The Mountain Meadows Massacre
The years of 1855-56 had been particularly harsh on the Mormon settlements around the Great Salt Lake. Though their difficulties were due to normal things like drought and insect infestation, the Mormons believed they were being punished by God for their sins. All people were called upon to confess and repent. For some sins, the only way of achieving forgiveness was the doctrine of “blood-atonement.” This meant that one had to shed their own blood. Unfortunately, things got out of control when some Mormons extended the shedding of blood to others to save themselves. At the same time, they claimed, they were “saving” the person who was sacrificed.
The atrocities reached the ears of leaders in the east. President Buchanan sent troops to Utah to return order. The Mormons heard about it in advance and prepared for a long siege. They stockpiled grain. They found places to hide. They got ready to leave at a moment’s notice. They burned down Fort Bridger and Fort Supply so they could not provide shelter to U.S. troops. Brigham Young declared that army troops would not be allowed to enter the Salt Lake Valley for any reason. He declared that all citizens must be ready to bare arms against them.
Before the troops could reach Utah, the Fancher emigrant train had reached Salt Lake City from Arkansas. They had received a hostile reception there so left as soon as possible. In their way south, they were unable to buy or trade with any of the settlers. They traveled as fast as they could to get out of Utah. They stopped at Mountain Meadows, in the southwest corner of the territory, to rest their animals. The meadows were a final resting and refueling stop before crossing the ninety miles of desert west of them. There were two springs in the valley and lush grass. Around the valley were steep hillsides.
On the eastern edge of the valley lived Jacob Hamlin, a Mormon Indian agent for the Paiutes, and some other assistants. On the morning of September 7, 1857, seven emigrants fell dead from gunfire. Sixteen others were wounded. The emigrants were stunned, but the survivors raced to their wagons to arm themselves and get the women and children under cover. The Indians did not expect resistance and hesitated. But spurned on by their Mormon instigators John D. Lee, sub-agent, and Nephi Johnson, interpreter, they kept fighting. The Indians also ran off some of the cattle and shot the rest. Overall, there were 54 white men and 200 Indians in the attacking force.
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