The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-04-26
Brigham YOung-His Special Order Tor
the Mountain Meadow Massacre.

A special from Tucson, Arizona, says
that the following is correct copy OF
the original order given concerning the
Mountain Meadow massacre. Inc ordei
with three affidavits authenticatipg III
was found among the papers OF the late
Ex-Chief Justice John Titus, OF Ar.
zona, and formerly Chief Justice OF
Utah:
Especial Order.]
SALT LAKE CITY, April ~, 1855.
The officer in command oil Inc escort IL
hereby ordered to see that every man Is well
prepared with ammunition, and 10 nave IL
reaay at the time you see these fams!eIs .
hundred miles from the settlement; ffesi'
dent Young advises that they snot,u ps;dosr
killed to pi event them returning 10 brluger
to ioin our enemies. Every precauuon
should be taken, and see that rot one es'
canes. Secrecy is required. BY order OF
DANIEL II. WELLS, General.
JAMES FERGUSON, Assistant Adjutant Gen.
eral.
The original order, with the afiidavits, are
in INV possession, and have had frequent
conversations with the late Judge Titus, my
former law partner, in regard to the matter,
and he never doubted the genuineness OF
the order, or the guilt of Brigham Young.
WV L. G. HUGHES.
Referring to the dispatch from Tucson,
Arizona. to the effect that the order for
the massacre at Mountain Meadows was
found among the papers OF the late Ex-
Chief Justice Titus, q gentleman living
in San Francisco, formerly resident OF
Salt Lake, says he had that document at
one time in his possession, and had no
doubts of its genuineness. 1t referred,
however, to some eighty men, who had
been teamsters in the army sent to
Utah under Colonel Albert Sidney
Johnston. to escort the new Governor
who replaced Brigham Young in 1907:
An early fall of snow forced Coionel
Johnston and his troops to winter az
Fort Bridger, one hundred and twenty
miles east of Salt Lake, and as Mormon
troops, under Lieutenant General u. d.
Wells, had burned up two trains OF sup,
plies for the United States army east OF
Green River, the General was forced TO
put the soldiers upon half rations, and
in the early spring of 1858 these team
sters were discharged from the service
: and permitted to return East, to where
thew had entered the Government ser
vice. They preferred to 60 West, and
started for California. They believed
that. as non-combatants, they would bt
permitted to pass through Utah unmo
, Tested, but as soon as the teamsters came
, over the mountains and entered Echo
, Canyon they were taken prisoners ant
s made subject to tfe martial law pro
s claimed some months before by Governo
4 Brigham Youn
{ A gentleman who was then among
: the Mormons in Ecbe Canyon, and nov
g residing in San Francisco, saw a SINAI
s division of eight or ten of those team
e sters, under Mormon escort, on thei
l. way westward.
Is The Mormon military authorize
e thought it prudent to divide the eight
It teamsters into small squads, no dout
a thinking their purpose could be easie
It accomplished than if they had bee
e kept together in such body.
n The Mormons deny that such mass
d ere ever occurred, or that such an ord
le was ever given; but those who hs
II given the subject attention have !,
n doubt the order was Issued and Il
Is work accomplished.