The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-04-14
THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MAS.
SACRE.

Early in the month of September, 1857
q large emigrant party from Arkansas
and Missouri entered the Salt Lake Val
ley on its way to California The news
of the arrival of the party was at once
carried to Brigham Young, and was
noised about in church circles. The
President issued command that nothing
should be sold to this party of emigrants
or any member thereof, under penalty of
death. For some time prior to this Salt
Lake City had been the depot at which
fresh supplies were obtained prior to en-
lgrant trains starting out to cross the
arid country that lay between Utah and
California. For years before every train
that had crossed the plains had made this
hating place and taken a fresh start
for the remainder of the tedious journey
This train, like all that had gone before
it, had laid their plans to supply them
selves at Salt Lake City. Greatly to
their surprise they found themselves I'M
able to purchase anything, and, in addi-
ton, were peremptorily ordered to break
their camp at Salt Lake and move on
They were met with sturdy refusals to
sell them anything wherever they passed
on their route through the land of the
Saints" In vain the emigrants offered
them money, wagons, personal property
of every description. The law was not
TO be broken, and the person who would
venture to disregard it pronounced his
own death sentence. Now and then,
however, one more humane or more dar-
ing than the rest went to the camp at
night with a small amount of provisions
all they could take without danger of
detection; but this was nothing to 100
hungry men and women, to say nothing
of the little children who were to be fed.
Starvation was staring them in the face
while they were journeying in land of
plenty.
At this time the Reformation" was
over, and the doctrine of the blood
atonement" was in full force. The Nor
mons were Infatuated because United
States troops had been ordered to Utah.
This act of the Government was consld-
cred by them an open insult, and they
revenged it on the first Gentiles they
could get hold of. The train that was
now within the Territory was one of the
DlullS.
The value of their stock, wagons and
horses alone was over $500, 900, and many
of the women had rich wardrobes and cost
ly jewelry. A portion of the emigrants
were from Missouri, and the Mormons
regard the Missourians as their bitterest
enemies.
The plans Of the massacre were fully
matured at council held at a place
called Parowan. The persons who tool
part therein were Brig. Gen. George A
Smith, First Counselor to Brigham Young
Col. G. Dame, Bishop Of Fillmore; Lieut.
Col. Haight, President of the Cedar CITY
Stake of Zion; Bishop Higbee and
John D. Lee. The minutest details were
arranged by this council.
Meeting with r6bst inhosptable treat
ment, and unable to obtain provisions
the emigrants were fairly driven from
camp to camp, until they finally reached
Cedar City They camped there only
one day, but during their stay they were
permitted to purchase fifty bushels OF
tithing wheat and have it ground at Johr
d Lees mill. From Cedar City they
went less than forty miles southwest
and camped at the Mountain Meadows
which they reached only after five days
journey, so exhausted were they 1t was
a cherries and dreary spot, and sc
hemmed in that if attacked they would
be completely at the mercy of their assail
ants The Meadows are about n mile
and half long and a mile wide, and are
shut in on every side by mountains; bu
at the lower end they converge and foru
canon. Cane Spring is situated Just al
the mouth of this canon, and abou
thirty rods above this spring, mound
200 feet long and 100 feet wide, shuts
out all view. In the midst of this gra,
desolation of nature the emigrants set
tied down for a few days rest befor,
they resumed their perilous journey.
They we're resting quietly at the Mead
ows, when, on the 10th of September
while the women were preparing break