[U.S. Religious History] President James Buchanon selected Alfred Cumming to replace Brigham Young as governor for the territory of Utah. (1)
-- Jul 18, 1857
[Deseret] Two Mormons, Porter Rockwell and Abraham Owen Smoot, learn of Buchanan's declaration in Kansas City while on a mail run. On the same day, Col. Alexander and his troops begin the journey to Utah. (2)
[Utah War] The first contingent of the Utah Expedition left Fort Leavenworth with plans to be in Utah before winter.
Abraham Smoot, mayor of Salt Lake City, left Fort Laramie hastily on his way to alert the Brigham Young of the information he had gathered: that Governor Young was to be replaced and an army was on its way to Utah. (3)
-- Jul 23, 1857
[Deseret] Rockwell and Smoot arrive in Salt Lake City and inform Brigham Young of the government's plans. (2)
Messrs. J. Stoddard and A. O. Smoot arrived from Independence without the mails, the postmaster there having received orders not to forward them. They brought the news that General Harney, with over 2000 men, was ordered to Utah (4)
-- Jul 24, 1857
Word received of Utah Expedition. (5)
Brigham Young informed of oncoming Johnston's Army. (6)
[Utah War] More than 2000 were gathered in Big Cottonwood Canyon to celebrate the 10th anniversary of arriving in Salt Lake Valley. Abraham Smoot and 3 others rode into camp with information that a new governor, judges and 2500 troops were coming to Utah. Brigham Young said that "if the Govornor & officers wished to come & would behave themselves well they would be well treated." (WWJ) The gathering was naturally concerned as to the purpose of the Army. Without any official notification of Pres. Buchanan's intentions Brigham Young and the Mormon community interpreted the sending of the army as religious persecution, anticipating perhaps a declaration of war to destroy Mormonism. (3)
-- Jul 26, 1857
[Deseret] Heber C. Kimball refers to 2,500 approaching troops and states that if somehow their wagons and cattle arrive in Utah without the troops, it would be "a mighty help to us" (Kimball 1857, p. 94). Jokingly, he said he had "wives enough to whip out the United States" (Kimball 1857, p. 95). (2)
[Utah War] Abraham Smoot gave a public account of the information he collected regarding the Army and his 20 day journey from Independence to SLC. (complete text: Deseret News, Aug. 5, p. 170) (3)
-- Jul 27, 1857
[Utah War] Alfred Cumming took his oath of office as Governor of Utah Territory, replacing Brigham Young, at St. Louis. (3)
-- Jul 28, 1857
[Utah War] Gen. Harney wrote a letter to Pres. Brigham Young to be hand delivered by Capt. Stewart Van Vliet, which he did on Sept. 9. The letter announced that the purpose of Army headed for Utah Territory was to establish a base for a new military district like those established elsewhere. No mention was made of a new governor, the charge that the Utah community and civil government were in rebellion or that the Army was sent to assist the new civil officers in the performance of their duties. (complete text: Mormon Resistance, 30-34)
Capt. Van Vliet, having a favorable acquaintance with some Mormons a few years earlier, was ordered by Gen. Pleasanton to SLC ahead of the Army to arrange for the purchase of supplies, deliver Gen. Harney's July 28 letter to Pres. Young and find a location for the troops within 30 miles of SLC. (complete text: Mormon Resistance, 36-38). He arrived in SLC Sept. 8. (3)
-- Aug 2, 1857
[Deseret] Brigham Young publicly discusses the possible secession of the Mormon theocracy from the United States and the establishment of an independent kingdom (Young 1857b, p. 98). Heber C. Kimball issues a curse upon President Buchanan and predicts his untimely death (JD 5:129). (2)
-- Aug 5, 1857
[Deseret] Brigham Young declares martial law (Young 1857c). This date is somewhat anomalous however. No evidence supports the claim that this declaration ever circulated during August. However, a slightly different declaration of martial law was issued and received wide circulation on September 15. (2)
Governor Brigham Young placed Utah Territory under martial law and forbade U.S. troops to enter Salt Lake Valley. (5)
-- Aug 5, 1857-15 September
Brigham Young declared martial law for Utah Territory and forbade Johnston's Army to enter the Salt Lake Valley. (6)
Footnotes:
1 - Cline, Austin, History of American Religion: Timeline, http://bit.ly/Fwgbe
2 - Wikipedia, Utah War, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_War#Timeline_of_events
3 - Hale, Van, Mormon Miscellaneous, Utah War Chronology, http://www.mormonmiscellaneous.com/utahwar/id2.html
4 - Richards, Franklin Dewey and Little, James A., Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel, Church Chronology, Ch.66, p.306
5 - Ludlow, Daniel H. editor, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Macmillan Publishing, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 4, Appendix 2: A Chronology of Church History
6 - Hemidakaota, "Church Chronology from 1800-2000," http://www.lds.net/forums/scripture-study-forum/12108-church-chronology-1800-2000-part-1-a.html#post214550
Mormon History Timeline /Chronology
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
