Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-04-04

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come to help Johnston's army clean the Mormons
out of Utah that they had the halters ready to
hang old Brigham and Heber and would have
them strung up before the snow blew: that one of
the emigrants called one of his oxen Ga pair of
stays " Brig" and the other Heber" and that
several of the emigrants had used al: kinds of
threats and profanity. John NJ. Higbee, City
Marshal, had informed them that it was breach
of the city ordinance to use profane language,
whereupon one of them replied with oaths) that
he did not care for Mormon laws orthe Mormons
either, that they had fought their way through
Indians, and would do it through Mormons and
if their God, Old Brigham and his priests
would not sell their provisions, they would
take what they wanted anyway. They
could get it; that, thus raging, one of
them let loose his long whip and killed
two chickens. and threw them into his
wagon; that Widow Evans said Gentlemen,
those are my chickens; please don't kill them.
am poor widow" That they ordered her to
shut up or they would blow her brains out, etc !;
that they had been raising trouble with all the
settlements and Indians on their way; that we
were threatened on the north by Johnston's army (;
that our safety depended on prompt and
immediate action; that company of Indians
had already gone south from Parowan and Cedar
City to surprise the emigrTints who were then at
Mountain Meadows, and he wanted me to return
home in the morning Sunday and send Carl
Shurtz t1ndian interpreter) from my home FIar-
mony) to raise the Indians south lat Harmony,
Washington, and Santa Clara to join the In
dams from the north and make an attack upon
the emigrants at the Meadows. ! said to him
Would it not be well to hold council of
brethren before making mover" He replied
that every true Latter-Day Saint that regarded
their covenants knew well their duty, and that
the company of emigrants had forfeited their
lives by their acts, and that Bishop p. X Smith
(Klingen SMITH and Joel White had already
gone by way of Pintoa to raise Indians in that
direction, and those that have gone from Pa
rowan and here viii make the attack and may
he repulsod. 1--WE can't now delay for a coun-
cil of brethren Return Immediately and start
Carl Shurtz. Tell him that | ordered YOU to tell
HIM to go, and want you to try and get there be-
fore the attack is made, and make plan for
the Indians, and will send Nephi johnson, the
interpreter, to the Meadows as soon as he can DO
got TO help Carl Shurl manage the Indians"
I did Just RS l was ordered. The Indians from
the north and about Harmony had already
started for the Meadows before l reached home.
Shurtz started Immediately to do his part. ! ar
rived ct home in the night and remained till
morning. l thought over tho matter and the
more thought the more my feelings revolted
against such horrd deed. Sleep had fed from
me. ] talked to my wife Rachel about it She
felt ms did about about it, and advised me to
let them do their own dirty work, and said if
things did not go just to suit them, blame would
be laid on me. She never did believe in blood
atonement and said it was from the devil and
that she would rather break such covenant if she
had to die for doing, than live to be guilty of
doing such an act. | finally concluded that
would go; that would start by daybcak in the
morning and try and get there before the attack
was made on the company, and use my influence
with the Indians to let them alone. | crossed
the mountains by the trail, and reached the
Meadows between nine and ten o'clock in the
morning, the distance from my place being
about twenty-five miles; but | was too late
The attack had been made Just before
daybreak in the morning. The Indians
were repulsed with killed and two
of their Chiefs from Cedar shot through
the legs, breaking leg for each of them.
The Indians were in terrible rnge.
went to some of them that were in a ravinc.
They told me to 60 to the main body, or they
would kill me for not coming before the attack
was made. While was standing there received
n shot Just about the belt, cutting through my
clothes to the skin some six inches across. The
Indians with whom was talking lived with me
at Harmony. l an Indian farmer. They
told me | was in danger, and to get down into
the raviIre. 1 said it was i'm possible for me to
do anything there, and / dare not venture to
camp or to the emigranta without endangering
my life. / mounted my horse and started to
meet Carl Shurtz. | travelled sixteen miles, and
stopped on Megotsy TO bait my animal, M there
was good grass and water. | had rode it over
forty miles without eating or drinking. This Is
the place where Tobin met his assassinators.
About sunset ! saw Shurtz and some ten or fifteen
white men, and about $50 Indians. We camped.
During the night the Indians left for the Mead
ovB. | reported to the what had taken
plnce. They attacked the emigrants again about
sunrise the next morning. which Tuesday
and had one of their number killed and several
wounded. The white men reached the Meadows
net a small band of Indians returning
with some eighteen twenty head of cattle.
One of the Indians wounded IN the shout
der. They were encampcd east of the omlgranta
at some springs. On arrival Mt the springs
wo found about 200 Indians, among whom were
two wounded chiefs, Moquectus and Bill The
Indians were In "a high state of excitement.
They had killed many cattle and horses belong
ing to the company. | counted sixty head near
their encampment that they had killed IN re
yenge for wOundlng their men. By the assist
auce of Oscar Hamblin (brother of Jacob Ham
blin) and Shurtz we succeeded in getting the In
dians to desist from killing any more stock.
That night the company of migrants had cor
rlled all their wagons but for bstter de
Tense. This corral WAS about 100 yards above
the spring~. This they did to get away from
ravlne south the better to defend themselves.
Attacks were made from the south ravine and
from the rocks on the west The attack
newsd that night by the Indians IN spite OF all
We could do to prevent IT When the attack
commenced, Oscar Hamblin, William Young
and myself started 10 60 70 the Indians When
opposite the corral 30 the north, bullets came
around III Like shower of hail We had two
Indians with Us to pilot III. They threw thom-
selves flat on the ground to protect them
selves from bullets l stood erect, and asked
my Father in Heaven To protect me from the
missiles of death, and enable me 10 reach the
Indians. One ball passed through my hat and
the hair Of my head, and another through my
saiTt, grazing my arm neaE the shoulder. A most
kidoops yell of the indians commenced. The
cries and shricks of the women and children so
cvercame me that forgot my danger and rushed
through the FIRE 10 the Indians. aud pleaded with
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