The following is an account written by Andrew Madsen concerning Chief Justice of Utah, Judge W.W. Drummond's resignation and his allegations to Washington of Governor Brigham Young and the Mormons destroying the records of the Supreme Court, Legislative Records, etc. Also accusing the Mormons of detaining people from leaving the valley. Drummond asked for the United States troops to be sent to Utah. Andrew records the events that brought about the (Big Move), when many saints were urged to move south before the U.S. Army invaded the area.
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| Andrew Madsen Sr. |
David R. Gunderson reproduced the original journal printed for private distribution several years ago and is currently working on a new edition to be published sometime in the future.
March, 1857, my brother Mads, the only one of the family who remained in Denmark completing some work and collecting the last payment due on the sale of our farm, started to emigrate to Utah in company with many others and landed here early in the fall. His journey was not such as that of my father and mother as he came through during the summer months suffering no cold. He was in company with Capt. Cowley. He arrived at Philadelphia May 1st, 1857 and traveled by rail to Iowa City, arriving there June 9th, where they were fitted out with ox teams, arriving in Salt Lake City, Sept. 13th, 1857, with a wagon and yoke of oxen, bringing with him Owen Lillingquist and family.
In the spring of 1857, I, in company with Mr. Swensen assisted him in taking a load of flour to Green River with my oxen. Arriving there I hitched to my father's wagon which had been left there the previous winter by my mother and brother. I also brought with me some of my mother's clothing which she had left. The trip was not the most pleasant one, but by so doing I came in possession of the wagon.
I returned to Brigham City and became the owner of a lot and after my brother Mads arrived, we worked together and in the Fall he married Miss Ellen Hansen, who had crossed the Pains with the same company. We built a dug out which we lived in during the winter.
That winter Lorenzo Snow made arrangements to build himself a home and we presented him with a keg of nails which had been hauled by us from St. Louis, Monday March 30th. Judge W.W. Drummond tendered his resignation as Chief Justice of Utah and in framing said resignation to be sent to the Executive at Washington, D.C., he included and wrote some of the most abominable falsehoods against the Governor, Brigham Young, and the Mormons, charging them with destroying the records of the Supreme Court, the Legislative Records, etc. and detaining people from leaving the valley and many other falsehoods to send troops to Utah.
On July 24th, while the Saints were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the arrival of the Pioneers to Utah at Big Cottonwood Canyon, Abraham O. Smoot and Judson Stoddard arrived from Independence, Mo. without the mail, the postmaster there having refused to forward the same. They reported that General Harney with two thousand infantry and a proportionate number of artillery and cavalry were ordered to Utah. After receiving this information, the Utah Militia was ordered to be kept in readiness for an expedition to the mountains to prevent the approaching army, if necessary, until some agreements and understandings as to conditions had been affected. This was in compliance with the request of Governor B. Young.
Tuesday, September 15th, Governor Brigham Young declared the territory of Utah under Martial Law and forbade the troops to enter Salt Lake Valley. Large numbers of armed militia were ordered to Echo Canyon and other points to intercept the soldiers and prevent access to the valley.
Tuesday, September 29th, General Daniel H. Wells, left Great Salt Lake City for Echo Canyon, where he established headquarters. About 1250 men from several military districts were ordered to Echo Canyon, where they engaged in digging trenches across the canyon, throwing up breastwork, loosening rocks on the heights, etc., preparing to resist the progress of the army. About the same time, myself and about one hundred militia men under the command of Captain James Bywater marched to Soda Springs and we pitched camp near Fort Hall. Remaining there a short time, we returned to Brigham City and on October 10th, the officers of the Utah Expedition held a council of war at Hame Fork and decided that the army should march to Great Salty Lake Valley by way of Soda Springs. The following day the march was commenced, but after several days of slow and exhaustive travelling, the expedition was forced to return. October 12th, the militia was called out from Ogden and northern settlements and myself and about five hundred responded. We went under command of Colonel West towards Soda Springs. The object was to meet the Utah Army, but we were called back by an express sent by them.
