This Place In Utah Has A Dark, Evil History That Will Never Be Forgotten
Travelers in southern Utah will find two memorials just west of Utah State Route 18, between the towns of Enterprise and Veyo. The monuments memorialize the victims of a horrific massacre that took place there. Mountain Meadows will forever be remembered as a place where something dark and evil happened.
In September, 1857, the Baker-Fancher wagon train, traveling from Arkansas to California, stopped in Salt Lake City to restock supplies. They were turned away, because the Mormon settlers had been advised to stockpile their grain and supplies in case of war with the federal government, which was in the process of sending 1,500 troops to Salt Lake. Because of the impending "Utah War," Mormons were also advised to have firearms at the ready, and a militia was put on alert.
The wagon train moved on, stopping again in Cedar City to try to replenish supplies. They were met with hostility and high prices - one merchant charged the party an entire cow just to grind a few bags of grain. Tensions boiled over and members of the wagon party exchanged words with local citizens. One emigrant threatened to join the federal troops, but was quickly admonished by the wagon train leader, Alexander Fancher.
The wagon train continued on to Mountain Meadows, where the party stopped for the night. In the meantime, nervous Cedar City leaders (including Mayor Isaac Haight) requested the militia’s assistance. The district militia leader, William Dame, refused.
Cedar City leaders weren’t willing to stop there. They decided to ask for the help of the local Paiute tribe, who were initially hesitant, but finally agreed to scare the wagon party, kill a few of its leaders and steal some cattle. Fort Harmony militia leader John D. Lee also agreed to participate.
On September 7th, the Lee and several Paiutes attacked the party, killing several people. Several attacks followed over the next few days. On September 11th, Lee and the Paiutes returned...this time with 50-60 militia members. The massacre that ensued was truly horrific.
Isaac Haight approached the wagon party with a white flag and got them to agree to abandon their weapons and possessions. In return, the militia would assist them back to Cedar City, where the injured could be cared for and the rest (who by this time were very hungry and thirsty) could be fed.
The youngest children and wounded rode in two wagons, followed by the women, men and boys on foot. After traveling about one mile, the militiamen turned and shot the emigrant next to him. Militiamen at the front of the procession killed the wounded, and Paiutes attacked women and others. Approximately 120 men, women and children were killed. About 17 of the youngest children were spared, and eventually returned to relatives in Arkansas.
The bodies of the dead were left for the wolves, coyotes and carrion birds. Corpses were scattered over two miles; some were later buried in a mass grave. This cover art from Harper’s Weekly portrays the killing field.
In 1874, nine men were indicted for the massacre. Many others were excommunicated from the LDS church. Just one - John D. Lee, was executed by firing squad.
For many, many years, the LDS Church did not discuss the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The church often cited conflicting reports and placed much of the blame on the Paiutes and just a few Mormon men. However, in recent years, the Church has recognized its responsibility in the massacre and has been much more forthcoming with historical details about the attack.
Many of the details provided here appeared in a 2007 Ensign Magazine article (an LDS Church publication). While the Mountain Meadows Massacre is a part of Mormon history that many would like to forget, the truth is important to the history of Utah. You can read the entire Ensign Magazine article here.
Have you ever visited the site of the Mountain Meadows Massacre? Tell us your thoughts…
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Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
