History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

CHAPTER XX.
THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE.
1857.
An Arkansas Emigrant Party Arrives at Salt Lake City—Assassination
of Parley P. Pratt— III Feeling against the Emigrants—
Alleged Outrages—Their Arrival at Mountain Meadows—They
are Attacked sy Indians—A Flag of Truce—Plan of the Massacre
—Surrender of the Emigrants—The Butchery—Burial of the
Slain—The Survtvors—Judge Cradlebaugh's Investigation—The
Aiken Massacre—John D. Lee on Trial— The Jury Disagree—Thb
Second Trial—Lee Convicted and Sentenced—His Confession and
Execution.
The threat uttered by Brigharn during his interview
with Captain Van Vliet, on the 9th of September,
1857, was speedily fulfilled—so speedily that, at first
sight, its execution would appear to have been predetermined.
" If," he declared, "the government dare
to force the issue, I shall not hold the Indians by the
wrist any longer." "If the issue comes, you may tell
the government to stop all emigration across the con-
tinent, for the Indians will kill all who attempt it."
Two days later occurred the Mountain Meadows
massacre, 1
at a point about three hundred miles south
of Salt Lake City.
1 In Forney's Rept, in Sen. Doc, 36th Cong. 1st Sess., ii. no. 42, p. 79, and
the Hand-Book of Reference, p. 75, Sept. 9th is given as the date of the massacre.
Forney, as superintendent of Indian affairs, made a close investigation
into the details of this tragedy, the result of which is given in his report ut
supra, pp. 87-9, and elsewhere in this document, which occupies 139 pages, and
contains all the official information then to be had on the subject. His reports
are dated Salt Lake City, 1859. He states that the attack began on
Monday, Sept. 5th, and lasted till Friday, Sept. 9th, when the massacre occurred;
but Friday of that week fell on Sept. 11th. Burton, City oftheSaints,
411-12, note, also quotes an official report, in which Sept. 4th or 5th is given as
the date of the first attack. See also Lee's confession in Mormonism Un-
(513)