August 24, 1866

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Moore Kelly

A cholera epidemic has hit the soldiers and has kept him busy in the hospital. He remarks about their brother Robert and his poor condition since remaining in the South to practice medicine, marry, etc. Written on letterhead for the Headquarters, Department of Mississippi.

GLC04195.43

10 March 1867

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Moore Kelly

He will superintend recruits for the Army until the end of May, when he will return to Staten Island. He describes a social encounter with the Livingstones. He also describes his living arrangements. This letter was written at Gramercy Park House.

GLC04195.44

12 May 1867

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mollie [Kelly]

He describes his past experience in Vicksburg, where he and Grant lived with a local family. Because he did not steal silver, as they "supposed all 'Yanks' were in the habit of doing, they have always felt very grateful" for the protection and whiskey he provided them, and they agreed to act as benefactors for Mollie, Moore's niece, in her musical study. Written from Gramercy Park House.

GLC04195.45

9 September 1867

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Moore Kelly

He met with the brother of Sherman's wife, of the Ewing family, who had requested Moore's presence upon her visit. She needs advice on finishing schools for her daughter. He describes a visit along the Hudson river.

GLC04195.46

8 June 1868

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Molly Kelly

He compliments her on her travels and sends her gloves and earrings.

GLC04195.47

20 November 1868

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Moore Kelly

He refers to a case seen by their brother Robert regarding child abuse.

GLC04195.48

January 11, 1857

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Informs Kelly that he has arrived in New York City from Washington, D.C. and will leave soon for Boston.

GLC04194.02

17 March 1858

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Kelly

Describes considerable suffering and deprivations experienced while preparing for armed conflict with the Mormons. Mentions discontent among the "ambitious young men in the army" because of a rumor that President James Buchanan made overtures to Brigham Young that will result in a peaceful settlement. Written at Camp Scott.

GLC04194.07

13 December 1857

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Reports that Governor Cummings and Judge Eckles are camped near the troops and are holding a court with the lawyers in a "log shantee put up for that purpose." Mentions there are one or two Mormon prisoners with the troops. Written at Camp Scott, near Fort Bridger, Wyoming.

GLC04194.05

6 May 1858

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Assures her that Colonel Johnson [Johnston?] has not moved before now because he is awaiting the arrival of pack animals. Moore states that Johnson's original orders were to establish a military post at or near Salt Lake City and that Johnson will only attack the Mormons if they interfere.

GLC04194.08

11 June 1858

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Kelly

Reports that nothing has been heard from the commissioners sent out by President James Buchanan to negotiate with Brigham Young, so he cannot tell her if Young has accepted the pardon offer. Moore hopes Young will fight. He expresses disdain for Young and thinks that any in the East who have sympathy for the Mormon cause are misguided.

GLC04194.09

15 July 1858

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Kelly

Informs Kelly that the common belief in the eastern United States that the Mormons have become quiet and peaceable is wrong. He attributes their continued belligerence to a belief that they can bully the government into bending to their demands, drawing on President James Buchanan's offer of a pardon. Moore denounces the Mormons, telling the story of one of their preacher's vulgar dismissal of the pardon document. Written at a camp near Cedar Valley, Utah.

GLC04194.10

29 December 1858

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Kelly

Describes a Christmas dinner party he gave, mostly for men from the Medical Corps. Two or three balls were given, but Moore chose not to attend because he considers Mormon women dumb and unattractive. Discusses the Mormon block to holding court for the trial of a man who murdered a deaf and dumb boy. Mentions a message issued by President James Buchanan and the speed with which it crossed the Rocky Mountains, and comments that it is "unnecessarily filled with Kansas." Written at Camp Floyd

GLC04194.11

February 24, 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Moore comments on local places of leisure: the theater is drawing full houses, and there are two billiard saloons and fifteen or twenty gambling houses. Mentions that "knives and pistols are freely used," and that the town helps advance surgical knowledge. Written at Camp Floyd.

GLC04194.12

17 March 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Describes Provo as the largest town in Utah next to Salt Lake City. Mentions that the U.S. Court has been in session there for ten days. Explains there have been many murders in Provo, and that the judge has been trying without success to get the Mormon grand jury to bring indictments. Discusses the Mormons' anger about the troops being encamped there.

GLC04194.13

29 March 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Kelly

Discusses his travel to Provo, Utah, on a pleasure excursion, but fear of conflict between the troops stationed there and the Mormons resulted in General Johnson [Johnston?] ordering in 1000 troops and calling Moore to duty. Mentions Bishop Johnson, a polygamist who been "implicated in the murder of the Parishes" but not yet apprehended. Reports that three men were slaughtered within a quarter of a mile of Springville, Utah, on 14 March 1857, and that no inquest was held, nor has there been any attempt to discover the murderer until the present.

GLC04194.14

14 April 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Moore reports that the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857, where one hundred and seventeen men, women, and children were killed, was "done to avenge the death of Parley P. Pratt." Tells how the Mormons have appropriated the property of those killed instead of selling it to benefit the children who survived. Written at Camp Floyd.

GLC04194.15

10 May 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Informs Kelly that Jacob Forney, the Indian agent, brought the sixteen children who survived the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857 into Salt Lake City a few days before. Explains that the children have confirmed the widely held belief that the Mormons committed the massacre and attempted to blame the Indians. Written at Camp Floyd.

GLC04194.16

6 June 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Kelly

Gives graphic details of the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857. Is disgusted that the Mormons "claim remuneration" for maintaining and paying ransom to the Indians for the surviving children. Reports that the Indians claim Bishop John D. Lee raped and murdered a "beautiful girl of 18 or 19" who pleaded for her life. Decries that President James Buchanan forced a pardon on the Mormons when he could have crushed them. Written at Camp Floyd.

GLC04194.17

15 June 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Discusses his deep hatred of the Mormons in inflammatory language. Mentions that the sixteen children who survived the Mountain Meadows Massacre are to be sent to their relatives in a few days. He is stunned to read in the Deseret News that the Church is arguing that the massacre solely was the work of the Indians, and that the Mormons arrived in time only to rescue the sixteen children. Written at Camp Floyd.

GLC04194.18

12 July 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Kelly

Discusses a recently discovered Mormon scheme to counterfeit United States treasury drafts. The building where the counterfeiting operation was based was within Brigham Young's compound, and Moore claims this is evidence that Young must have known of it. Written at Camp Floyd.

GLC04194.19

23 July 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary [Kelly]

Praises the Mormons for having planted fruit and shade trees around their dwellings from their earliest settlement. Reports that gentile merchants and trade from the emigrants to California has made Salt Lake City a business center. Kelly was Moore's sister.

GLC04194.20

2 August 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Describes the Mormon view of polygamy articulated by Orson Pratt and condemns polygamy. Asks why the national government permits "such a people to be not only tolerated but furnished with the means of growing rich beyond that of any portion of the people in the States?" Written at Camp Floyd.

GLC04194.21

13 August 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Reports that he left Camp Floyd, Utah, to punish Indians who were murdering emigrants on the North California road; Moore's party attacked an Indian encampment at dawn, killing twenty and driving off the rest.

GLC04194.22

10 October 1859

Moore, John, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Describes being out with dragoons in pursuit of Indians who have committed robberies on the Emigrant Road. In spite of the vigilance of the troops, "two or three small trains have been robbed and burnt, and some twelve or fifteen people, men, women, and children killed." Moore describes the Indians responsible as a small, outlaw portion of the tribe. Moore is angry that "some of the very Indians concerned in these depredations have been in the Mormon settlements while we were looking for them in distant places," and the Mormons gave no word of it. Discusses good weather and fishing.

GLC04194.24