"Horrible Massacre of Emigrants!!" The Mountain Meadows Massacre in Public Discourse

 

The Late Massacre on the Plains—Additional Particulars. 

Nevada Democrat, 4 November 1857

The most probable reason assigned for the massacre, is this: The train stopped some weeks near Salt Lake City, and the men were very free in expressing their opinion of the Mormons. Feeling perfectly secure in their arms and numbers, they are said to have been reckless, and would commit little acts of annoyance for the purpose of provoking the Saints, and seemed to set at defiance all the powers that could be brought against them. These imprudences were doubtless the cause of the whole company, with the exception of fifteen infants, being slaughtered. A portion of the property belonging to the company was in the possession of the Indians, and a Mormon elder was seen riding a horse which belonged to Silas Edwards. The Mormons were on the most friendly terms with the Indians, which goes far to implicate them in this horrid work. The massacre occurred on the 18th of September, about three hundred miles from Salt Lake, near the out-skirts of the Mormon settlements. One hundred eighteen persons in all were murdered, of whom fifty-six were men, the others were women and children. Their bodies were left unburied.