The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-01-08
MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE.

whose purpose it was to found town
or settlement somewhere west Of the
Rocky Mountains, perhaps in California.
These people were well-to-do in the
word, were nearly all related to each
other, and were well provided with all
the comforts Of this world, well furnish
ed with horses, carriages, ETC., besides
being well supplied with money. They
travelled across the plains leisurely, stop
ping by the way every Sunday, and OBJ
serving faithfully the Sabbath day in re-
ligious worship.
Late in the month of August of the
same summer they reached the valley
of the Saints, and encamped just out of
the city of Salt Lake, on the banks of the
river Jordan.
Here they remained about two weeks,
.endeavoring to purchase fresh stock and
provisions, enable them to complete their
proposed journey. To their surprise
they found it impossible to buy anything
of the Mormons. 1t was said that
Brigham Young had forbidden his people
selling them anything. The reason
that has been given for this was, that an
apostle by the name of Pratt was shot
by an Arkansas man.
When they found that endeavor was
useless they concluded to pursue their
Journey and get out of Utah as quickly
as possible. On the 18th day of Septem-
Der they reached a fertil spot, about
twenty miles south of Cedar City, known
as the Mountain Meadows, a spot and a
name ever to berememberedf for the most
atrocious, wicked, barbarious, and savage
deed that ever disgraced or blNckened
the page ofAmerican civilization.
Here these good people halted for the
night, here they defended themselves
successfully for three days and nights,
and here they died. The story has been
told times without number, and tits only
now that a fresh circumstance lends a
fresh interest to the tale, that makes a
brief recital Of the awful details some
what necessary, and compels us to make
allusion to it.
These people on the morning follow
ing their arrival at this seemingly invit-
ing spot, were surprised to find that the
Utah Indians were forming an attack
upon them.
They barricaded small circle or en-
campment with their wagons and being
well armed and equipped, were successful
in maintaining their grouud. Unfortun-
ately they were some little distance from
water, for which they suffered exceed
ingly.
On the third day, the day of imperish-
able gloom for that unhallowed ground,
they discovered white men among the
Indians, which induced them to employ
a flag Of truce. For this purpose two
little girls were dressed in spotless white
and were senttoa a spring nearby. These
innocents were shot dead. Soon after
ward party of white men were seen to
approach with a white flag flying in the
air, which thesep poor unfortionates gladly
welcomed
It was repra eated by these men that
the Indians had authorized them to say
that if they would march ont and leave
everything behind them, even to their
arms, they should not be molested. To
this they finally consented when it was
arranged that the children, then the
women, then the men, should march out
in regulas orler, two abreast. Behind
them We're 20 march the men who pro
fessed to be their protectorsard succors.
They were all Normons, and their leader
was Major John d. Lee, a Mormon
Bishop and a sub-Indian agent under
the prophet Brigham.
When this procession had marched
but short distance tie awful signal was
given, and the frightful slaughter COM
menced
Young women, married women, women
about to become mothers, We're murdered
and most horribly butchered. One
young lady lmeeling to the fend Lee,
begged to be spared. He dragged her
into the bushes, stripped her naked,
committed most heinous crime and
then cut her throat.
No word can characterize the deed,
no pen can describe the horrors of the
scene after the massacre was completed.
There lay one hundred and thirteen
lifeless bodies, manned and butchered,
robbed of the slightest vestment, and
left there with straying eyes, faces be-
smeared with blood, without limbs in
many cases, to be removed by the wild
carrion Of the mountains.
For some time these smouldering re-
mains We're on the same spot unburied
where they fell, until the humanity of q
United States Commissioner had them
gathered and buried, and over them he
erected a plain wooden cross, upon
which was plainly written: Vengeance
is mine; I viii repay, saith the Lord"
There have been many theories ad-
Vaneed for this slaughter, and many