The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at. A new book, massacre at mountain meadows, tries to explain what happened that day and why. Will bagley is a historian specializing in the history of the western united states and the american old west. Feb 20, 2009 a view of the terrain of the mountain meadows massacre site. The mountain meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the bakerfancher emigrant wagon train at mountain meadows in southern utah. The incident began as an attack, quickly turned into a siege, and eventually culminated in the murder of. The mountain meadows massacre was one of the worst acts of premeditated mass murder ever committed by americans against other americans. Special report from 1902 major carleton and his dragoons buried the remains from the massacre in 1859 and described the situation in detail. Leonard was also the director of the museum of church history and art in salt lake city, utah. But in the aftermath of the massacre, only one participant was.
Few people know the extent of the mormon colonization of what is today the western united states, mexico, and even canada. Throughout the book, the authors paint finely drawn portraits of the key players in the drama, their backgrounds, personalities, and roles in the unfolding story of misunderstanding, misinformation, indecision, and personal vendettas. Baker reportedly found nothing relating to the massacre, clearing the way for the construction of the new monument. Book provides an unflinching look at mountain meadows massacre. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows 3 that to have this history both advocate and defend this new dispensation, it must be kept honest and fearless and full as well when the tide of events were. Mountain meadows massacre utah, united states 1857. This church had its beginnings in western new york during the revivalist period of the early 1800s, when preachers stirred whole counties into frenzy with their lurid eloquence, and sporadic sects sprang up over the. The mountain meadows massacre is something most people have probably never heard of before unless youre a mormon or had ancestors who were part of the massacred fancher wagon party. The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian magazine. Captain john jacktwitty baker lead a wagon train of arkansas immigrants to california in 1857. View all hotels near mountain meadow massacre memorial on tripadvisor.
Pdf the mountain meadows massacre and poisoned springs. Problems with mountain meadows massacre sources richard e. Part ii, the dilemma of blame, salt lake tribune, march 14, 2000 that which we have done here building a monument to victims of the. She writes, the church leaders decided to sacrifice lee. Yet events surrounding the upcoming sesquicentennial appear primed to bring more attention to the massacre than. It cleared up many misconceptions and stated the facts plainly. It was a tragic event in mormon history many thought best forgotten. The 26th annual lecture revisiting the massacre at mountain. Program on the massacre at mountainmeadows, 4 august 2008 kuer. This book was the first to seriously attempt an honest investigation of the massacre, unflinchingly seeking the truth. A book of narrow but dramatic interest, massacre at mountain meadows contains the most complete historical record of one of the bleakest events in the history of the mormon settlement of the west. In the fall of 1857, some 120 californiabound emigrants were killed in lonely mountain meadows in. The new book, massacre at mountain meadows, published by oxford. Discover mountain meadows massacre memorial in veyo, utah.
The mountain meadows massacre 1950 by juanita brooks was the first definitive study of the mountain meadows massacre. The mountain meadows massacre of 1857 and the trials of. Some mormons, who previously had been victimized by the. Leonard were researching their book massacre at mountain meadows.
For our primary article, see mountain meadows massacre. The book recounts the september 11, 1857 massacre in which over 120 emigrant. Jul 03, 2008 for many years the mountain meadows massacre was a taboo subject among mormons. Mountain meadows massacre memorial veyo, utah atlas. George on september 11, 1857, and involved the slaughter of 120 californiabound emigrants, the fancherbaker train. An american tragedy oxford university press, 2008, they discovered several oral interviews, written statements, and letters from some of those participants. Category iv related materials cds, dvds, videos, photos. Josiah gibbs, author of the 1909 book lights and shadows of mormonism, recalled that a prominent salt lake editor said, the mountain meadows massacre is an incident that should be forgotten, for the. Carleton, special report on the mountain meadows massacre. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows dixie state. Massacre at mountain meadows livre audio ronald w walker. The attacks began on september 7 and culminated on september 11, 1857, resulting in the mass slaughter of most in the emigrant party by members of the utah territorial militia from the iron county district, together with some southern paiute native americans. Jan 9, 2009 massacre at mountain meadows oxford university press is.
