The army that was sent against the Saints in 1857 was not entirely devoid of integrity and good will. Captain Stewart Van Vliet, who had previously met the Mormons in Winter Quarters, arrived in Salt Lake City in advance of the American army to secure food and forage. He was politely received by Brigham Young but refused supplies. Nevertheless, he was so impressed by what he observed that he stated “This people has been lied about the worst of any people I ever saw.” Promising to work for a peaceful and just end to the conflict, he told Brigham that “If our government pushes this matter to the extent of making war upon you, I will withdraw from the army.”
Nibley, Brigham Young” The Man and His Work, pp. 295-297.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.