In 1858, friction between the Mormons in Utah and the federal government led to a brief encounter known as the Mormon War. The United States, planning a naval invasion of the “soft underbelly” of Utah, decided to survey the Colorado River to learn if it was navigable, and appropriated $75,000 for a survey.
The storied Army Corps of Topographical Engineers were assigned the task of performing the survey. An iron-hulled sternwheeler was assembled in Philadelphia, where it received poor gra
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