During the war, the Mormons in Utah rebel by severing transcontinental communication and transportation around Salt Lake City. John Pope is appointed as the military governor, puts down the revolt, and imposes martial law. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is classified as an illegal political organization and Mormonism loses all protection under the First Amendment and is banned. The Mormon leaders are then hunted down and executed; the brutal put down of the revolt in Utah will set the stage for the Utah Troubles that will haunt the United States for the rest of the series.