1

Danica Puente
HIST 3850
Professor Barton

The Mountain Meadows Massacre

The story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre is a tragic and unforgettable blemish on
the history of Utah, yet there are those who would choose to ignore or gloss over the events that
lead to the deaths of at least 120 people.1 Was the massacre a result of evil men doing evil things
or simply misguided men who got lost in the fervor of self preservation? Did the few unruly
emigrants within the Arkansas party cause the death of everyone that traveled with them or were
the Mormons in Southern Utah just so on edge that the slightest provocation would have led to
violence? The situation in Utah had all the typical conditions that modern behavioral science tells
us can lead to group violence. Within the LDS church the story is told of the U.S. Government
sending an army to Salt Lake but there is no mention of the true circumstances behind the armys
march nor its contribution to the paranoia that would eventually lead to the Mountain Meadows
Massacre.
The incident at Mountain Meadows cannot be looked at in isolation. To try and
understand the convergence of events that lead to the massacre there must be context. The
Mormons arrived in the Utah territory having fled the borders of the United States because of the
persecution that followed them wherever they settled. As prominent Mormon, and future prophet
John Taylor stated, We owe the United States nothing. We go out by force, as exiles from
freedom.2 Their property had been taken and many of the ill prepared pioneers would die on
their journey across the plains. By the time the Mormons had reached Utah their prophet and
several of their leaders had been assassinated. They were left without any hope of justice and in
some cases with the knowledge that the state governments had in fact aided in the persecution.
The settlements in the Great Basin region offered the Mormons the chance to rule and
govern themselves without interference from the United States. People continued to migrate west
towards California and it seemed the Mormons isolation would be short lived. When they

1
Ronald W. Walker, Richard E. Turley, and Leonard Glen M., Massacre At Mountain Meadows (New York: Oxford
University Press, 2011)., 5
2
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 19
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realized that despite the distance, the Utah territory would need to continue to work with the
United States, the Mormons reluctantly allowed federally appointed judges and surveyors to
operate in Utah. But when the federal appointees acted in opposition to the vision that Mormons
had for their community, there was friction. This friction led to the expulsion of the appointees,
in frustration, fright or both.3
The 1850s was an inopportune time for the Mormons to rebel against the U.S.
government. At this same time in history, the Northern and Southern states of the Union were
heading towards a civil war. Some in Washington thought that squashing Utahs rebellion might
send a message to Southern states who were threatening secession, that rebellion would not be
tolerated.4 The decision was made to send troops to Utah under the leadership of General
William S. Harney, known for his temper and violent nature. To the still skittish Mormons, this
was a clear act of aggression.
When word of the army headed toward Utah reached the Mormons, their leadership
immediately went on the defensive, counseling the settlers to bring in crops and look for safe
places in the mountains. Their instruction also included orders to drill their militia and prepare
for the worst and hope for the best.5 These instructions, along with minor skirmishes with
emigrant trains passing through to California, led to an extremely tense environment. Mormon
settlements were also instructed not to sell their grain or trade goods with passing emigrant
groups so that supplies could be stockpiled in case of war.
In general, the Mormon settlers had an amenable relationship with the various tribes
throughout Utah which was often a cause of concern for outsiders. Mormons considered the
natives an asset and sought to convert them to God and agricultural living. The Mormons often
found themselves mediators between the emigrant groups and native tribes in disputes over
grazing. Emigrants and outsiders, already prone to mistrust the Mormons, feared the natives and
saw the relationship as suspicious. The leaders in Salt Lake City hoped to enlist the help of the
native tribes in Utah, a factor that would inevitably play a major role in the massacre. The

3
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 24
4
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 29
5
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 72
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Southern Indian Mission had established close ties between the settlers and the Paiutes that
made them willing to comply.6
The settlers in Southern Utah were gearing up for a possible fight with an army sent by
the United States and were sometimes angered by passing wagon trains who were not pleased
that the Mormons would not trade or sell them provisions. Tensions rose even further as rumors
flew of passing emigrants bragging about being part of the mob that killed Mormon prophet
Joseph Smith or threatening to join the army en route to Utah so that they could, do bodily harm
and kill some of the citizens.7 The citizens of Southern Utah felt like the passing Arkansas
emigrant train was an imminent threat to their safety.
Another factor in the circumstances that led to the Mountain Meadows Massacre can
almost certainly be blamed on the way that the Mormons had set up the leadership of the
settlements. Leadership in the settlements was a confusing mix of religion and politics with
ecclesiastical leaders often holding political office as well. Men who ended up caught up in the
massacre may have been unsure what disobedience would have meant for them. The councils
that gathered to discuss the passing emigrant train could not clearly be labeled as a religious or
community council. Were they following the lead of their local religious leader or following the
orders of their military commander? Knight could not remember whether his orders came from
Cedar Citys military or religious leaders, but Isaac Haight wore both hats and the two were
often indistinguishable.8
The communication between the church leadership in Salt Lake and the settlements of
Southern Utah at this time happened entirely by messenger, a trip that could take in excess of 60
hours on horse.9 This made it difficult to seek the council of the church leadership when quick
decisions needed to be made. The poor decisions made by Lee and Haight out of irrational fear
and possibly out of desire for the emigrant trains valuable property was the final factor that led
to the massacre. John D. Lee, the man ultimately tried and executed for his part in the massacre,
was described as volatile and it was he who led the Paiutes in the massacre.

6
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 145
7
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 133
8
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 152
9
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 181
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As a result of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, many of those involved would claim
that while they were physically there at the site, the killing was primarily perpetrated by the
Regardless, the white men who were at the massacre knowingly misled the Arkansas
Paiutes. 10
emigrants into believing that they were being rescued before they were slaughtered. For the
individuals involved in the massacre there is a permanent stain in their family histories, but for
the most part, the Mountain Meadows Massacre itself is a part of LDS and Utah history that no
one likes to talk about and often dont. The massacre may have delayed, but did not prevent Utah
from becoming a state, and it did not slow the spread of the Mormon church globally. The
Mountain Meadows Massacre is a compelling event because of its brutality and extreme contrast
to the values of the perpetrators. The irony of a massacre led by Mormons, themselves victims of
abuse and persecution, is one that should not be forgotten. It shows that in pursuit of vengeance
and justice, horrible atrocities can occur out of fear, especially when there are those that stand by
instead of protest.

10
Walker, Massacre At Mountain Meadows, 204