The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-04-22
THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSA.
r;.E
Correspondence Of the Csieago Times J
BIAvER err, SOnsiiern Utah,

The memorable Mountain Meadows
massacre was comm tilted Sept. 7, 1857,
more than seventeen years ago. Much
has been said and writ en- concerning it,
and a great deal mere, by far, remains
unsaid and unwritte1 aud which the
world will never know, unless some of
those now charged with its commission
turn States evidence on trial and reveal |
the shocsing truths. In this hardly prob
able event what is now generally be-
lieved 10 be the history Of the case would
be confirmed as taos by living and un-
impeachable evidence. Maj. John d.
Lee, the man who led the slaughter, and
who Is now in chains awaiting trial, may
possibly be the man who will reveal The
true facts and lay the blame where it
more properly belongs.
Indirectly, if not directly, woman
was the cause of the massacre Farley
7. Pratt, the Twelve Apostles" was
sent on mission to Arkansas soon after
the settlement of Salt Lake, in 1847, and
while here preaching his peculiar doc
trines he converted u Mrs Eleanor Nc
Lean, who e1oped with him to this city.
Becoming dissatisfied and mourning the
loss OF her children, she finally persuaded
PIatt To return To her dishonored home
in Arkansas and bring them to her
President" Youug immcdia ely sent the
apostle on another mission TO that
State. He soon abducted the three
children from their sorr ,w-stIicke en- faith
er and brought them TO their mother and
hi wife at Salt Lake. His wife and
children stolen and his home forever
destroyed, the revengtul father started
in pursuit of the villain VINO had de
stroyed his peace on earth. He met and
killer Pratt few years after, while in
Arkansas on another mission, and not far
distant from he once peaceful home he
had ruined and caused TO be deserted
On learning the news few weeks
later, it was along in the spring of 1857.
il Is said that Brigham Young "prophe-
sled that the Geath of hi, apostle would
be avenged in the ratio of hundred
lives for one; and many Mormons have
been heard TO say that their religion
ia tn uld eXonerate The one who would
Kill the slayers OF their prophet, Joseph
Smith, which occurred at Nauvoo H.
June q, 1874
In the summer of 1857 two trains of
emisrants from Arkansas and Missouri
arrived at salt Lake City, These were
the first to arrive in Ciah after the kill.
ing OF Apostle Pratt ami the avenging
prophecy OF Presi lent Brigham
Young. they were en- route to Califor.
MIA VI the l4S emigrants sixty five were
men aud boys capable OF bearing arms
Among the Arkausans were several
from the Immediate neighborhood of
Mclean, and one, il is CHI rged, who as.
sisted IN the killing OF Piatt And he
Missouri party, it is said, contained two
of the siayers of Joseph Smi n a. Nau-
VOC, one OF whom on several occasions
boast,ully exhibited the pistol with
which he did the shooting.
This city, lying dir city on the south
ern and most accessible route to Califor-
mia, was the general headqu trters for
emlgrant trains, where they would halt
to rest their stock, replenish their supply
of provisions and resuently winter I'D
seasons Of extreme heavy sIow-falls ana
impossible roads. But instead of secur-
ing its usual hospitality and trade the
emigrants were peremptorily ordered to
break up camp and leave Salt Lake.
With scarce ten days provisions, them
selves sore an! disheartened and their
teams a most exhausted, they meekly
and obediently resumed thei4 journey of
more than 800 miles over the waterless
plains and hot, burning deserts.
This was an unusually prosperous year
In Utah, and the gransries along the
thickly-settled route of the emjgrant,
were literally filled to bursting, yet they
could not purchase any.
IL was a matter of strange conjecture
with he emigrants why the settlements
alaDg their lengthy route should act in
concert aud all refuse them assistance
and hospitality. But they never knew
that the Angel of Death, in the shape
OF Brigham Ioung's second counselor,
George a. Smith, General of the Nau-
VOC Legion, preceded their train, preached
TO the Mormon settlers, and charged
them, under pain of communication
from the holy church, not to sell pro-
visions to emigrants or in anywise re-
lieye their wants and necessities, no
matter how great or painful. And this
order was to them sacred law and held
to be nviolable
1t vas held that Smith was at that
time also ON mission to Mai. John ID.
Lee, the Indian agent at Parowan. and
carrying instructions from q" President"
Young I'd massacre the EN- grants.
The walled city of Parowan, near the
border of Mexico and fifty miles from
Mountain Meadows, was the headquar-
tiers of the Indian agency of the Terri
tory The Nauvoo Lee ion, 3, 200 strong.
was also encamped at this place The
town was surrounded by an adobe wall
about ten feet high. and was entered
through four gates-one on each side of
the town. a few days since, In an inter
view with Col Dame one OF the com.
manders of the legion at the massacre
and now awaiting trial, the TINES cor
respond Mt was told that the wall was
built for protection against the Indians.
But it is well known that the Indians
were ali friendly to the Mormons, re-
ceiv d supplies At their hands, and were
their allies. Their leader, "Old kanosh,"
a halfbreed. was created a Bishop of
the Mormon Church for his red diocese.
Before the emig ants reached Parow.
an a council of var was held within the
walled city, wherein all the plans and
deta Is of the massacre were agreed
upon-ia accordance with instructions
from headquarters at Salt Lake City.
The Nauyoo Legion were directed to
be in readiness Immediately with forty
rounds of ammunition, and the militia
OF he Territory at that point were off.
cially ordered, by written order, TO re-
port for duty iaImedi ately.
On their approach the outpost guards
notified the emf rants that they could
NOT enter the CAT OF the city, and thew
were mp, II q 10 drive around it. At
that very moment the troops were
formed in line and rec living their arms
aud ANN aniiion for the commission of
the bloody work thy were ordered to do
The persous who planned the details of
this massacre were Lieut-Gen D. II
Wells, commanding the Nauvoo Legion,
ana who is ~ FRS Privy Councillor to
Brigham Young: Brig. Gen. Geo. A.
Smith, the Second Privy Councillor to
Br CHAM, and the third member of the
theoretic Government; Col w II. Dame,
now Indicted and awaiting 1 ial; Col. j.
q. Haipht, not indicted, and Maj John
ID Lee, who / d the slaughter on the
field If carnage, and who is also await
ing tr al At Beaver, Southern Utah The
place selected for the slaughter WAS
Mount iin Mead Tvs, about fifty miles Gis-
tant from Parowan, where the pl ms were
matured in Council, and $50 miles south
OF Salt Lake. Tue Mountain Meadows
are about one and half miles long by
one mile wide, and form the base of a
preclpltous mountain, oval in form and
gradually sloping 10 the level plain,
.norin and west. The eastern end was
walled IN by ragged mouGtrin side, and
a. lts s'dtdern end the ms adows abrupt
~ drop into deep and rugged CANYON
oe4ow' darkened by dense underground