T he church history department of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints has gradually accumulated what may. Changing narratives of the mountain meadows massacre in utahs. This, in some ways, is just the latest in a long line of books many of them quite recent written on the mountain meadows massacre of 1857. Lee, the only militiaman executed, was effectively a scapegoat. Scholars are praising a new book that offers an indepth look at one of the. The mountain meadows massacre and poisoned springs. Part ii, the dilemma of blame, salt lake tribune, march 14, 2000 that which we have done here building a monument to victims of the m. The mountain meadows massacre is widely considered to be the most violent and.
The mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks. Although thoroughness and candor were at the center of their research x, walker. Mountain meadows massacre revisited the cause of liberty. The mountain meadows massacre was the first work to fully document mormon involvement in the massacre. A stoic rock cairn is all that remains to remember one of the more brutal instances of frontier treachery in american history. Leonardfor their book, massacre at mountain meadows, published in 2008. The book sheds light on factors contributing to the tragic event, including the. Revisiting the massacre at mountain meadows 3 that to have this history both advocate and defend this new dispensation, it must be kept honest and fearless and full as well when the tide of events were not favorable for the church and also when the tides seemed to run against it. Records, history, monuments, information and links on the september 11, 1857 massacre at mountain meadows of more than 120 arkansas emigrants while traveling through utah on their way to california. Oxford considered it a big bestseller for its smaller press with conservative print runs. Review of definitive new book, massacre at mountain meadows, august, 2008. The attacks began on september 7 and culminated on. Mountain meadows massacre timeline exploring mormonism.
Here is a list of the victims of the mountain meadows massacre, september 11, 1857. In the book, brooks demonstrated convincingly that the mormon militia was responsible for the massacre, and that john d. The book is a step by step, day to day eye witness of the slaughter of over 100 human beings, men, women, and children in wagons, searching for a new life searching for a new land, troubled by hundreds of cattle they brought to the west side of the united states, being taxed for grazing rights and then innocently slaughtered. Mountain meadows massacre memorial veyo, utah atlas obscura. This is a category for images that are related to the events surrounding the mountain meadows massacre, which occurred in the state of utah in the western united states. The mountain meadows massacre by juanita brooks, paperback. Throughout the book, the authors paint finely drawn portraits of the key players in the drama, their backgrounds, personalities, and roles in the unfolding story of misunderstanding, misinformation. The mountain meadows massacre 1950 by juanita brooks was the first definitive study of the mountain meadows massacre juanita brooks, a mormon historian trained in historical methods, was. In september 1857, a wagon train passing through utah laden with gold was attacked. It occurred in southern utah between cedar city and st. I have posted about the new book on the subject and there are some lingering questions and lessons to be. The mountain meadows massacre, morning news, december 22, 2008. A very sad book of the deaths of so many people at the mountain meadows massacre.
Juanita brooks, a mormon, gave the incident its first thorough treatment in decades with her book the mountain meadows massacre in 1962. Mountain meadows massacre brigham young had more than twenty wives duration. Mountain meadows massacre mormonism, the mormon church. Josiah gibbs, author of the 1909 book lights and shadows of mormonism, recalled that a prominent salt lake editor said, the mountain meadows massacre is an incident that should be forgotten, for the sake of peace in utah. Massacre book a big bestseller, mormon times, november 29, 2008. Words of this ballad were developed and sung by soldiers who buried the victims. On august 3, 1999, a backhoe began digging the foundation. The mountain meadows massacre ensign article by richard e.
The aftermath of mountain meadows history smithsonian. To everyones surprise, it scooped up the bones of 28 massacre victims, and with it unearthed a new controversy see mountain meadows massacre, november 30, 1999. I was amazed to see the event took place on 9111857. The mountain meadows association mma is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that works to identify, remember, and honor those killed in the mountain meadows massacre of 1857. This church had its beginnings in western new york during. Buy a cheap copy of the mountain meadows massacre book by juanita brooks. After reading michael richan on the event in one of his river books i had to read the true story on the event. In the fall of 1857, some 120 californiabound emigrants were killed in lonely mountain meadows in southern utah. A view of the terrain of the mountain meadows massacre site. Most of the details on this post are taken from william bagleys book.
Produced in cooperation with the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, it is. Brigham young and the massacre at mountain meadows, by will bagley, university of oklahoma press, 2002, p. Scientific testing of the more recent, anthrax theory article pdf available in international journal of legal medicine 1271 march 2012. The mountain meadows massacre stands as one of the darkest events in mormon history.
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