About the first of November we were called out again under the command of Captain Bywater's Company to Echo Canyon, and at this time the United States Soldiers were cammped at Hame Fork and Black Fork, two miles from Fort Bridger and 115 miles from Salt Lake City. During the first part of December, when deep snow fell, we were released and went home for the winter.
On Monday, December 21st, 1857, the Utah Legislature unanimously concurred in the message, policy and actions of Governor Brigham Young in stopping the Army.
On Monday, April 5th, 1858, Governor Alfred Cummings and Colonel Thos. L. Kane, with a servant left the Army at Fort Scott for Salt Lake City, arriving there on the 12th. The new Governor was kindly received by President Brigham Young and other leading citizens and treated everywhere with respectful attention.
On Monday, April 19th, Governor Cummings and Colonel Kane examined the Utah Library where James W. Cummings showed them the Records and Seals of the United District Court, alleged to have been destroyed by the Mormons and many other investigations were made. This accusation was one of the reasons why the Army was ordered to Utah. A few days later the Governor sent a truthful report to the Government at Washington in relation to the affairs and denouncing the statements made by Judge Drummond.
Sunday, March 21st, 1858 the citizens of Salt Lake City and the settlements north of it, agreed to abandon their homes and go south. All the information derived from eastern papers being to the effect that the approaching Army was sent to destroy them. I, at that time, was living at Brigham City and myself, brothers and sisters, together with a great many others or practically all, began making preparations to move south as soon as Spring opened up and the weather would permit. (This is known in Utah History as the "Big Move")
I was detailed to make boxes for flour, others to repair wagons and various other things in way of preparation. Provisions were secured giving all of us a year's supply, which was furnished gratis. About the middle of April many began to move south and my brother, Neils drove my team, accompanying my other brothers, mother and sisters, while I remained as a guard, being Capt. of ten, to see that our homes and property was burned and destroyed should they be disturbed by the soldiers.
We remained there for some time and during this time a band of husky Indians, about two hundred in all, came and camped upon the creek with us. They were friendly and apparently sympathized with the people and it appeared that they had been out with the soldiers and understood there was trouble. Many of them were clad with soldier blankets and flannel shirts. I traded with a squaw some wheat I had scraped up from the mill for a buckskin and new red flannel shirt. There was a tailor among us and he made the buckskin I had into a pair of trousers and this, with the red flannel shirt I had, was the first suit I ever obtained in Utah.
Thursday, May 13th, Governor Cummings left Salt Lake City for Camp Scott for the purpose of removing his wife to the City. When he returned June 8th he found the city almost deserted by its inhabitants.
Friday, June 11th, the Peace Commission met with President Brigham Young and others in the Council House at Salt Lake City and the difficulties between the United States and Utah were peaceably adjusted, after which we were released, those having homes, principally returning to Salt Lake City.l I took my gun and blanket and walked from Brigham City to Fort Ephraim, a distance of about two hundred miles, where I found our family.
Just a few days before I passed up Salt Creek Canyon on my way, Jens Jorgensen and wife, Jens Terkelsen and Christian and Kjerulf were murdered by Indians, while they were traveling through unarmed on their way to Sanpete Valley.
A few weeks after arriving at Ephraim, a Company of about ten went into the canyons for timber. While we were getting out timber, a shot was fired and we all started for our wagons and one of our party came down the hill, having received a wound from the shot, which was fired by an Indian in ambush the underbrush being so dense we decided to retreat to the Fort. However, the wounded man recovered. That Fall we went to work supplying ourselves with hay, building houses and preparing for the winter; and on December 26th, 1858 I was married to Miss Johanna E. Wedergreen Anderson.
To us were born the following children: (copied from Neils Madsen book)
Hannah L. (died when 10 months old)
Louisa B. (died at 25 years old)
Andreas (died at 15 days old)
Annie (died at 43 years old)
Emma (died after a few hours)
Andrew C. (died at 67 years old)
Lauritz L. (died at 2 years old)
Anthon W. (died at 52 years old)
Neil M. (died at 54 years old)
Hilda E. (died at 69 ?)
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