Mountain Meadows massacre
- When
- 1857–1859
- Where
- Mountain Meadows; Utah Territory; Provo
- Episodes
- 5
The Mountain Meadows massacre occurred in September 1857 in southern Utah, resulting in the mass murder of at least 120 members of the Baker–Fancher wagon train. Perpetrated by LDS settlers and the Nauvoo Legion aided by Southern Paiute, the event was influenced by the Utah War and religious tensions. Federal investigations began in 1859, with early reports published in 1857.
Episodes
- Attack on Baker–Fancher Party
Militiamen approached the Baker–Fancher wagons on September 11, 1857, carrying flags, leading to the massacre of at least 120 members.
- Young's Late Letter
Brigham Young's letter arrived two days after the massacre, on September 13, 1857.
- Delayed Investigation and Report
Federal investigations were delayed until 1859, with Carleton and Forney conducting inquiries and publishing findings.
- Grand Jury Decline
Judge John Cradlebaugh convened a grand jury in Provo in March 1859, which declined to issue indictments.
- Treatment of Surviving Children
Captain James Lynch reported in 1859 that surviving children were in wretched condition, half starved and infested with vermin.
Background and detail
Investigations. Federal investigations were delayed until 1859 due to the Utah War. Brevet Major James Henry Carleton led the first federal investigation, publishing findings in 1859. Jacob Forney, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, also investigated in summer 1859. Judge John Cradlebaugh convened a grand jury in Provo in March 1859, but it declined to issue indictments.
Historiography. Published reports date back to October 1857. Historian Juanita Brooks produced the first comprehensive work using modern methods in 1950. Scholars like Richard Turley and Will Bagley have characterized the massacre as a severe event in Latter-day Saint history and American religious terrorism.
People involved
- Baker–Fancher party · Victims
- Brigham Young · Mormon leader who met with local leaders on September 1, 1857
- James Henry Carleton · Investigator
- Jacob Forney · Investigator
- John Cradlebaugh · Federal Judge
Sources
- Mountain Meadows Massacre Wikipedia
- Utah Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-03
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.