Echo Canyon, Utah Territory.

    The Utah War Journal

        of Henry Ballard

                                           edited by Steven L. Richardson

1857                   of which I was a member

July 4 The militia ^ was called to perade the streets of S[alt]

Lake City   I engaged with them in the celebration of th[e]

Independence of America.  General Daniel H Wells sai[d]

turned the piphet with this people.

"  24 We held our celebration and Prest Brigham Youn[g]

and his councilors declared us a free people and

twelve and all Israel said Amen

"  29 A great light was seen in the Heavens which mad[e it?]

almost like day for a short time

Word had come to Prest Young that an army was co[ming]

against Utah through lying reports sent to Washin[gton]

by our enemies and the fails for Utah was stope[d?]

Sep 2 We where called out to get instructions to be ready [to]

take a campain East to meet the army, we ca[me?]

at the schoolhouse one night after we had been c[     ]

============   (top of page is missing, apparently cut off.)

[      ]lled with a company of 40 under the leader

[    ] Benion to go out to stop the army from entering

without giving their reasons for coming like a mob

we crissed the little mountain east and camped

[ "]  8 Nooned on east canyon creek and camped 5 mile up

Echo canyon

[ "]  9 Nooned near the head of it, when Bro's D H Wells,

John Taylor, Geo A Smith and a number of others

passed us, we all camped near together on Bear river

["  1]0 Nooned on the Muddy & camped at Fort Bridger

[Oct]r 1 We where Caching up Wagons and Iron and other

things preparitory to burning the place when wisdom

would dictate, at sun down we where all called together

in an hollow square to receive orders from Bro Wells

20 of us was called to march toward the soilders camp

which was on Hams Fork   we traveled 17 miles after dark

led by Milo Andrews we camped on Blacks fork

After dark J.D.T. McAister came with a large company

with an order for 10 of us to start out at once to go

[ov]er unto Hams fork   Milo Andrews took his 10 and

[st]arted   we arrived at the crossing about midnight

[w]here the soilders had crossed that day and gone on

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up the fork about 4 miles, he left Bro Sudwicks and

myself to watch the crossing as Col Harney was expected

to come up to the camp some time before morning

the other 8 went up in the hills so they could see the camp

at day light, that night Lot Smith passed us on the

way down to Green river, which resulted in the burning

of a train of Wagons

Octr 3. We still remained at our post till noon when we

was released by J R Miller & Stephen Winegar, we then

went back to Blacks Fork, we then learned that the soil[ders]

had moved up the fork some farther

"  4 We started again for the soilders camp 40 of us led by

Orin Porter Rockwell, our plan was to drive off their

cattle so as to cripple them in their movements but after

8 of us making the attempt we found that all the

poor cattle was at the tail end of the camp which

covered about 8 miles up and down the river, so we

had to give it up, we then camped the remainder of the

night in a large hollow only about one mile from them

"  5 We started through the hills to get in above them

and passed a picket gaurd and then come over

in plain sight of the camp and watered our

horses and commenced burning grass only half a

mile from their camp   O.P. Rockwell posted himself

so he could watch the camp and give us signals

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they started after us about noon and we retreated

into the Mountains till toward evening when

we come back and got supper and commenced fireing

the grass again till it got too wet with dew to

burn any longer   we then camped at the end of the fire

Oct. 6 In the morning we saw a Picket guard on the

hill above which had come there during the night

we again commenced our work of fireing till noon

when we heard their cannons fireing so we again

retreated   9 of us went into the mountains a long

way with O.P. Rockwell & Milo Andrews   the others

only went a short distance to wait till we

came back, the 2 bretheren went untill they could

look down upon the camp and learned they

had been placeing their cannon so they could

protect their camp, but when they came back

one of our men (Reubin Miles) had taken sick

with the mountain fever hence we had to move

very slow by 2 men going one on each side to

hold him upon his horse and before we got

back to the fork it was so dark we could not find our

other part of the company and they had all

our provisions so we had to camp on the bottom

without any supper not knowing where to

find them

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Oct 7 It was snowing very hard and the man very sick and

