The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-07-30
The Mountain MeddOC Massacre.

I one good result. II no Otner. ne Judicl"
investigation will afford the people an op
portunity to learn from Authentic testi
! mony the true history of that revolving out
rage.
The tragedy occurred at a time OF great
excitement in Utah. Brigham Young was
then Governor of the Territory, and like
wise Superintendent of Indian Affairs, hav-
ing received his appointment to those OF
fees from President Fillmore, though Al
fred Cumming, with commission IN his
pocket from President Buchanan, was on
his way to- sflpersede him as Governor, ac-
companied 10y military force of about
three thousand men, under the command
of Col. Albert Sidney johnson, to enforce
Iris claims. There had been great turbu-
lcnce in Utah : numerous outrages on emil
grants by persons in the guise of Indians
had been aScIibcd to the MUrmons and
the GENTLE Judges of the Federal courts
had all left the Territory, which in fact
was in a state of rebellion. The question
of armed resistance to the troops was serl-
ously discussed, though subsequently this
idea was abandoned.
During this 1eriod of excitement, name
ly, in August, 1851, a large train of emf
grants on their way to- California reached
Salt Lake City. 1t was the finest train that
had ever attempted the overland roote.--
Several elegant cal riages were among the
vehicles, for the accommodation of ladies
of the party, and there were many women
and children in the train. 1t is said that
the finest Of these carriages was for YEARS
afterward used by family Of Mormons.
After laying in their supplies in Salt Lake
City. this party proceeded toward Cali
fornia, and that was the last that was
known of them for long time. 1t was
fully year before any of their friends e
cciVed tho least intimation of their fate.
Three hundred miles from Salt Lake on
the road to Los Angeles, California, is a
meadow five miles in length by one in
breadth, with n very fine spring at one end,
affording an excellent camping ground
Here the eni4rant party encamped in order
to recruit their stock before entering upon
what WAS then called the Great Desert, and
here, in the month of September, the massa-
ere took place.
According to the commonly accepted
story of the slaughter. the emigrants were
attacked while encauped by Indians who
had been set upon them by MOTmons, and
by Mormous disguised as Indians, and ten
or twelve men were Killed before any one
understood that they were in danger. The
remainder Of tie party at once seized their
arms, intrcuchcd themselves behind their
wagons, and prepared for determined re-
sistancc. For Il week, with their women
and children lying in the trenches they
had dug, the euigrauts maintained their
position, and kept their enemies at bay.
Then the MuTrnOuS resolved ON strategy.
The firing by the Indians ceased, and the
besicgcd party looking up the meadow,
saw a wagon full Of white men coming
toward them. These men proved 10 be
John ID. Lee and other Mormon dguita-
ries, who offered to mediate with the In
dians As the MOrmons and Indians were
known to be on good terms, the offer was
gladly acce ptcd, and after Lee and his as
SOciates had conferred with the attacking
party of savagcs, it was agreed that the
emigrants should surrender their arms
and other property. and return by the
road they came. The Mormons on their
part promised to guard and protect the
party until they should reach the settle
meuts.
Having given mp their arms, the emf
grants left their wagons and stock and
started northward on foot. The women
and children were in front, the men fol-
lowed, and in the rear was guard Of forty
MOrmons. Hardly had this sorrowful pro-
cessiOn started on its way when fire was
poured into them from az ambush. follow
ed by an attack from the Mormons in the
rear, and in a few minutes one hundred
and twenty men, women, and children lay
slaughtered upon the ground. Seventeen
of the youngest children were saved and
adopted by Mormon families, and it is said
that three men escaped immediate death,
But orc Of these was afterward murdered
by the Indians another starved to death,
aud the third was killed upon the Colorado
though by whom it is not known.
The evidence produced in the pending
trial all goes To show that this accout of
the massacre is substantially correct, Phil
ip X. Smith, one of the defendants, who
was n Mormon bishop at the time Of the
massacre, appeared States evidence,
and gave full description nf the slaugh-
ter with al its horrible details, as well as
an account Of the deliberations among the
Mormon leaders which preceded the butch
erv. in which, against his viii as lie saws
he was forced to participate The massa-
ere vas resolved upon by Mormon bishops
and councillors, Lee aud W. II. Dame be
ing among the most conspicuous in plan
ming and executing the crime. The de-
scripfi0n which Smith gives of the slauyh-
ter fully confirms all that has heretofore
been reported Of its barbarous character.
While the general facts of the Mountain
Meadow massacre have long been admit
ted. IT has been contended by the Mormons
and their defenders that Brigham Young
knew nothing about it; while, on the other
hand. it has been vehcmently asserted that
it was accomplished by his express COM
mand. 1t is certain that large portion of
.he Normons living in the Territory at the
time of the murders were greatly shocked
when they became known, and the general
impression among unprejudiced persons
has been that the act was committed with
out the knowledge of Young who it was
thought, was certainly too shrewd man
to cOuntcnance such atIocious treachery
and cruelty to innocent women and chill
dreD. The evidence of Smith, however.
if it IS to be credited, proves that Brigham
Ioung was at least an accessory after the
fact. for he distinctly swears that in com
pany with Lee and another man. he called
on Young III Salt Lake City, Lee having
previously reported the facts in full and
received from him instructions as to the
Of the property captured from
tie murdered emigrants, and at the same
time a.. warning against talking about the
affair, even among themselves
In 1859, Judge Cradlebaugh, a Federal
Judge appointed by Buchanan, ATTEMPTED