The Carolina Spartan

THE ARMY OF UTAH.

We have been obligingly furnished (says the Charleston Mercury) with the following copy of a letter from an officer in the United States Army for Utah:

Camp between Platte and Sweet Water Rivers,
November 3d, 1857.

This day is marked by the arrival of an express-man from the troops in advance, on his way to the States; he will leave us to-morrow morning, and I hope will take this letter safely in. He brings further war news from Utah. The Mormons had driven off every single head of cattle from Colonel Alexander; so that when we get to Green River, and our twenty days' rations are out, we will have to fight for something to eat, if for nothing else. The supply trains, you know, have already been burned.

This express rider left Col. Alexander six days ago at Green River, and passed Col. Johnson on the way just the other side of the South Pass. The latter had with him two Companies of Infantry, under the command of Lt. Col. C. J. Smith, and two Companies of the Second Dragoons, under command of Lt. Smith, of ours. They were all traveling together, at the rate of ten miles a day, so as to protect the ox trains with all our clothing. He reports very little snow on the road, and none in the Pass, and if the favorable weather continues we will get to Green River without casualty. We left the Platte this morning, after having travelled along its banks for almost a month; and to-morrow we will strike the Sweet Water, which we will follow for about a hundred miles, and then strike across, only ten miles, to the Pacific Spring, the headwater of Green River, which flows into the Colorado, and thence into the Pacific, while the waters of the Sweet Water flow into the Gulf of Mexico through the Mississippi. The so called South Pass is, in reality, sixty miles wide, and not a pass in the usual signification of the term, but a place where the Rocky Mountains can be crossed over seven thousand feet above the sea.

We are now between five and six thousand feet above the sea, and around us are mountains covered with snow—the Wind River Mountains. It will be three days' journey over the South Pass, and that will be the worst part of the trip, as afterwards we descend almost two thousand feet in a single day.

The Mormons laid an ambuscade for Smith's command, but when fired upon, took to their heels, leaving one of their number dead. They have insulted Col. Alexander in various ways, however. He has three prisoners, one a Major.

It is my opinion that we will have to fight our way into Salt Lake City, as soon as the forces are concentrated.

We have not lost a horse since leaving Laramie, and I am in hopes we may get most of them through.

This is the most desolate country I ever beheld. There are no trees, no grass, nothing in the shape of vegetation, but prickly pear and sage (artemisia;) the roots of the latter furnish our only firewood.

We saw in the distance, to-day a few buffalo—the first seen for weeks. They come among the hills to pass the winter.

To-day we passed what is called Poison Spring, as its waters are said to kill animals that drink of it. Not knowing its reputation, I let my mule drink of it freely, and she is not dead; yet its water may have an injurious effect, as its banks are encrusted with a deposit of what appears to be muriate of soda.

We also passed a Tar Spring, some of the tar from which is now in the tent. It was brought in by our hunter. Not knowing of the existence of the Spring, none of us visited it.

We see no game at all, except occasionally some antelope in the distance. I have twice been out hunting on foot after getting into camp, and went miles without seeing a living thing.