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Show Camp Floyd significant in military history By DONALD W. MEYERS The Daily Herald FAIRFIELD - For three years in the 19th Century, Cedar Valley was occupied by largest contingent of U.S. Army troops ever assembled in peacetime. The 2,500 soliders under Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston established Camp Floyd in this western Utah County community to bring federal authority to the Utah Territory. Johnston's troops were sent to Utah in 1857 after disgruntled judges and. postal contractors claimed that LDS President and Territorial Gov. Brigham Young was leading an open rebellion against the government. Mormon raiding parties forced the army to winter in Wyoming by destroying supply trains, burning the prairies and running off army cattle and horses. Through the mediation of Thomas L. Kane, the army was allowed to enter Utah and pass through Salt Lake City, with the understanding that the army would not occupy the city. To ensure the army complied. Young ordered the city abandoned except for a small group of men w ho w ere to set fire to the buildings if the troops attempted to stay there. After passing through Salt Lake City and camping by the Jordan Riser. Johnston decided to make permanent camp in Cedar Valley. While Cache Valley had ample water and grass, Johnston settled on Cedar Valley because of its relative proximity to the Mormon capital. In July 1858, the army camped in the north end of the valley, near the mouth of West Canyon. This location was abandoned in Sept. 7 because the water supply was drying up. The second camp was set up by a creek southwest of Fairfield. Johnston named the installation Camp Floyd, after Secretary of War John B. Floyd. When the army first came to the valley, the settlers initially packed up to leave, but Johnston persuaded them to stay by promising that the army would not molest them. But, Johnston told John Carson, the presiding LDS authority in Fairfield, that there was an element associated with the army that was beyond his control. There were teamsters, gamblers and prostitutes who followed the army to get money from the soliders, and they were on their way to Fairfield. "I can handle them on my side of the creek. It may be that w ith the few police you have you may not be able to keep order," Johnston told Carson. "If that time ever comes and you need some help, let me know and I will be glad to help you, Mr. Carson." Shortly afterwards, the campfol-lowearrived, creating a small community just outside the camp. Frogtown, as it was called, boasted a rs 42 f. If "5"- - 1 1 mi.. L im r c T4 V , J l) if '4 t if 't " yfx. 4 V in ttfn I 'i i i iimr - Photo courtesy Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston's men stand near the headquarters at Camp Floyd sometime around 1857. The 2,500 soldiers made the camp the largest gent of U.S. Army troops for three years. Spencer said afterwards. Pike then pulled his victim around so his head would be downhill and bleed more freely. Howard Spencer was taken back to Salt Lake City and nursed back to health. Pike asserted that Howard Spencer attacked him, and that he struck in Pike was indicited for assault with intent to kill in August 1859, but was summarily acquitted in a Salt Lake City trial that many felt was biased in the sergeant's favor. Howard Spencer, disgusted with the outcome of the trial, walked up to Young. In 1859, the army requisitioned Pike outside the courthouse and shot Rush Valley as pasture for the federal him. The attack happened so quickly animals. To the north was a ranch that no one moved to apprehend and Co. owned by Spencer-Littl- e Howard Spencer. Daniel Spencer, one of the ranch's Pike died three days later, and was ordered the buried was to at Camp Floyd, in a graveyard owners, by army with 82 of his fellow soldiers and a remove his stock from from his corcivilian. rals. After Pike died, 20 soldiers went his sent Howard, Spencer nephew, and another man to move the animals. to Cedar Fort, set fire to a haystack, Howard Spencer and his companion stock sheds and corrals, and shot at arrived on the evening of March 22, those w ho tried to quench the flames. and proceeded to put out hay for the The government paid $10,000 for horses when several soldiers rode up. the damage, but Johnston said he One of the soldiers, Sgt. Ralph could not control his soldiers' behavPike, came with a gun in his hand and ior while Pike's killer was at large. demanded that the horses be moved Howard Spencer turned himself in immediately. How ard Spencer said he years later, and was acquitted. told Pike that he would move them Also in 1859, a group of counterthe next morning, as he had just come feiters at the camp tried to make fake down from Salt Lake City. notes from the quartermaster to draw "With an oath, he struck me with funds from the U.S. Treasury. The his gun. I held up the pitchfork to counterfeiters employed the engraver ward off the blow, the fork handle who made the Deseret currency plates was of pine homemade, the blow for Brigham Young, and printed the broke it in three pieces and came with notes on paper purloined from such force that I was felled to the Young's office. ground with a crushed skull," Howard When the counterfeiters were hotel and theater, but it became comknown as a munity with prostitution, gambling and other v ices. The impact was felt beyond the valley, as the Salt Lake City Police Department was forced to increase its ranks from 48 to 200 to cope with the criminals and discharged soldiers coming into the city. While Johnston attempted to keep his troops disciplined, there was still friction between the soldiers and Utahns. The most notable incidents were the assault on Howard Spencer and an attempt to arrest Brigham rough-and-tumb- le self-defen- of BYU contin- caught, the army felt they hud a chance to anest Young and bring him face judgment. to Camp F!o J Officers horn Camp Floyd presented their plan to Territorial Gov. Alfred Cumming: Cannons would be used to break down the wall around Young's house, and troops would storm in to seize the Mormon leader. But Cumming vetoed the plan. "When you have a right to take Brigham Young, gentlemen, you shall have him without creeping through walls. You shall enter by his door with heads erect as becomes representatives of your government." Cummings told the soldiers. "But till that time, gentlemen, you can't touch Brigham Young while I live." Despite this, there were rumors that Johnston was sending soldiers and artillery to arrest Young. Cumming mobilized 5.000 troops from the Nauvoo Legion, the territorial militia, to prevent the federal troops from carrying out their plan. The Army did not leave Cedar from Valley, and orders were sent federal of use the Washington barring troops in Utah without the permission of the governor. of Camp Floyd was also the home the S Utah's first newspaper, Valley Tan, which began publication in 1858. Initially an softened publication, the Valley Tan its editorial stand when its publisher. John Secretary of the Territory weren't there Harnett, realized that readers to make it enough non-LD- S profitable. The paper closed in i860, the same year Johnston left the camp to assume command of the military forces in the western Pacific region. non-LD- (See FLOYD, Page 441 |