nothing in camp to eat I was sent to hunt up the lost

camp   I went 5 miles up the creek and found them at

the end of the fire and 15 other men had come from

R.T. Burton's camp on Bear river, we finally all got together

and eat about all there was in the camp, and

started Milo Andrews off with an express and to get more

provisions, that night a deserter from the soilders camp

came into ours, and give us the news of their camp, he

felt pleased to find friends, diferant to what he expected

"  8 We started for the big Bend on Blacks fork   got there

at sundown, Capt E Pugh with 10 men was left on the

fork to continue the burning of grass

"  9 Bro Sudwicks and myself crossed the river both on one

horse it mired down and we had to get off into the

mud and Ice and water as best we could, we was

going to hunt an old camp ground to see if we could

find any thing to eat but it was a failure, and I caught

a very bad cold, we sent the sick man and the Deserter

and 2 others into Bridger, as the soilders was again fireing

their cannon we moved to higher quarters, that night

the provisions came and we all felt very hungery for we

had, had nothing for over 2 days and several was sick,

myself with the number, we then got the news of Lot Smith

burning the Wagons ^52 and taking their teams

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Oct. 10 We were covered with snow laying in our slim beds

on the ground and I very sick with mountain fever

they sent the sick and some with horses into Bridger

to recruit up a little

"  11 Joseph White that had got his horse burt and

was sick himself and a Brother Cooper also sick

was sent home   I was still very sick but wanted to

stay thinking I should soon get over it, we went

up to Fort supply 12 miles south where there had

been a farm opened by our people mostly from Provo

"  12 News came that the soilders had moved some

more up Hams fork and that 30 men was to be

sent to their camp to reconoiter

"  13 All left Fort suply except 4 of us   I was some better

but not able for duty, news came that O.P. Rockwell

had taken 600 head of cattle and Wm Hickmans

2 brothers had been taken prisoners; 9 more teamsters

from the camp and 15 of our boys came up in the

evening to our camp

"  14 I was helping to dig potatoes and burring [burying] them for

future use, in the evening Capt E. Pugh came up

and I went down to the Island Feild 3 miles and

joined his ten as they where my neighbors at home

"  15  Our 10 was called to Fort supply to do more work

"  16 We was treading out wheat and cleaning it

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Octr 17 It snowed all night

"  18 Still snowing   we built us some wickihups for shelter

"  19 Still very cold   some more boys came in to rest

"  20 Snowed again, at noon we went to the Island feild

and volunteered into Lot Smiths company of 50 best

Horses with their owners expecting to go to Bear river

to head off the soilders that was still going up

Hams fork leading toward the former river, but

at sun down news came that the soilders was taking

the back track down the fork so we did not go

but others was keeping watch over their movements

"  21 In camp all day

"  22 Stephen Winegar & Willm Burrows of our ten, also

Milo Andrews and a company under him with

poor horses was sent home

"  23 In camp resting

"  24 We where again building Wickehups

"  25 At noon our ten was called out to go to the

Soilders camp lead by Thomas Abbot   we went

to Bridger and then left there at sundown to go north

through the mountains to hunt Wm Maxwells

company to releive them   we started with 3 days

rations, we came across a company after dark which

had come from General Wells camp on Bear river

going to Bridger with supplies, we come very ne[ar]

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getting into trouble as neither one knew any

pass word to give and it was too dark to see any

thing but furtinatly one of our boys knew the

voice of one of their company which brought relief

we soon struck the muddy and followed down it

for some time to find a ford which was very

bad, we finally tried one place and all crossed

safe but one, that had our flour upon his horse

and as his horse began to climb up the opposite

bank his horses hind feet stuck fast in the

mud and the horse fell back wards upon his

rider and wetting him as well as our flour, we

could not travel very far because it was freezing

so hard and they [sic] young mans cloths was freezing

upon him so we had to stop and make a fire to

dry his cloths

Octr 26 Soon after day light we saw a smoke in the

distance and after we started we soon found the

company that we was hunting, they directed us

in the direction of where the soilders was, also pointed

out to us where the picket guard was the day

before, but could not see him then, but as we

went on in that direction we soon saw him as they

stated, we still went on and soon saw a man

riding a roan horse like he was coming from

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the camp going to the guard, the camp was then about

2 miles off, we took the precausion and sent out one

man on each side taking the high ground to see if

any trap was laid for us   James R Miller & Willis Lemmon

was the 2 selected, we stoped and got our guns

free from our saddles and capped them and then

started on the run scattered out, but

he soon led us toward a hollow where there was

about 40 men secreted about one ^half on foot and the

other mounted when some of us got within 150 yards

of them they raised and fired upon us   I was the

third nearest to them, we each turned as fast as

we could making distance as fast as we could

but the bullets flew around us like hail

plowing in the dust and cutting off the sage brush

but through the blessings of the Lord none of

us was hit nor none of our horses nor was no sign

of any bullet in our clothing, they followed us for

some little distance slowly, after we got out of

their guns reach we got off our horses in plain

sight of them and tightened up our saddles

Wm Hill lost his hat, and my horse got lamed

by steping into a Badger hole which was very

plentiful where they attacted us also big sage

b[irds]

