of war, and, with its approval, resolved to commence a march towards Soda Springs, leaving Fort Bridger unmolested on his left.  For more than a fortnight the army toiled along Ham’s Fork, cutting a road through thickets of greasewood and wild sage, incumbered by a train of such unwieldy length that often the advance-guard reached its camp at night before the rear-guard had moved from the camp of the preceding day, and harassed by Mormon marauding parties from the Fort, which hung about the flanks out of the reach of rifle-shot, awaiting opportunities to descend on unprotected wagons and cattle.  The absence of dragoons prevented a dispersion of these banditti.  Some companies of infantry were, indeed, mounted on mules, and sent to pursue them, but these only excited their derision.  The Mormons nicknamed them “jackass cavalry.”  Their only exploit was the capture of a Mormon major and his adjutant, on whose person were found orders issued by D.H.  Wells, the Commanding General of the Nauvoo Legion, to the various detachments of marauders, directing them to burn the whole country before the army and on its flanks, to keep it from sleep by night surprises, to stampede its animals and set fire to its trains, to blockade the road by felling trees and destroying river-fords, but to take no life.  On the 13th of October, eight hundred oxen were cut off from the rear of the army and driven to Salt Lake Valley.  Thus the weary column toiled along until it reached the spot where it expected to be joined by Colonel Smith’s battalion, about fifty miles up Ham’s Fork.  The very next day snow fell to the depth of more than a foot.  Disheartened, vacillating, and perplexed, Colonel Alexander called another council of war, and, acting on its judgment, resolved to retrace his steps.  An express reached him that same day, from Colonel Smith, by which he was informed of the approach of Colonel Albert S. Johnston, of the Second Cavalry, who had been detailed to take command of the expedition in the place of General Harney, and now sent orders that the troops should return to Black’s Fork, where he proposed to concentrate the entire army.

During the month of August, it having become evident that General Harney was reluctant to proceed to Utah, anticipating a brighter field for military distinction in Kansas, Colonel Johnston was summoned from Texas to Washington and there ordered to hasten to take command of the expedition.  On the 17th of September, he left Fort Leavenworth, and by rapid travel overtook Colonel Smith while he was engaged in collecting the trains which he intended to escort to the main body.  On the 27th of October, the column moved forwards.  The escort had been reinforced by a squadron of dragoons from Fort Laramie, but its entire strength was less than three hundred men, a number obviously insufficient to defend a line of wagons six miles in length.  An attack by the Mormons was expected every day, but none was made; and on the 3d of November, the whole