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Powder Keg –
Lynette and I went to Tucson this year for Christmas and loved it. This is the third year in a row that we’ve been able to spend time with Lynette’s family for Christmas.
We have been having a great time pretty much doing nothing. I read a good book called Powder Keg—about the little known conflict between Utah and the United States in the years preceding the civil war. It was a novel, but set in that time frame and gave some insight into the conflict and asserted that the decisions of Brigham Young and bravery of Orin Porter Rockwell may have indirectly saved the North from loosing the Civil War.
Under faulty intelligence, President James Buchanan, (President of the U.S. before Abraham Lincoln) dispatched a large portion of the US army to Utah to take care of the ‘Utah Rebellion’. Apparently he had heard false reports that the Mormons had burned a US courthouse and established a government separate from that of the United States (all were later found to be untrue). The War Secretary, John Floyd, sent a Southern General Albert Sidney Johnston to ‘take care of the Mormons’. No one was concerned with finding out if the rumors were true. Johnston and Floyd may have conspired with each other hoping to have the best of the Northern Army out west so when the succession occurs the North will not be able to defend itself.
An actual letter sent from an Ambassador of England to his Prime Minister (roughly) sums up conflict known as the ‘Utah War’:
"How ironic that these stubborn citizens of Utah Territory should have successfully challenged the government of the United States, humiliated its military forces, destroyed the reputation of the war secretary, severely and irrevocably damaged the presidency of James Buchanan, and contributed significantly to the demise of any hopes for a confederacy in the West, and the postponement of secession for at least two years, by my calculations. Perhaps, they have altered the course of history."
Lord Edmund Lyons
Since I first learned of the Utah War I have been fascinated with it, and desired to learn more. My freshman year in college I wrote a report on the conflict for a US History class. Many of the facts I read in this novel back up the research that I found for my report.
If you have a chance, and are interested, you should check out Powder Keg, it’s good.
Scott
Lynette and I went to Tucson this year for Christmas and loved it. This is the third year in a row that we’ve been able to spend time with Lynette’s family for Christmas.
We have been having a great time pretty much doing nothing. I read a good book called Powder Keg—about the little known conflict between Utah and the United States in the years preceding the civil war. It was a novel, but set in that time frame and gave some insight into the conflict and asserted that the decisions of Brigham Young and bravery of Orin Porter Rockwell may have indirectly saved the North from loosing the Civil War.
Under faulty intelligence, President James Buchanan, (President of the U.S. before Abraham Lincoln) dispatched a large portion of the US army to Utah to take care of the ‘Utah Rebellion’. Apparently he had heard false reports that the Mormons had burned a US courthouse and established a government separate from that of the United States (all were later found to be untrue). The War Secretary, John Floyd, sent a Southern General Albert Sidney Johnston to ‘take care of the Mormons’. No one was concerned with finding out if the rumors were true. Johnston and Floyd may have conspired with each other hoping to have the best of the Northern Army out west so when the succession occurs the North will not be able to defend itself.
An actual letter sent from an Ambassador of England to his Prime Minister (roughly) sums up conflict known as the ‘Utah War’:
"How ironic that these stubborn citizens of Utah Territory should have successfully challenged the government of the United States, humiliated its military forces, destroyed the reputation of the war secretary, severely and irrevocably damaged the presidency of James Buchanan, and contributed significantly to the demise of any hopes for a confederacy in the West, and the postponement of secession for at least two years, by my calculations. Perhaps, they have altered the course of history."
Lord Edmund Lyons
Since I first learned of the Utah War I have been fascinated with it, and desired to learn more. My freshman year in college I wrote a report on the conflict for a US History class. Many of the facts I read in this novel back up the research that I found for my report.
If you have a chance, and are interested, you should check out Powder Keg, it’s good.
Scott
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