, 1857-11-06
Horrible Massacre of Emigrants!


Extra OF I1e Los -iH9GCS sur, ul Ott'uNi !
10th, from which we learn that an emGrant
train of about one hundred persons had
been brutally murdered, at a place called
Santa Clara canon, about three hundred
miles Oh this side of Salt Lake City. The
details. so far as yet known, are these
A train Of em;grants, from Missouri and
Arkansas, for this State, were waylayed
and cruelty butchered on the route, at a
place called Santa Clara canon, near the
rim of the Great Basin, about 300 miles
from Salt Lake City. The scene of the
massacre is differently designated, as the
Santa Clara canon, the Mountain Springs,
and the Mountain Meadows but all agree
in locating it near the rim of the Great
Basin, and about so miles from Cedar CITY,
the most southern Of the Mormon settle
ments OF party Of about 1870 persons,
only fifteen infant children were saved
The account was given by the Indians them
selves to the Mormons at Cedar City, 10
which place they brought the children, who
were purchased from them by the people
of that city. Whether the cause assigned
is sufficient to account for the result. or
whether different cause is at the bottom
of the transaction, we will leave the reader
to form his own conclusion. We can
scarcely believe that party travelling along
a highway would act in the manner des-
crbed-Lhat is, TO poison the carcase of an
OK, also the water, thus endangering the
/ lives of those who were coming after them.
Yet this is the story told by all who have
spoken Of the massacre. 1t is stated the
emigrants had an OK which died, and they
placed poison in the body, and also pois-
oued the water standing in pools, for the
+ parpose of killing the Indians that sever
! al of the tribe had died from this cause, and
| that the whole force mustered, pursued the
p train, and coming up with them at the
above named place, which favored their
D purpose, attacked and murdered the whole
. party, except few infant children. The
: Indians state that they made but one charge
4 on the party, in which they cut of great
4 er portion of the mcn, and then guarded
the outlets of the canon, and shot the men
and women down as they came out for wat
Y er that one man was making bis escape
}. with few children, and they followed him,
! killed him. and took the children, fifteen in
number, the eldest under five years Of age
The report was brought to San Bernardino
d by Messrs Sidney Tanner and w Mathews
+ The following letter from Mr.. j. W.
o Christian, of San Bernardino, to Mr.. G. n.
j, Whitman, Of this city, has been kindly
- placed at our disposal, and we give it at
o length, as it is the fullest report Of the mas
e sacre, and the cause which led to it, that
l. has reached us. The writer seems to init
!. mate that the Mormons will be held respon-
sible for the murder, and in this respect he
is fully borne out by present indications, for
IS general belief pervades the public mind
- here that the Indians were instgated To
l. this crime by the Destroying Angels" ol
, the church, and that the blow fell OIL these
enigrants from Arkansas, in retribution oI
u the death of Farley Pratt, which took
l. place in that State. The truth of tho mat
!. ter will not be known until the Govern
II ment make an investigation of the affair
, This should be done, to place the blame il
:. :. the right quarter, as well as to in1ict chas
tisement on the immediate actors in thu
fearful tragedy, who are reported TO be tht
1t Santa Clara tribe of indians. The follow
n ing is the letter;
le SAN BERSARDIvo, Oct. 4, 1857.
G / take this opportunity of informing yot
n. Of the murder Of an entire train of emf
grants, on their way from Missouri ant
IL Arkansas to this State, ria Great Salt LAKE
ID City, which took place, according to The
9 best information | can possibly acquire
i (Which is, primarily, through lndians,) al
- the Mountain Meadows, which are al OF
= near the rim of the Great Basin, and somt
'e distance sORth Of the most southern Nor
As mon settlements, between the 10th and l2tl
c, ultimp. 1t is absolutely one of the mos,
re horrible massacres | have ever had the
- painful necessity Of relating.
" The company consisted Of about 1870 ol
ei 1875 men, woven and children, and includ
t, ing some forty or forty-6ve capable Of bear
er ing arms. They were in possession of quite
h. an amount of stock, consisting Of horses
mules and oxen. The cucampment was at
ID tackled about daylight in the morning, SC
n say tire Indians, by the combined forces o
ID all the various tribes Immediately in thai
of section Of the country. 1t appears that The
,, majority Of them were slain at the first on
set made by the Indians The remaing
+ forces formed themselves into the best po
n Stiou their circumstances would allow; bu
before they could make the necessary ar
rangement for protecting themselves from
nc the arrows, there were but few left who
were able to bear arms. After having cor
rallied their wagon, and dug ditch fol
le their protection, they continued to FIRE up
4, on the Indians for one or TWO days, but th'
D. Indians had so secreted themselves that
9 according to their own statement, ther,
r was but one of them killed, and but few
Y wounded They (the emigrants) then sen
m out flag of truce, borne by little girl
y and gave themselves up to the mercy of tn,
ir savages, who Immediately rushed in arr
ie slaughtered all of them, with the exception
lie of fifteen infant children, that have sine,
10 been purchased, with much difficulty, b,
y the Mormon interpreters.