Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-04-09

lion a. rudy a. par boiled lobster and about -
Grabbed. Wa would be glad 10 base patriotic dem
ocrats and there unanytuhits with - in the
effort to form o new party. But ior old Wings
and Americans with their 'und national feelings
and principles, n 20 into the demoeratic party.
di-organzcd snd demornlired NJ II now ". would
be like putting new cloths into old garments. or
new wine into old battles.
The Mountain Meadow Massacre Horri-
bio Confession. 49,
The Salt Lake Valley Tan, Of February Goth,
contains n statement irm WIN. II. Rogers, In re-
gard to tho massacre Mt Mountain Meadows, in
September, 1887 when 100 men. women aud chill.
dren. emigrants from Arkansas, were murdered
by Mormons. In compnny with DR.. Forpey. Su-
perintendent of Indian Affairs for Utah Territory
Mr.. Rogers, about year since, traversed the dis
trct Of country where the massacre occurred
The scene of the tragedy is thus described:
when we arrived here in April, 1859, more
than ycnr and half after the massacre occur
red, the ground, for distance more than a hun
drcd yards around n central point was covered
with the skeletons and bones Of human beings.
interspcrscd in places with rolls or punches Of
tangled or matted hair. which, from its length,
evidently belonged to females. In places the bones
of small children were |, ing side by side with
those of grown persons as if parent and child had
met death mt the same instant with the same
stroke. Small bonnets and dresses, aud scraps Of
female apparel were also to he seen in places on
the ground there, like the homes Of those who wore
them. bleached from long exposure, but their
shape was, in many instances, eutire. In agulch
or hole in the ravine by tho side Of the road,
large number Of leg and arm bones, and also OF
skulls. could bo seen sticking above the surface.
US il they had been buriei there, hut the action
If the water aud digging Of tho wolves had again
exposed them to sight. The ontrn scene WIS one
ina hnp In mil i,.k for tn
ly to describe"
On the authority of information communicated
in his presence to Judge Cradlebaugh, by parti-
cipant in the massacre, MIR. Rogers describes The
attack on tho emgrants, the rrotracted siege which
they endured. aud finally the trenchcrous nrttce
by whirh they were induced to surrender when
nll were brutality murdered. lie says:
As soon ns it became known that Judge c.
intended holding n court, and investigating the
of the massacre, and that he would
have troops to insure protection, AMI enforce bis
wits ii necessary, several persons visited him Mt
his rooms mt late hours Of the night. aud informed
him Of different facts ooanectcd with the massa-
clc. All these that called thus, stated that it
would be Mt the risk of their lives il it became
known that they had communicated anything to
him: and they requested Judge Cradebangh, il
hc met them in public in the day time, not to re-
cognisc them as persons that he had before seen.
One of tho men who called thus on Judge Cra-
dl bangh. confessed that he participa cd in the
mud gave tho following account of it
Previous to the massacre there was n council held
ut Cedar City. which President lIaght, and Bsh-
ops Highly aud Iced attended. At this council
thQy designated or appointed large number Of
men residing in Cedar City. and in other settle.
m"nt' around. to perform the work of disnatching
these emlgrants. Tho men appointed for this
purpose were instructed to resort, well armed, ut
n given time, to Il spring or small stream. lying n
short distance to the left Of tho road leading into
tho Meadows, and not very lar from Ilumblin's
branch, but concealed from il by intervening
bills. This was the place OF rendezvous. and here
the men, when they arrived. painted and other
wise disguised themselves rs to resemble In
dams. From thence they proceeded. early on
Monday morning. by path or trail which, leads
from ,his spring directly into tho Meadows, and
enters the road some distance beyond llamblin's
ranch. by taking this route they could not be
seen hy amy one ut tho ranch.
On arriving ut the corral Of tho cmigrants %
number III the men were standing on the outside
by the campfres, which, from appearance. they
had just been building. These wsre first fred
nron and Mt the first discharge several Of them
fell dend or wounded tho remainder immediate
ly to the inside Of the corral, aud began for
uiyins themselves, aud preparing Cor defence US
well as they could, by showing their wagons clos
eli together and digging holes into which to lower
them. AS to keep the shots from going under
and striking them. The attack continued in a
dcsultory and irregular manner for four or i've
days. The corral was cl"sel y watched, and if any
OF the emgrants showed themselves they were
instantly fired ut from without. II they attempt.
cd to 20 to tho spring. which was only low
yards distant. they were sure to fall by the rifles
Of their nssnilants. In consequence OF the almost
certain death that resulted from any attempt to
procure water, the emigrants, Lefore the sirgo
discontinued, suffered intensely FROM thirst. The
ASSISTANTS, believing at length that the emgrants
could not be snbducd by the means adopted, re-
sorted 10 treachery nnl strataSem to accomplish
what they had be, II unable to do by force. They
returned to the spring where they had painted
and disguised themselves previous to commencing
the attack, aud there removed those DISCUSSES, aud
ngan assumed their ordinary dress.
Amer this, Bishop Lee, with party OF men, re-
t.rned TO the camp OF the smigrants bearing white
flag AS signal of truce. From the position of the
corral, tue cmigrants were able tx sec them some time
before they reached H. As they discrrncd it,
they dressed little girl in white and placed her at
the entrance Of the corral 70 indicate their friendly
feelings to the persons bearing the flag. Lee and
his party, on arriving invited into the corral
where they staid about an hour, talking with them
about the attack that had been made upon them Lee
told the emgrauts that the Indians had gone OF over
the hil and that II they would lay down their arms
and give mp their property, he aud his party would
conduct them back 10 Cedar Citybut II they went out
with their arms, the Indians would look upon II A. an
unfrcndy actand would again attack them. The en-
granls trusting to Lees honor, and the sincerity OF
his statement consented to the terms which he pro-
posed, and len their property and all their arms
at the corral and under the escort of Lee and his
party, started towards the North in the direction oil
Cedar City. Amer they h ad proceeded abouta lie
on their way, on signal given by bishop Highly who
Of the party that to the corral with Lee
the slaughter began.
The men were mostly killed or shot down Mt the
first FIRE, and the women and children who tmmedi.
aely fed In different directions were quickly pursued
! and despatched.