Carson Mission Called Back to Salt Lake City

Called Home

In the midst of this beehive of activity, on 5 September 1857, came instructions that spelled the immediate end of the Mormon colony. Chester Loveland had arisen in time for a 6a.m. breakfast when he heard a knock at his front door.

When he opened it, there stood Peter W. Conover, Oliver B. Huntington, and Samuel Dolton, bringing an express message from Brigham Young. Urged on by the president, they had made the journey in eighteen days, although in traveling so rapidly they almost died of thirst and starvation. (Armstrong and Seable, Meltiar Hatch, Colonizer)

“Utah, they informed Loveland, was being invaded by the United States Army. The Saints in the Salt Lake Valley needed manpower and weapons of defense. Would the western Utah community return immediately and bring all the guns and bullets they could buy?” (Arrington, Mormons in Nevada).

President Loveland, along with four or five boys including Peter Conover, saddled up to take the Salt Lake message to the branches throughout the various valleys. Loveland read the express to each congregation and emphasized the need to buy guns and ammunition. They also asked for donations.

The next morning Rob Walker took $1,200 worth of gold to San Francisco to buy ammunition. Two young men who came from Salt Lake to deliver the express, Peter Conover and Oliver Huntington were assigned to ride to San Francisco, then return with the needed supplies. It was reported there were robbers on the road, so two other young men volunteered to go with them.

At Angels Camp, the men stayed at a local tavern. They sent a telegram to Rob Walker, then received word he had obtained the ammunition. The load arrived several days later.

While Peter and Oliver were waiting at Angels Camp, the Sacramento Bee circulated a false story about the Mormons and a man named Harney. Harney, it fabricated, had started with 15,000 men to hang all the Mormons and on July 22, engaged in a fight. The Mormons had killed 600 of his men and he retreated to get more reinforcements. As Peter Conover read the article he laughed.

The tavern keeper, a fellow named Travers, had received the men warmly. After hearing of the false report, he offered his warehouse to keep the ammunition.

Peter Conover wrote:

I had my teams in the yard ready to start as soon as Walker arrived. He had bought twelve thousand pounds of other goods which he brought along with the ammunition.

The next morning the same paper came up with the statement doubled. The miners who boarded at the tavern were determined to take the ammunition away from me as soon as it arrived. It arrived on the 15^th of September at night, and was immediately locked in the warehouse. I then removed the end gate from the big wagon where the twelve thousand pounds of goods were. Just then about fifty men began to pour in with a big Missourian at the head.

I said, “Gentlemen, I am very glad you have come, for I need to unload so that I can get away from here as quickly as possible.” The captain said that was what they had come for, and when they found the ammunition, they were going to have it.

The first thing unloaded was a big barrel of whiskey. The captain took hold and helped lift it on the scales to weigh it. We then put it on the platform, and I bored a hole in it and drew off a bucket and called all the hands to come for a drink. They came, every man.

 We began weighing and loading the goods, with others helping us. The captain didn’t know anything about carrying powder in boxes, so we handed out the ammunition along with the other goods. It was now about eleven o’clock.

The captain was very disappointed about not finding a single keg of powder in the wagons and got very mad about it. He swore that if he had the man who printed that story in the newspaper he would hang him in a minute, for there was not a pound of powder nor a gun or pistol. Then they left, two or three at a time, until they were all gone. On the 20^th we reached Genoa at about three o’clock in the afternoon. (Journal of Peter Wilson Conover)

The saints in Washoe Valley and elsewhere had been industrious. They planted crops, built homes, and cultivated crops. The forest was plentiful, fish and game could be obtained and the scenic beauty of the area was enjoyable. The saints, understandably, were concerned about leaving it all behind. Some of them had come at great expense.

 The Mormons in Carson County unhesitatingly sacrificed their years of labor; they left their unharvested crops standing in the fields and obeyed. Property was abandoned or sold at a tremendous sacrifice for what could be obtained at short notice. A correspondent to the New York Tribune described it: Brigham Young ordered the Mormons in Carson Valley to move to Salt Lake, and they went. Many had been established those five or six years in the valley, and they had become wealthy, they had made farms which furnished them with all the comforts of life and many luxuries, in so far as they were obtainable in a new country, remote from the great centers of commerce. They had fine houses, fences, barns, orchards, gardens and fields, and at the word, all these were sacrificed by men who had nothing to fear from refusal. Gentile neighbors were abundant and friendly and willing to protect any Mormon who should refuse to obey Brigham’s request; but all sold their property for such prices as could be obtained at a few days’ notice from gentiles in the valley, and started joyfully to obey the word of Brigham. (Angel, History of Nevada,165)

“They all gathered with the Saints in Eagle Valley on September 21^st. The company, which consisted of 450 souls, both emigrants and colonists, and 200 wagons, was captained by Chester Loveland and was divided into divisions” (Arrington, The Mormons in Nevada)

The Carson Company was a welcome sight for the fearful saints in Salt Lake. They brought all the ammunition and weaponry they could find in their own territory as well as in California. In fact, after they left, the old settlers were hard pressed to find enough to defend themselves against the Indians. The company brought 2,700 pound of ammunition as well a large stock in possession of individuals, substantially aiding the munitions for Salt Lake.

Because of their hurried flight, the Mormons were unable to find suitable buyers for their properties. Even if they found a buyer, the Mormons were taken advantage of. One in particular was Orson Hyde.

When Orin and Meltiar left the Carson Valley Mission, they both went on to leave an indelible mark on Utah history where they permanently settled and had a large posterity.