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We returned to the Muddy for Water and halted

they sent Harvey Bliss the young man that fell with

his horse the night before, and myself with my

lame horse into Bridger with an express, we

got there about 8.P.M. and remained for the night

Octr 27 Went to Lots camp at the Island feild

"  28 In camp resting, Lot and some of his company

went to Green River after some cattle that had

been taken from a Mountaineer by the name

of Yeats which was said to be acting as a

spy for the soilders, he had been taken prisoner

2 of our boys came in with an express from the

soilders that they where still going down the fork

"  29 Our ten came in after dark from the camp

they will still going down slowly

"  30 In camp at our Wickehups at the island

"  31 News came that the soilders had now

reached the old Ford where they first crossed

Nov 1 Henry Skidmore and some other boys where

sent home with the cattle taken at Green River

"  2 We all left the Island feild also Fort Supply

and went down to Bridger   Some was sent

out to watch the camp, and the rest of us

moved about one mile up Blacks fork above

Fort Bridger

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Nov 3 Every thing was moved from the fort, and general

Wells and companies not out on duty moved up

Blacks fork about 5 miles, we built us some

wickehups with bark of trees and wheat grass, and

in a few hours after we had camped Bro Wells came

around and asked us if we had found them ready

built   the snow soon came down upon us

"  4 In camp it was very cold, News came that our

boys had taken some more cattle, and the

soilders had moved 4 miles up Blacks fork

toward Bridger

"  5 Snow was about 6 inches deep and it was fast

day, and we fasted and held meeting

"  6 At sun down news came that our boys had taken

some more cattle, at midnight News came that

the soilders had moved to within 7 miles of

Bridger, about 20 of the best horses and men

where sent to Bridger and around the camp

to watch them, while the main body of our

camps moved toward Bear river on the Pioneer

trail it was still very stormy

"  7 About a foot of snow, at day light 20 of us

went to Bridger and gathered up the cattle out

of the Brush which had been taken the day before

and turned loose at night, when we had all got

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them all gathered, the boys was just return

-ing from the soilders camp with Joseph Taylor

which had been taken prisoner by them some

time bofore, he stole away from them at sun

down the evening before, he felt well in

finding our boys, we went on to the Pioneer

ridge with the cattle, and camped in a hollow

north of the road and it was very cold, and

nearly froze before morning with little bedding

and the snow very deep and so cold

Nov 8 We traveled to Bear river and camped still snowing

and very cold, at night they selected the poorest

horses and poorest clothed men and sent them home

with the cattle to the valley

"  9 Traveled with the General's company to Echo cave & camped

"  10  We moved to a point 8 miles down Echo Canyon and

camped, one of Hickman's Brothers came into camp

he had been freed, his other Bro was freed some time

before, he heard the soilders saying in camp that

they would be in Salt Lake City in 8 days without

a shot being fired

"  11 We remained in camp and it was a terrible cold windy

day, we had been luckey enough to get a small tent

but we could scarcely keep it over our heads

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and when we set a cup of water close by the little fire we

had Ice would freeze over it, 25 of the Best horses and

men were sent back to releive that number then on

guard near Bridger which was poorer clothed, they ware

to keep a close watch on the enemies camp

Nov 12 About 27 of our company was sent down to the

Brest works that had been built by our boys about

4 miles from the mouth of the canyon, the general

remained with 20 men up the canyon at Brown's station

"  13 It was thought best for us to send our horses and

saddles in as our horses was getting very thin and

it looked so stormy and others was coming out

with fresh horses also about 1300 men on foot

"  14 The news came that the soilders was still at the

same place a few miles out of Bridger

"  15 I went down to the Weber river and saw the Mill Creek

boys from my home and returned to the Brest works

"  16 We got released from J.D.T. McAlister's company which                  

we had been thrown into, and had the privilage of

going to Weber and joi[n]ing our own company from home

(Major Wm Casper)

"  17  We moved down, that is the 3 that was left of our ten

Namely Amos Neff, J.R. Miller and myself

"  18 Making Brest works on the Weber River close by

the road

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Nov 20 Building Log Cabins.  News came that the

soilders had ventured to take the ruins of Fort Bridger

after beseiging it all day and finding no one

there to oppose them, some also went up to Fort

Supply and captured that empty place, so now

they thought they had gained a great victory in

having what we was willing for them to have,

but if they had not been content with this

great acheifment and had persisted in making

any further encroachments they would of found

Mormons plenty on every hand to have annoyed

them, but up to this point they where allowed

to come without the fireing of a Gun, but not

so from that point on West, the Mormons would

not of given them any sleep day nor night

but the Lord designed to hold them there in the

snows till they would be willing to treat us like

we had some rights that they was bound to respect

"  21 We tried our batteries by going through a sham

fight, but if it had been real we would of felt a little Differant

"  22 In camp nothing doing for several days

"  27 Captain Killean and his company of Silver Grays

was sent home, as we now got word that the

Soilders was prepareing for Wintering at Bridger

and Fort Supply

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28, 29 In camp looking for our release

