Show Utah's Pioneers I Faced Acute Defense Problems Those who prefer to live in un walled villages ages we expect are able to take care of themselves and they will ill not call on us to go to out of our walls alls for tor their protection Thus Brigham Young in word words which might have hale applied to our recent at attitude toward preparedness prepared iness ness sarcastically warned those settlers who ho were growing careless to the danger of Indian attacks According to information com com- compiled com com- compiled piled by the Utah Writer Writers s Pro Pro- ProJect Pro I jest the first pioneer watchwords I had been alertness and de- de defense defense de defense Brigham Young s a farsighted ed ed policy of feeding rather than fighting the Indian tribes was amazingly successful but the tin un- un underlying denying threat was there and a sensible colonial policy polley must In- In include In Include clude dude preparations for tor emergencies Careless settlers who disregard disregarded I ed eel Youngs warnings not to lIv live unprotected on farms In central I Utah were In 1853 taught a harsh lesson when the th Ute Vie war chief Walker with a band of maraud maraud- marauders marauders ers era plundered the region killing some 20 settlers and making off with scores of livestock Thus Walker according to George A ASmith ASmith ASmith Smith evidently had more Influence influence influence ence to make the Saints obey court coun counsel counsel sel than the Presidency of the Church Smith continued I admit a man Is free to serve the devil If it he thinks proper but let letI me tell teU you it is Ls s cheap cheaper r in the end to heed counsel Smith was talking about con constructing constructing constructing forts and living within their protection Ha d Had adequate forts been built for each new set set- settlement settlement set settlement and expansion to outly outlying outlyIng ing areas by Individuals been cur cur- curtailed curtailed cur I tailed the periodic losses to the Indians might have been a avoided voided Settlements without forts torts how however however however I ever were the exception for the pioneers built dozens dozen of them themI I Young Youngs s plan of colonization called for rapid expansion but at the i same time he Insisted that ex pan slon remain within the bounds of adequate protection Although the new land appear appeared appeared appeared ed peaceful and the few Indians encountered by the 1847 pioneers professed kindly intentions Young insisted that a fort be erected to protect the colony during the first winter This Ibis fort was located at atthe atthe atthe the site of Pioneer Park In Salt Lake City ty tyAs As Aa settlement branched to other Utah valleys the same precautions were taken In some cases as in V I pre he e Instance butane of ProVO attempts ta taI were e et eto t to ao the th w wh r ae l nd endl l JS l 1 bung hence bence henc ln ti cU n of a awall awall awall wall ar around Salt Bait Lake 01 City The Th moe most moat feasible t fort tort however proved peeved f to be- be b Of f but ot sm waller b ll dimensions W settlers could congregate in hi case casa of attack These forte forts were were erected within the boundaries of the settlement m nt or adjacent to It Construction of torts forts required re a alot alot alot lot back of time and b breaking back labor effort which was sadly need needed hutWalker ed for production of crop crops hut Walker and his raiders raider th sun Oun Oun-nison Oun nison massacre the and Black Hawk uprisings demonstrated ed that the th Indian was waa not entire entire- entirely entirely ly to be trusted and that effort utilized in fort tort construction was not wasted Indeed it Is la likely that the stalwart Mormon forts even when never naver attacked served as a psychological barrier to In In- In Indian In-dian In dlan dian depredations There are many remnants of old pioneer forts forta in Utah and a few settlements still till retain the th fort fort fortas fortas as part of their names Some of these early structures were so o well built as to withstand the ravages ravage of time and are still standing Cove Fort In Millard County Is isa isi t a remarkable example of or the lat lat- latter lat latter ter standing as a monument to Iter Utah s venturesome r past I |