The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-07-15
The Mountain Meadows Massacre.

The Mouptain Meadows Massacre.
SALT LAKE CRY, Jane 0, 1852
have been absent from Camp Floyd
since the first of March. ! started
with the Superintendent of Indian
A fairs to the Southern portion oI
this territory, to recover tho children,
survivors Of the Mountain Meadows
massacre. We went three hundred
and fifty miles Sonth OF this. and
got sixteen OF the children. On our
return VIC met a command going
down to meet the pay master, on his
way from California With this
command, | met with Judge Cradle
baugh, one Of Our United States
Judges. on his way down to find out
something about the Mountain Mead.
ows massacre. lie would have me
return with him, ns Deputy Marshal.
| alec heard from an Indian Chief
that there was another child back.
The massacre took place on the
10Th of September, 1857. The mas
sacred were enigrants from Arkan-
sas passing through to California
There were, as near as | can find
ont. about one hundred and forty in
the train.
This train passed through the up
per part OF the territory unmolested.
They were directed to 60 the South.
ern route, as it was getting late in
the season. After passing through
all tho settlements South for three
hundred and fifty miles to the Noun
tain Meadows, they stopped to re-
cruit their stock before they struck
tho deserts, as they would have des.
erts for four hundred miles alter
leaving Mountain Meadows.
The Mo4dows is beautiful spot,
about four miles in length, eni ~"
fourth of a mile wide, and at the
lower end is tine spring.
They corralled their wagons and
were there three days in qnietness,
twenty five miles from any settle
inent, when. early on the morning OF
the fourth day, they were attacked,
as they supposed, by a large party oil
Indians. The Indians fred on the
emigrants and killed and wounded
several. After this the cmigrants
set their wagon. wheels in the ground,
and threw the ealih up against the
beds, making snug defence. The
Indians fought them Tor five days,
having previously y run all their stock
off. The cmigran,s were within ten
yards Of as fine a spring MS you ever
saw, but could get no water, tor
whenever one came ont 10 get it, he
was shot down. The spring has
high bank, deep ravine makes off
from it. and in this the Indians were
concealed. After fighting for five
or SIX days, party Of Mormons ap,
preached the corral with a white flag
in hand, to show the emigranls that
they were friends.
The emigrants directly dressed a
little girl in white and place her at
the mouth of the corral. The Nor
mon party then came in, sat down,
and talked to the head man of the
train for more than an hour, telling
him that they had come as friends oi
the party TO escort them back to Ce-
dar City, about two hundred and
,liry miles behind, provided they
would give mp their arms, and leave
all they had behind. They promised
to protect them from the lndians.-
They marched the party in front OF
them back on the road about $500
yards, where they had to pass though
8, me sedge bushes, when one of the
Mormon escorts gave signal. and
all at once the Indians raised in the
bushes the Mormon escort fired
first and killed all the incn-then
they went to work on women and
children. ~
Tie spot can s,ill speak for itself
When | first passed through tile
place could walk for near mile OF
bones, and skulls lying and grin
ming at you, and women and child
ren's hair in bunches as large as {
bu shell.
| Judge Cradlcbaugh anu mysel
have the names OF sixty white mer
who participated in this affair. |
was done by council from Bishops il
the Mormon Church. Tho Bishops
were the head killers. They did no
leave one to tell the tale. The old
est Of the children is between sever
and eight years Of age. We hav,
seventeen here. They are gettinI
ready to send them TO their friend
, in Arkansas, ms there was $40. .00
appropriated by Congress tor tha
purpose-so you can see by wha
means the Mormons have lived an
u supported their Church. This wa
the richest train that ever passe
through this country, and after kit
, ing all the party except seventee
: little children, they took cattle, wae
ons and horses back to Cedar Cit
and sold them at public sale. Til
4, children were divided ont to difel
y ent ones-some who had no childrc
took two. +
T. All the above has been sworn
before Judge Cradlebaugh. lie h,
: issued warrants for all parties, b
they fly to the mountains.-[W.
= RooERs.-&. Joscph Vest. 80