Nov 30 News came that our release had come, at Dark my

first comrade Henry Sudwicks and Isaac Scott came

in from Bear river where they had been on Picket guard

Decr 1 We started home having to foot it which made us very

foot sore after being on horse back for the last 10 weeks

We started at 10 A.M. and tramped it to east canyon

creek a little east of Big Mountain taking us till

8 P.M. very tired traveling over the snow

"  2 We started at 3 A.M. and got over the Big Mountain

by sun rise, our company came down Parley's

canyon, and reached our homes in safety, feeling

very thankful to the Lord for his kind protection

over us as well as for our expeirance gained while

doing our duty in the defence of Zion

1858

Jany 19 Prest Brigham Young called a general meeting

to lay plans to start a Paper currency in circleation                      

upon a safe foundation, also to apportion to each

ward the number of men required to make up

a standing army of 1000 men with 2 Horses or

Mules each to be ready at any time

Jany 27 Our Ward, Mill Creek was called upon to furnish

35 men with 60 Horses or Mules also 10 for a company

to O.P. Rockwell, we met and selected the name[s]

I was called as one for the Standing Army

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Jany 30 We met at Union Fort and Organized the Battalion

Feb 13 Met at the new school house and selected the best

horses for the service

"  20 Met at the same place to receive further Instructions

and to be ready to start in 2 weeks

"  23 Was called out to muster

"  25 Col. Thomas L Kane came in from the States

by way of Calafornia in 40 days to visit Utah

also the army at Bridger to bring about peace

Mar 7 News came from Salmon river in the north

that some soilders had been up there and joining

with the Mountaineers had influenced the Indians

against us and killed 2 of our boys and wounded

others, and drove off all their cattle from there

"  21 Prest Young and his Bretheren counciled the people

to make ready to move South some where about the

white mountains, and some was to start in a few

days and those that had not been driven from their

homes was to start first

April 11 I was called with Henry Brown to start on the

morrow to Lost creek 10 miles below the mouth of Echo

to release Wm D Wimmer & John Miller in W Caspers Co

"  12 We started on foot and reached east Canyon creek

and camped, Cummings that was sent to be our

Govenor and TL Kane came in from Bridger

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coming down the Weber going around by Ogden

April 13 We reached Lost creek with blistered feet and tired

"  14 The 2 Bretheren started, in the evening Ed Morgan

was taken very sick with cramp collick and continued

so through the night    we had to watch and wait upon him

"  15 He was some better but had to be sent home, the most

to watch the canyon and build Batteries as the

soilders could make their way down that canyon

and avoid going down Echo canyon

"  16 In camp building Wickehups on short rations

"  17 Some more provisions came into camp

"  18 Sunday we held a meeting in camp

"  19 About 150 of our company went 4 miles

farther up the canyon and built some more

Batteries, in the after noon an express came

requesting us to return to the station at the                         

mouth of the canyon

"  20 We traved back to the station and 50 men

was detailed as a guard at the station and 25

more to go to Echo, the rest was released to

return home under W Casper, there was 10 Horse

men came to our camp which now made 60 of us

under Capt Alexander Burt and comisory John Van Cott

"  21  We had nothing but beef and Homoney to eat

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April 22 Some more rations came into camp

" 23x24 in camp

  "  25 Sunday held 2 meetings in camp.  News came from

Echo that Powell and 15 Mountaineers was banding

together and stiling themselfs as teamsters from

the soilders, but their intent was to steal all

the Mormon horses they could get hold of

  "  26 At sundown 2 Indians rode past our camp

at full speed and went down Weber canyon

  "  27 We had a very heavy south wind

  "  28 Got word that a relief gaurd would soon be sent

  "  29 The friendly Indian Weber Tom with his squaw

came into our camp and staid all night

  "  30 It was storming very hard, in the evening

15 of our Mill creek boys came out on horse

back to releive us

May 1 We started home riding the same horses back

we reached home again safe and found that

some of them moving Prest's Young & Kimball

with their famielies had moved to Provo Utah Co.

  "  4 I started south with a load to look up a place

to move to    I went as far as Santiquin Utah Co

and left my load there and returned home

my father had moved 5 load and left them at

Stephen Chipmans American fork Utah Co.

