The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-08-04
The Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Justice in Utah has not only been
blind but lamo for tho trial lust
. begun Mt Beaver Of men concerned in
tho infamous and cruel Mountain
Meadows massacre comes seventeen
years after the evont. In the year
1857 largo emigrant train was on
its way across tho Plains to Cali.
fornia. An army officer who saw it
in Juno described it as probably the
finest train that had ever crossed the
Plains. 1t was believed to contain
not less than forty heads of families,
somo young unmarried men, women
and many children, and it appears to
havo had On uncommonly perfect
outfit, among other things three car.
riages-very unusual appurtcnanccs
on IN emigrant train. Ono of these
carriages, which was peculiarly
marked, is said to havo boon for some
years aftor the massacre in the pos.
session of tho Mormons. The Nor.
mon leaders wero ut that timc furious
about some threatened or contem.
plated interference of tho United
States government aud it is related
that Brigham Young, preaching in
tho Tabernacle, said that as Cover
nor and Indian Agent he had hitherto
"protectcd emigrants passing through
tho Territory, bit now he would turn
tho Indians loose on thom." 1t
probably inoreased his anger that
when this train left Salt Lake City,
several disa footed Mormons Joined
it. The omigrants wero journeying
toward Los Angeles, in California,
and wore last seen by an Iudian
Agent near tue upper ond Of Noun
tain Meadows. This spot lies about
three hundred miles from Salt Lake,
and the leaders Of tho train had bcen
told that large spriug, noar the
south end of the moa adow, would DO
q favorable spot to rest and recrui,
thoir stock before entering the
Groat Desert; and this they did.
Tho Indian Agent was the last
man who saw tho train snd reported
IT.. Thereafter, aud for some years,
nothing was heard of its fato. 1t was
reported lost" But tho bioodly tale
of its massacre gradually leaked out,
and tho details, which wo give be
low, have now been known and forgot.
ton for many years. The Mountain
Meadows were then surrounded by
several Mormon sottlem ents.A The
bishops of these one day gathered
their people together and declared
that thoy had received command
from tho Mormon capital to "follow
and attack the accursed Gont,les, and
lot tho arrows Of the Almighty drink
their blood" A foroo of sixty white
mon and party Of Indians surround.
cd tho ill.fated emigrants ono morn
ing before daylight, tho Mormon
whites having painted and disguised
themselves no Indians in order to give
the movement the appearance of an
Indian attack. But the emigranta
rapidly drew thoir1 wagons into q
circle, mado on energetic defenco,
and, US quickly as they could, throw
up eatthworks, behind whioh they
'sheltcred themselves, thoir women
and children and stock. Thoy were
surrounded andkept uuder fire for a
long week, tho Mornions hoping they
could weary them out. The wife of
IN Indian trader aftsrward testified
that while tho firing continued and
'was plainly hoard at hcr house the
Mormon leaders wero going back.
ward and forward betwoen the place
of murder and her house. and at tho
latter place "pitohing quoits and
amusing themselves in various ways"
Attic ond Of the week, however, the
Mormons appear to have got tired of
the slow attack; thoy Washed off their
paint, resumed. their clothing and
appeared boforo the 'oSesjoyed omi.
grants as q rescuing band of whites
who had driven off theIndians. They
wore'rooeived rs doliyorors.; tho emf
grants accepted the Mormons as an
escort; and on tho march these, at an
agreed signal, suddenly opened fire
upon The party whom thoy had by a
, ttriek persuaded To- lay aside thoir
guns. Indians stationed in ambush
rushed in to help in the work of assas.
sination, and in very brief time o
hundred and twenty men, women and
sohildten were slain in cold blood
Three men only escaped, but only tc
perish lator by starvation or the
Indians. Seventeen children wore
saved alive, being supposed too young
TO remember the assassination. All Of
them were afterwards claimed by
their friendsin the East, and two oi