History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

554
THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE.
for mercy; clutching the garments of their murderers,
as they grasped them by the hair, children pleaded
for life, meeting with the steady gaze of innocent
childhood the demoniac grin of the savages, who
brandished over them uplifted knives and tomahawks.
Their skulls were battered in, or their throats cut
from ear to ear, and, while still alive, the scalp was
torn from their heads. Some of the little ones met
with a more merciful death, one, an infant in arms,
being shot through the head by the same bullet that
pierced its father's heart. Of the women none were
spared, and of the children only those who were not
more than seven years of age. 19
To two of Lee's wagoners, McMurdy and Knight,
was assigned the duty, as it was termed, of slaughtering
the sick and wounded. Carrying out their
instructions, they stopped the teams as soon as firing
was heard, and with loaded rifles approached the
wagons where lay their victims, McMurdy being in
front. "O Lord, my God," he exclaimed, "receive
their spirits, it is for thy kingdom that I do this."
Then, raising his rifle to his shoulder, he phot through
the brain a wounded man who was lying with his
head on a sick comrade's breast. The Mormons
were aided in their work 20 by Indians, who, grasping
the helpless men by the hair, raised up their heads
and cut their throats. The last victim was a little girl
who came running up to the wagons, covered with
19 In the official report quoted by Burton, City of the Saints, 412, it is
stated that a girl 16 years of age knelt before one of the Mormons imploring
mercy, but he led her away into a thicket, ^iolated her, and then cut her
throat. Beadle attributes this deed to President Haight, and says that after
violating the girl he beat out her brains with a club. He also accuses Lee of
selecting one of the young women for his harem, and relates that, when he made
known his purpose, she attempted to stab him, whereupon he shot her through
the head. Life in Utah, 1S3-4.
20 Lee, in his confession, denied having killed any of them, but admits that
he intended to do his part. He says: 'I drew my pistol and cocked it, but
somehow it went off prematurely, and I shot McMurdy across the thigh, my
pistol-ball cutting his buckskin pants. McMurdy turned to me and said:
"Brother Lee, keep cool; you are excited.'" Mormonism Unvailed, 242. As
we shall see later, it was clearly proved at his trial that he killed several of
the wounded.