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May 24 I got ready and we started Father & Mother, also

Bro James Bowkett and family, we took all our live

stock and in fact every thing leaving our houses

empty, only waiting to see if the soilders was

determined to come in we would set fire to our

homes and every dry thing that would burn

and leave it as much like a wilderness as we

had found it and we had made up our minds

for the worst, we traved 12 miles and camped on

Dry creek, we could not travel very far in a

day as we had to drive our pigs which was slow

  "  25 We passed the point of the mountain into

Utah Co. and camped

  "  26 We got as far as Battle creek, now Plesent Grove

  "  27 Got part way over Provo Bench and camped

  "  28 Our Pigs give out and we only got 2 miles

south of Provo City

  "  29 We had to fix up our loads so we could load

up our Pigs and then traveled faster    we reached

Pondtown Bottoms and got plenty of feed for the

first time since leaving home

  "  30  Bro Bowketts Wagon wheel broke so we had to

borrow another one to get to Spring Creek here

was plenty of feed but no settlement    Lorenzo Young

was camped one mile above the road

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and Silas S Richards from Union Fort with

that Ward one mile below the road we went

down and camped with them to wait a while

to see what the word would be from head Quarters

May 31 We went to Santaquin and got the wheel mended

and brought back some lumber that we had left

there and built us a small shanty

June 1 We got some brush and built us a sheep pen

  "  2 Went to the Mountains and got some ceader

to burn, and posts for our shanties

  "  3 We was building our shanties

  "  5 Bro Bowkett went home to see after our crops

  "  6 News came that the Indians had killed 3 men

and one woman in Salt Creek Canyon goin to

Sanpete one man escaped

  "  7 We moved closer together for self protection

as the Indians where stealing horses and cattle

in different places all around us and they stole

a little girl but was gotten away from them again

  "  10 We was herding our cattle days and guarding them

nights, Bro Bowkett got back in the evening

a good many where apostatizeing from us

  "  12 Prest Young and his Bretheren met with a peace

commission from the Army, and they wished to

come peaceably   it was agreed to provided that

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the army would go to some valley not less then

40 miles of Salt Lake City and molest no one

they gladly agreed to this and also pardoned by

the President of the United [States] for standing in our own

defence, hence the Lord fought our Battles

without the fireing of a gun

June 15 Bro Bowkett and myself started home to water

our crops at our homes

  "  16 Got home found our house broken into and

some meat and other things stolen which we

was depending upon to eat, it was thought to

be Indians

  "  17 Went to work upon the canal to get water as

it was rather scarce but the crops looked well

  "  24 We started back, we heard that the soilders was

expected every day

  "  25 We got back to our folks some of our cattle

had been sick and the feed was got very poor

the Grasshopper had come so bad and eaten

up so much of it

  "  28 We heard that the soilders had passed through

Salt Lake City and we expected to soon go back

Bro Bowkutt left us and went to Springville

on account of the cattle taking sick and

dying so many of them

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1858

July 1. Prest Young sent word that all could have the

privilage of returning to their homes    he had moved

a portion of his family, this was glad news to

all the saints, more especially to all those that

had left their homes, namely all those living

north of Utah County.  I got tired of driving Pigs

and took them home first out of the way, I traveled

mostly nights as it was so dry and hot and dusty

and the feed was got so very poor with so much

travel over the road all summer

  "  3 I got home again

  "  4 I started back at sun down and traveled

all night while it was cool

  "  6 I reached the camp found the folks all well

some of our camp had started home, each one

got home as fast as they could

  "  7 We started home with our little stock and effects

we had with us, we traveled on the west

side of Utah Lake on account of the feed being

better and less dust we camped 3 miles below

Goshen settlement in good feed

  "  8 We camped at an old herd house 20 miles below

Goshen on the bank of the Lake it was

a fine view

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July 9 We passed the place where the soilders had camped

the night before on their road to ceader valley where

it had been decided that they could locate about

40 miles from the City, they named their camp (Floyd)

