User:Landon Thomas 23/The Tintic War

Tintic War Summary (1856)

File:Tintic War Map.jpeg

This is a map of how the region of Utah looked at the time of the Tintic War.

The Tintic War was a short series of skirmishes occurring in February through March 1856 in Uintah County and Tooele County, Utah It occurred after the conclusion of the Walker War. It was named after a sub-chief of the Ute, Chief Tintic and involved several clashes between Mormon settlers and Native Americans previously residing in the Tintic and Cedar Valleys. This conflict occurred as a result of these native people taking resources from the Mourmon settlers in the area that both of them called home. This war can also is believed to be a contributing factor to both of the Utah War in 1857-58. The believed number of deaths were seven to eight white men and even a lower number of Indians.

Background Information

File:Timpanogos Tribe Region.png

This is a map showing where the Timpanogos tribe primarily resigned.

The main tribe of Ute Indians that occupied this area before the settlers came and claimed the area as their own were the Timpanogos. The Timpanogos, otherwise known as the Utah Indians, were accustomed to these grounds as a source of hunting to help provide food for their families. Their population numbers were already on the decline even prior to the arrival of the Mormon settlers as they were exposed to multiple epidemics from American settlers like Smallpox and Measles.

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This drawing captures what the journey to Utah for the Mormons looked like.

The Mormon settlers originally are known to first have settled in the Midwest in the 1840s and are believed to have first arrived in Utah in 1847. The reason for their expansion can be traced to due to their troubling of getting along with other people outside of their church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter-day Saints. These troubles can come directly from their unorthodox religious beliefs. The leader of this group who led the march of his people to Utah is Brigham Young. Young realized after the death of his peoples former leader Joseph Smith meant that they could no longer stay in Illinois and needed to migrate somewhere else.

Early Encounters

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This is a drawing capturing an interaction between Indians and the Mormon settlers

The first documented time Mormon settlers and the Timpanogos came back in 1847. It can all be credited to Brigham Young as he and a party of 143 Mormons set their travel towards Utah in order to be able to practice their religion freely without interference from others. This journey for the Mormons started in Nauvoo, Illinois and is documented that they traveled a thousand miles by horseback and covered wagons. Their arrival became a problem for the Timpanoges as the Mormons would use the resources and pollute the waters the Timpanoges had been using for decades to support their day-to-day lives. These events would spark tensions between the two parties for decades to come that would result in war and bloodshed.

First Major Conflict (Battle Creek Massacre)

The first major conflict between the Mormons and the Timpanogos people come back in a battle called the Battle Creek Massacre. This battle was a result of built up tensions between the Timpanogos and Moromons, but what started this conflict was when two thieves named Roman Nose and Blue Shirt stole cattle from the Moromons. In result of this, Brigham Young ordered 35 of his soldiers to attack a group of Indians that resulted in 4 total deaths and others injured. One of the most significant parts of this massacre was not just that it was the first violent massacre but who was involved. One of the people who were captured and held at gun point in this massacre a young boy who eventually became the leader Black Hawk. This is important as it is credited that this was the moment he declared that he would have is revenge and why the Black Hawk War came into fruition.

The Walker War

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This landmark summarizes the main key points of the Walker War.

Otherwise known as Wakara's War, lasted from July 1853 to May 1854 where the Paiute Indians and the Mormon settlers disputed over property and land. These strings of battles can also be attributed by the Indians way of slave trade and the religious tensions that were built up leading to the war. The war ended with negotiations between Brigham Young and Indian leader Chief Wakara agreed thats they should pursue peace and not bloodshed. An overall estimated 12 white settlers and around the same number of Indians died during this time.

Chief Wakara's death

One of the most important people during the Timpanogos and Mormon conflict time period was the Timpanogos leader known as Chief Wakara. He was not only looked high upon by his people as a great leader, but also was a central figure for keeping peace between his people and the Mormons. His death came on January 28, 1855 and is believed to be caused by lingering diseases, most likely pneumonia. With his death, the two groups quickly had their peace come to an end and what came next was the Tintic War.

Sparking Back Up Tensions

What first sparked up the tensions between both the Timpanogos and Mormons back up in late 1855/early 1856 was the winter season in Cedar Valley. During this season, many of the Indians were struggling to find the food and resources they needed as they moved higher upon the mountains as the Mormons had control of the lower grounds. This resulted in the Timpanogos stealing from all around them in order to survive and made many furious with Chief Tintic. This ferocity that settlers had at the time with Tintic and his people actively made them fugitives that would set the chains for the short lived war.

Chief Tintic

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This image is a picture of Chief Tintic with his tribe during the Tintic War time period

Chief Tintic was believed to be born sometime in the year 1820 and served as a very important figure during the Tintic War. He was seen throughout historical documents as someone who refused to cooperate with others like Brigham Young and others from the time as he did not want to waiver from his peoples traditions and practices. He led his people during this short lived war that was ultimately lived after himself. He was believed to pass away around 1858 in Cedar Fort, Utah.

Battles

Even though the war was only documented to have gone on for two months, there were a few "battles" that happened.

• Fairfield: What shortly came after John Clark met with Tintic and other Indians to prove his courage, other Mormon settlers came to take John back by force and resulted in them and the Indians to get into their first battle. The most significant of those who died during this battle was of Tintic's brother, Battest when he was shot in the head. Another person who was killed in the small skirmish was George Carson.
• Lone Tree Ranch: This battle came in response for the the death of George Carson. Tintic and his posse were looking to escape into Rush Valley as they knew they were going to be hunted down for killing a white man. The first two deaths named were Washington Carson and Henry Moran. Their deaths came as a result from the Indians invading the Carson home in order to take their herd.
• Lehi: This was not only the battle with the most deaths, but it is the last documented one. The reason for this battle was for the Lehi militia to retrieve their cattle from the Indians. There were a total of three deaths documented from the Lehi militia in this battle.

End of the War

Very shortly after the Lehi battle, Tintic and his people were chased out of the area and were not heard from again that would end the short term conflict. This would not be the last time the Timpagonos and Mormon groups would be in conflict with each other as they would continue conflicts in future years, most notably with the Utah War and Black Hawk war.