Show JL L MORMON BATTALION SOLDIER CASTLE VALLEY huntington dec 7 1881 1681 editor deseret news 1 I matthew caldwell son eon of 10 curtis and nancy hood caldwell was bom born june the lith 1822 in son county town of mount vernon VernOD state of illinois my father moved from jefne Jefre jeferson Je Berson county illinois J to hancock county illinois in the year 1826 where we wo remained until the spring of 1846 1 I witnessed all the mob bings and house burnings of the saint d during that time was taken wr with a writ served by the sheria sheriff of hancock county to appear in warsaw on oli the day of june tuel 1844 there I 1 found the mob asem assembled bled balls balis making ready to start to carthage in charge of col levi williams of green plains where the most dastardly act of the nineteenth century was committed in taking the lives of the prophet joseph smith and hyrum his brother whilst this was going on I 1 was put under guard and placed place d astraddle of a cannon in the hot sunshine with my hat off during the day of the in order to punish me for refusing to go to carthage to help to commit the dastardly act during all this time I 1 had not attached myself to the church in the spring of 1846 in company with my father in law thomas guymon dannes james end und N his hia sons eons and robert his son eon in law labnow now bishop of fountain green crossed the mississippi river and took the pioneer trail en route to salt lake valley in the meantime stopped at mount pisgah where we were overtaken by a recruiting cr officer of the united states with a demand from the government for of our best men to be marched into mexico an call but it all turned out cut for the best at this place I 1 was baptized by apostle E T be benson move moved d on to council bluer bluffs 0 where the mormon battalion was raised volunteered after being exiled from a boasted republic went into mexico as a private soldier returned after perform ing fali fall the duties required of me september 1847 gand jand and found my sacrificed family which were left to the mercy of ot the wild tribes in the enjoyment of good health and spirits MATTHEW CALDWELL CASTLE DALE emery co utah december 14 1881 editor deseret utah seems to be taking a move horace greely said go west young man go west but some great impetus seems to be sending them aas east t I 1 think it must he be our climate for that we can boast of if nothing e else ise we have had no snow yet in the valley vailey and weather is as warm as in the middle of june with the exception of nights our climate cannot be beat in utah the farmers orthis of this valley are getting some pome of their pay back for the hard times they experienced in starting their hom bom homes e 9 here beres in the high prices they are getting for their products every ever thing is high in the shape of eatables for man or beast the railroad is bringing its accompaniments whisky kland and pistols and a man for break fast at blake city the other day they had a free fight which eroded ended in the killing of one man and the wounding of one or two others I 1 have to chronicle a sad case that happened here a few days ago bro louis lamis died after aum auT suffering ering for four days the whole community feel to sympathise with bro johansen in his hia great bereal ment mant this being the first grown person that has died in this place and it has been settled going on four yeara years it hns has caused a gloom to bp spread read over the community we see eee through the NEWS that taylor and party had arrived home after their extended tour our south the saints of emery would not have felt bad had bad they had bad the privilege of seeing and hear bear hearing na them for we are hut shut out to some extent from those blessings which the people have over the mountains in the older settlements the people in this county seem to have imbibed the spirl of gather g together in towns more than formerly which causes a better feeling to exist both la in word and act amongst the people one great drawback yet is the want of a grist mill we iva have one started in this place but the parties that started it went as far as they could and quit for a time formant nor for want wani of means enough money has left this county this fall to have built a first class mill it is a blessing to the people as it is betit but it would have been a greater one had they received help to complete atas they should have had A word on mall mail matters aou would id not be out of place the mail run through this county three times a week by samuel gibson Esq could not be better when run by the for mer company it was called a weekly mail it got weaker and weaker till it weakened out and the people had no pity or sorrow to express when the poor thing died it is now run on time and good time we get our news three days fromwalt from salt balt lake which shoud aboud satisfy the most fastidious tid ti lous dious A |