we crossed the Jordan river and got around the

point of the mountain to the warm springs and

camped but the feed was very poor

  "  10 We arrived home safe, and very thankful to again

have a house to live in, knowing our troubles

had nothing of that pain and anguish that the Saints

had had to endure in the past for this was the

first time that the Saints had, had the privilage

of returning to any of their homes, the wheat

was ready for harvesting   we was counciled to hold

on to our Breadstuffs, no Publick meetings was held

in any publick parts so as not to create any excitement

Prests Young and Kimball kept themselves in private

Commings our new Governor seemed to be very friendly

to our people

Aug 2 Election came off for the Officers of Utah, the Saints

gained the election

  "  8 Some troops left for California, it was expected that

2 000 would be stationed here, Merchant & Government

trains where coming in every day, we held meetings in

our School house as it was off the main road, it was the

only place in the county

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1858

Sepr 5 Sunday it was thought wisdom to stop all meetings

13 650 more troops came in and camped a little east

of the City on their way to Camp Floyd, the Bretheren

would go to their camp and trade with them and work

for them, a very large Commett appeared in the west

with a very long tail to it, it revolved around the

north pole to the east, it got brighter for a while and

then got dimmer, it lasted for weeks very plain

  "  25 I was taken sick with a very bad cold

Octr 6 Conference was held in the Tabernacle but not public

for all, only for the leading officers of the church

Prests Young & Kimball was not present, councilor

D.H. Wells and the Twelve attended, they met again

next day and the council was for all to keep 2 years

Provisions on hand, and those that neglected this council

that was able to do so would have to pay a high price

to buy back what they needed, also that nothing should

be said that Brigham or Heber had said thus and so

but every one must be responciple for their own

sayings as well as their own doings

  "  16 We had quite a heavy snow storm which laid everything low

  "  31 Sunday Prest Joseph Young came and preached in our

school house upon the subject of saving our Breadstuff

Nov 30 It was rumered about that a U.S. Teamster was around in

the Brush in secret supposed to be the murderer of Bro Preist

on Dry creek, a search was made for him, with out finding him

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Dec 1 A very sever snow storm had prevailed through the night and

