program, gentlemen, whether you like it or not. If you want war, you can have it; but, if you wish peace, peace it is; we shall be glad of it."
Source: "History of Utah" by Orson F. Whitney, 1:684
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Пікірлер: 46

@DavidRencher0 Жыл бұрын

"Let them try it" goes unimaginably hard

@taylor_su Жыл бұрын

Imagine being so hated that you flee into the deepest, remotest, most desolate regions of the west JUST TO ESCAPE THE VIOLENCE, and the freaking President of the United States responds by sending the army after you.

@SaneAsylum Жыл бұрын

Add in a literal extermination order and stolen temples and homes etc...

@amandadangerfieldpiano Жыл бұрын

That would be awful!

@gatecrashercanadamb Жыл бұрын

Imagine the violence of the Mountain Meadows Massacre commuted by Mormons

@chasbee Жыл бұрын

@@gatecrashercanadamb HAHAHAHA!!! As opposed to what was done to them! Nice try, mate!

@SaneAsylum Жыл бұрын

@@gatecrashercanadamb You mean those smart kind souls who traveled through Utah bragging about slaughtering Mormons?

@worldkeyvideo9080 Жыл бұрын

What is fun for me about this episode is that I had several direct ancestors who were directly involved in these events and hearing their accounts was quite enjoyable to hear.

@h.w.barlow6693 Жыл бұрын

Good video.

@SaintsUnscripted Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@jaredbeltran3187 Жыл бұрын

Could we get a video about the more detail Lds beliefs of Adam and Eve. I’m a very confused on logic side of the story however understand it’s importance and how necessary is it, thank you

@TheSwedishHistorian Жыл бұрын

Fairly similar to rest of Christianity, but we font believe in the concept of original sin, but that Eve was a brave soul choosing to eat the fruit so that they could have kids

@KnuttyEntertainment Жыл бұрын

Views on the garden are complex and often widely differ even between Latter-Day Saints. It’s safe to say we don’t fully understand it and discussion continues. In general we believe what Christians believe with the following addendums: 1. “We believe men are punished for their own sins and not for Adam’s transgression.” (2nd Article of Faith) Basically, no doctrine of original sin. 2. Adam and Eve couldn’t have children while they were in the state they were in the garden, so they couldn’t make any progress towards carrying out God’s commandment to multiply and replenish the earth. 3. Without knowledge of Good and Evil they could not fully exercise their free will, progress in their relationships and knowledge of many things, and better develop their moral character. (As a side note, the serpent was correct when he said ye shall be as God, the lie was that they shall not surely die.) 4. If Adam and Eve could not die, or ate the fruit of the tree of life after the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, they could not be glorified through the process of resurrection and would therefore be stuck with the potential to sin but no way to atone for it. This damnation if stretched out for eternity would eventually create a pileup of sin that would effectively doom them to eternal “death” and misery, even if their bodies were technically still living. Think of Sisyphus and his boulder, except every time you sin the boulder gets heavier until it’s impossible to move. Personally I believe that the fall was a step down but a step forward, and that Adam’s transgression was not eating the fruit, but eating the fruit before God told him he was ready. Keep in mind that if you were to ask 5 other Latter-Day Saints their take on the story of Adam and Eve, you may very well receive 10 different answers.

@luxembourg7682 2 ай бұрын

2:58 What movie is that? Is it about Lot Smith or the Utah War?

@ldsgospelmotivation Жыл бұрын

1:18 that one got me 😂😂😂

@amandadangerfieldpiano Ай бұрын

💯😁

@jamesivie5717 Жыл бұрын

Well done. Accurate account/

@mybestfriendisaidmatt01alt89 Жыл бұрын

Fantastic video! I've really been enjoying your content. I have a question; what is the name of the painting behind your right shoulder?

@SaintsUnscripted Жыл бұрын

Thank you! I'm not sure about the one on the shelf, but the one hanging on the wall is a scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

@mybestfriendisaidmatt01alt89 Жыл бұрын

@@SaintsUnscripted Cool, thank you!! 😀

@SaintsUnscripted Жыл бұрын

@@mybestfriendisaidmatt01alt89 You're welcome!

@JeremiahArt65 7 ай бұрын

As a Mormon this breaks my heart deeply

@jaredbeltran3187 Жыл бұрын

Early here 👌🏽

@chrismandalor1293 8 ай бұрын

Love my Mormons

@AYVYN Жыл бұрын

I have defeated the Mormons simply by marching.

@kentstcharles9798 8 ай бұрын

My two uncels Jessie and Lorenzo Dunlap and their sixteen children were all killed, but three little ones. My Great Great Granfather was in Northern California since 1854, his two brothers were the Dunlap family, he change his name to Alfred Aaron Graves in 1869 in move two Hullville, Lake county California. He was from Arkansas but said in recoreders he was born in Alabama and Texas. The California news paper as far North to Los Angles, to;ld about this and between 1857 to 1861 most of the Indians (Blood Island massacre) were killed. Think about 70% of the Indians were Slauder like cattle, Men, women and children, many children were sold were sold as slaves, even adds were posted, of Fortuna to north Eureka, many settlers of Northern California were all from northern Arkannsas of Johnson and Caroll Counties. I do not no way the poor Indians were killed, the court papers said they were stealing the setters cattle.. look on line the california indian war and find out what you think

@Beastlango Жыл бұрын

I pass fort Bridger for work every now and then, it’ll definitely have more meaning the next time I see it

@timmyy24 10 ай бұрын

You missed the part where Brigham Young was the crappiest governor to ever walk the earth.

@MichaelSmith-fq3pg Жыл бұрын

The US government wouldn't have bothered if those people were only odd yet harmless.

@KnuttyEntertainment Жыл бұрын

You know the original Deseret territory was the size of Texas, right? What you think the US was just going to give up half the territory they got from the Mexican American War, especially when it was right between the eastern US and valuable West Coast territories like California and Oregon? They would have done this regardless of the kind of people lived in Utah.

@rodneyhuckaby8716 Жыл бұрын

Saints unscripted videos are helping drive me further and further away from the church. I don’t know what they are trying to prove.

@TBrown3117 Жыл бұрын

SU isn’t driving you away from the church. You’re doing that to yourself.

@MichaelSmith-fq3pg Жыл бұрын

@@TBrown3117 That's a fiction members tell themselves to ostracize those that leave and avoid facing reality.

@TBrown3117 Жыл бұрын

@@MichaelSmith-fq3pg The reality is that no one can “help drive you away from the church.” We are responsible for our own actions.

@TheSwedishHistorian Жыл бұрын

videos of the church being persecuted? bruh

@taylor_su Жыл бұрын

Hey Rodney, may I ask what it is about the videos that is driving this wedge? We would love the feedback, no matter what it is. I'm sorry to hear about your struggles, and hoping all the best for you.