The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-04-11
MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE.

BILE Story of the Slaughter Of Men
Women and Children us Told by tn,
i.cnder OF the Mormon Party.
"My name is John D. Lee, I wa
born on September 6, 1872, at Kask
askia, Randolph county, III. NY mothr,
belonged to the Catholic chtrch and
was christened i'll the faith. MY parent.
s;led while [ WAS still a child and m,
boyhood was l. of trial and hardships
49, married. Agathe Ann Woolsev il
1888 anu moved to Fayette county, III.
on Buck creek, where | became wealthy.
In 1886 l became acquainted with
some travelling Mormon preachers. !
bought, read and believed the book OF
Mormon. I sold my property in Hi
nois and moved to Fairwest, in Missouri,
in 1887, where I joined tho Mormon
church and became intimately acquaint.
ed with Joseph Smith, Brigham Young
and other leaders of the Church OF
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
II was an honored man in the church,
tlattered and regarded by Brigham
Young and the apostles until 1863, when
l was cut off from the church and select.
ed as a scapegoat to suffer for and bear
the sins Of my people.
now confess all that | know md all that
[ did at the Mountain Meadow massacre,
without animosity TO any one, shielding
none, giving facts as they existed.
"Those with me on that occasion
were acting under orders from the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. The horrid deeds then com
United were done rs a duty which We
believed we owed to God and our
church.
We We're all sworn to secrecy before
and after the massacre. The penalty for
giving information concerning the same
was death. As I am to suffer death for
what | then did and have been betrayed,
both by those who gave me the orders
to act and the most active of my assist
ants, [ now give the world the true
facts as they exist, and tell why the mas
sacre was committed and who were active
participants.
THE Mountain Meadow massacre was
the result OF the direct teachings OF
Brigham Young, and it was done by the
orders of those high i'll authority in the
Mormon community.
"Theimmeliate Ordersfor the massacre
were issued by Colonel Dame, Lieutcn-
ant Colonel Isaac G. Haight and the
council at Cedar City, Utah.
81 held no position either III the civil or
military departments, or in the church
ut that time.
"About September 7 Invent to Cedar
City, where | met Isaac G.. Haigllt,
president or governor OF that State Of
Zion, and also lieutenant colonel of the
Iron county Mormon militia. This was
on aSunday. Lieutenant Colonel Haight
was the leader there i'll all things, civil,
clerical and military. It was a crime
punishable by death to disobey his
orders.
"Lieutenant Colonel Haight gave me a
full account of the immigrants who were
coming. We slept in the iron works all
that night and arranged our plans.
Lieutenant Colonel Haight said the
immigrants were Il rough set; that they
were bad men, robbers and mnrdercrs,
and had helped to kill the Mormon
prophets. l believed him.
Il was ordered to raise the Indians to
attack the train and run off the cattle
and to have the Indians kill the immi-
grants. l sent Carl Shirts, my son-in-
law, to raise the southern Indians for
the work. Nephi Johnson went to other
tribes.
con Monday morning left the iron
works to obey my orders. Lieutenant
Colonel Haight said: we are acting
by orders-it is all right. We will let
the Indians bear all the blame
"l said We are forbidden to shed inno-
cen blood. The reply of Haight was:
There is not a drop of innocent blood
in the whole lot. Go, Brother Lee, and
carry out the instructions of those in au-
thority. If you are dutiful in this your
reward shall be great in the Kingdom Of
God, for God will bless those who obey
COUNSEL and make all things fit for the
people of the Lord in their days
"On my way home I passed many In
dams out on the warpath. 1 promised
to join them the next day. On Tuesday
LII AlIllIS VIC 1UllltuS utGutChGu tllG lttlll,
just at daylight, and killed seven and
wounded sixteen immigrants. The In
dians lost some of their warriors. The
immigrants then fortified their position,
and the Indians surrounded them and
sent for me.
"The whole county was aroused, both
whites and Indians rushing to Mountain
Meadow from all directions.
81 arrived at the camp late on Tuesday
afternoon and found the Indians in large
force. They demanded that I should
lead the attack. I refused until further
orders were received from Haight or
Dame.
81 her went south ten miles and met
some whites and Indians coming from
that direction. | camped there that
night and on Wednesday went to the
Meadows and sent a man to Cedar City
for further orders.
con Thursday the orders came by Ma
ior Highly. There were tifty-eight whites
and about 500 Indians there. Then
Major Highly made = speech and said
that the immigrants were all to be killed
who could talk that we must get them
out of the Notifications by treachery.
81 was to follow the flag OF truce and
make a treaty with the besieged, and
promise protection. | was also to get
the arms OF the immigrants and the sick
and wounded, and also the children into
wagons. Then the troops, under Major
Highly, would meet the immigrants.
The Indians were to remain in ambush.
The ONE were to go ahead. The In
dams were then to kill the The
militia were to kill the men, and 1 and
the drivers of the wagons were to kill
the wounded and sick that were in the
wagons.
"Several other men then made speeches.
Then we had a prayer circle, and then
more speeches We're made, and it was
agreed by all parties that it was the will
Of God for US to do as we were ordered.
"On Friday morning the immigrants
had a white flag flying, and the Mormon
brethren again assembled. Speeches