lasting all day blowing at a fearful rate from the east

many cattle where frose, and Bro Leaver a tailor from Salt Lake

he had come from camp Floyd on the stage to cottonwood when

he got off to go to the house of Thomas Bullock he fell in

a dry ditch filled with snow   he was heard by some parties but

they thought it was stock and he laid there and froze to

death, also another man froze to death coming from the West

mountain canyon to Wm Hickmans house and several

others in different parts, it was said to be the coldest storm

for over 10 years in Utah

  "  26 President of the United States James Buchanan sent a pardon

to all the Mormons for Burning their Wagons on the plains

also recommended a land office in the City, also prehemption

privelages to the inhabitants, it came from Washington

in 14 days, next day it was printed in a gentile paper

called the (valley tan) and 5 000 copies was printed and

sold at 25 cts each                                                                   

1859 Jany 2  The Tabernacle in Salt Lake City was opened

to the public for the first time since our return from

the south, we still held our meetings in the ward, James

Jordan was disfellowshiped for making Wiskey contray

to council and justifying himself in so doing

Jany 16 He was again restored after making nesicesary

acknoledgement

================================================

1859

Jany 22 I went over to the Bishops house and settled my

Tithing, and on my road home my horse which was

a young one shyed off the road as I met 2 others coming in

an opposite direction, and in so doing it run unto the Ice

and fell on my leg and split off the ancle bone of my right

foot and badly bruised it which layed me up for some time

Feb 1. The teachers came and paid us a visit    we had a good time

  "  13 I went to meeting for the first time since I got hurt

Bishop Miller preached to us a good sermon upon the

Necesity of keeping on board the ship Zion, for it would bear

us through the storm all right

I got a letter from my 3 Brothers in England   they did not

belong to the church nor no way faverable

  "  20 I wrote a letter back to them

Mar 8 I attended a trial perfeered by Joseph Fielding for

damages against John Scotts stock

  "  19 Still snowing every few days making very hard on stock

  "  24 All the ward was called together to sign a Memorial to

the Govener also to congress to remove the Court from

the City of Provo, to the city of Fillmore as appointed

by law also to be held in Nov, instead of March which

was also contray to law, also to withdraw the troops

from in around Provo to camp Floyd, as the President

stated in his message to congress that Col Johnstone should

not locate any body of troops near to any thickly settlement

================================================

in the Teritory of Utah, and to make peace but instead they

where trying to do all they could to break the peace and

put the Govenor at defiance

Mar 25 Howard Spencer son of Orson was brought home to the City

from Rush valley, where he had been badly wounded by a

U.S. officer, a small body of soilders was camped in that

locality, and 16 of them with an Officer ordered Bro Spencer

to take his stock away from the ranch which his Uncle

and others had received a grant of the legeslatior, he

refused to comply with their request, they marched up

in file to where he was feeding his Stock some hay, the

officer, Sargent Pike commanded his men to take him, but

before they had time to do so, Pike raised his gun and struck

him over the head with the Breach of it, Bro Spencer

raised his pitch fork which he was feeding his stock with

over his head to save the blow and the handle broke in

2 peices one end striking him on the back of his head

and braking his skull so it had to be sawed to get it back

into its place, but it was then tought that he would recover

which he did after a good deal of care

  "  30 It was snowing and had done so for 4 days in succession

April 3, Sunday Bishop R Miller spoke upon the subject of our

enemies coming against us in a national capacity, William

McGee was cut off for apostacy, that spirit was taking great

hold upon the people, in the evening we signed a Petition

================================================

Praying Bishop Brinton of the Cottonwood Ward to have

Wm Howard stop making Wiskey and selling it, or deal

with him accordingly for the salvation of Israel

1859

April 6 The Annual conference commenced publicly the first

Presidents and several of the Twelve where present

H.C. Kimball said that the Apostates was more hurtful

in our midst then the Army, he said it had been

eleven months since he had spoken in that place

his urgent coucil was to save our breadstuff for time

of Famine for it would certinly come

  "  7 John Taylor represented the Authorities of the church

and spoke of the union of this people in casting their

votes to sustain their leader, defying the world to

produce its equal, Prest Young spoke of the weakness

of mankind, and the exaltation of the Saints to the

diferent degrees of Glory

  "  10 Sunday held a meeting in the new meeting house

in the lower part of the Ward for the purpose of

Blessing young children and Baptizing those of that

age, also took action against James Gordon for again

making Wiskey after he had promised to stop, but he said

that he did not promise that he would not commence

again and thus treated the Priesthood with contempt,

he had been droped by his Quorum in the city, and

this day cut off by the Ward for violation of his covenants

================================================

April 11, Had another cold snow storm which lasted for four days

  "  16 Some where commencing plowing in some places where it

was dry enough teams where very poor

"  26  A company was called to march to the low mountains

to watch, the army threatened to come into Salt Lake City

and take Prest Young or fight, I was called among the rest

to go to the school house but the foot men was all released

they only needed horse men, so I was releived but could not

leave the Ward for a few days to see what may be wanted

as I was anticipating going to cache valley 90 miles North

May 2  I went and saw John A Smith one of the Bishops councilors

and asked him if I could not be released   he told me I could

go at any time, so I got ready to start next day

"  3  I s[t]arted to Cache Valley Aaron Dewitt going with me

it was a new place with the exception of one small

settlement in the south end of the valley then known as

Maughans Fort, we took 2 yoak of Oxen and some young

Stock with plow and tools and seed and Breadstuff nearly

all belonging to me, we went 6 miles north of the City

and camped near the Brush by the mountains, it was

a very cold stormy night and little feed, and the

Stock all scattered we hunted for 10 hours on foot for

them and still 2 was missing, but we had to move

on or we would lik[e]ly loose them again, so we went

on to the north of Centerville

================================================

1859

May 5 We took the upper road all the way as the roads

was very wet and heavy and feed poor and teams

very weak   we camped 4 miles south of Weber Bridge

  "  6 We crossed the Weber and Ogden toal bridges, the

streams was very high having such heavy snows in

the mountains, a very heavy thunder storm overtook

us between Ogden City and north Ogden on the

Bottoms and we had to camp there

  "  7 We reached Brigham City Box Elder Co. and

staid there for the night

  "  8 We learned that it was possible to go through

Box Elder Canyon so we started that way

but ours was the 3rd loaded wagon going

up that Spring, the roads was very bad we often got

stalled, we mired in Box Elder valley and broke our

Wagon tounge and then to unload some of our load

we then got out and took the fore part of the Wagon

and brought up the other part of our load and camped

on the top of the hill north of the little valley

  "  9 We reached the south end of the valley 3 miles south

of Maughan's Fort and camped

  "  10 We saw Bishop Peter Maughan who had the

directing of the new settlers and he advised us

to go in to Spring Creek (now Providence)

================================================

and locate there, the roads over this was very heavy

We camped on the bank of Blacksmiths fork near the

church farm which they had enclosed

May 11, We crossed this stream without any dificulty but it

looked very dangerous, we then went on to the Spring

creek settlement and thankful to get to some place to

rest and put in what seed we had for it was getting

late by this time

  "  12 We looked around for land but here the settlers

told us it was all taken up, yet there was only abount

a dozen there at that

  "  13 We had a terrible heavy Wind storm at night the most

of the next day so we could hardly keep our cover on the

Wagon, I hunted arround and found a peice of land

between two spring branches which I thought could be

easy to fence, also it was very easy to brake, yet not

so very rich, but it was easy to get the water down

onto from Spring creek by bringing it through an old

bed of the creek but some laughed at me for taking

it that way but I succeed alright

  "  14 We commenced plowing

  "  15 Heard that the big wind had blew down the

court house in Brigham City

  "  18  We commenced sowing our wheat and garden seeds

for we where ancious to get the seed in the ground

================================================

1859

May 23 It was showery all day and that night it thundered

and lightened and hailed very much, it done a great

deal of good as the land was already getting very dry

  "  27 Bishop P Maughan came over and held a meeting

laying before us our condition, as the soilders had

been killing some Indians near Fort Bridger east

also a report that there was a camp of soilders

on the North of the valley and the Indians was

mad with all the whites, he thought we had better

move our camp over to the church farm where we

would be away from the willows so they could

not ambush us

  "  28 We went to work and got out some bridge

timbers to build a bridge over Blacksmiths fork

  "  29 Getting more bridge timber

"  30 We all moved over to the church farm, the settle[ment]

north of us at summit creek 10 miles north

(now Smithfield) they all moved to Maughans fort

June 2 I went to Logan with Some other Bretheren

to look at the country   we found some good land

there, I expected to go some where before locateing

permanently but I thought it was the best

I could do to hurry and get my seed into the

ground some where so I could get seed for another

year without having to haul it so far

================================================

July 3 A letter of instructions from Prest Young was

read to us by Bishop Maughan for us to build

our houses before taking our famielies to our

farms exposed to the Indians

"  8 We had a fine showery day which done good

"  10 Sunday Bishop Maughan and Bro JG Willie

came and preached to us upon our every day duties

I got a letter from home the first I had heard

from there since I left

"  11 I went over to Maughans fort and answered my letter

"  15 I commenced moving my logs over to Logan

"  20 I moved to Logan altogether

"  21  I went up to Smithfield or then (Summit Creek)

6 miles north with John G Smith from Mill Creek

and Feleman Merrill and a number of others

and servayed some good land

"  22 Still survaying till evening then returned home

"  23 Aaron DeWitt and myself went to the mountains

on a Pick nick servise berring [serviceberrying] and on the road

home we where overtaken by a thunder storm

which made us wet through and every thing

we had in the Wagon at home was wet

"  24 Sunday we had quite a time drying our

things

================================================

June 7 I went to the settlement then Shumways now (Mendo[n)]

I found the land very good but the water very scarce

"  12 I went to Maughans fort to meeting had a good

time   Bishop P Maughan spoke upon the cecesity of

obeying council, also repudiated the actions of some

wanting to get hold of so much land, in the afternoon

they took up a collection of flour for the Indians which

was camped close by the fort

"  13 We started to make a road into the canyon to

get out our house logs and poles

"  16 A number of Indians came and camped ne[ar]

by us   very friendly

"  20 John H Clark and myself went over Logan

river to look again for some land, we had quite a

time getting over the river, we staid all night

"  21 We took a claim of 20 acres each, all that was allowe[d]

"  24 I went up Spring Creek Canyon with some others to

explore the road and timber

"  25 I went up the Canyon with Bro Lane where we

had made the road into, but every body

was afraid to go into it after it was made

we got a good load of house logs each, the first

that had been taken out, it was very

rough and rockey, next day the place was

crowded and continued so for many days

---Henry Ballard,  Autobiography and Journal

MS 15087, copied by permission of the

Church History Library of the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

To read a similar diary kept by Newton Tuttle, click here.

To read Henry Sanderson's account of these events, click here.

To read Hans Frederick Hansen's account of the Utah War, click here.

To learn more about the Hickmans in the Utah War, click here.

To return to the Hickman Family index page, click here.

The picture above is from F.V. Hayden, The Great West, 1880, opposite p. 313.

Picture of Henry Ballard is from Conquerors of the West, Vol I,  published by Sons of Utah Pioneers, 1998,p. 138.

  Henry Ballard (1832-1908) was born in England.  He was a survivor of  the explosion of the steamboat Saluda near St. Louis, and came to Utah in 1852 with

the Eli B. Kelsey Company.  He was 25 years old

when the Utah War began.  He died at Logan, Utah. 

  This document was transcribed line by line from microfilm at the LDS Church History Library, and is published here by permission.  Ballard's penmanship

is very good, as is usually his spelling.  However, he consistently spelled "were" as "where" and "soldiers" as "soilders".  Very seldom does he end a sentence with a period.  Except for possible typographical

errors, the spelling, capitalization, and line breaks

are as found in Ballard's journal.  The handwritten journal that I copied may itself be a copy, for it occasionally makes reference to towns that later existed at sites he visited.  The following covers the period July 1857  to June 1859.  To my knowledge, Ballard's  journal has never been published before.