Why did the Mountain Meadows Massacre happen?

For a century and a half the Mountain Meadows Massacre has shocked and distressed those who have learned of it. The tragedy has ... How could this have happened? How could ... First, nothing that any of the emigrants purportedly did or said, even if all of it were true, came close to justifying their deaths. read more

For a more complete, documented account of the event, readers are referred to the forthcoming book Massacre at Mountain Meadows. 1. Historical Background. In 1857 an army of roughly 1,500 United States troops was marching toward Utah Territory, with more expected to follow. read more

Before the massacre at Mountain Meadows, the United States Government had sent 1500 troops into Utah, frustrating the Mormons living there and raising tempers and tension. The governor of Missouri even issued an extermination order against the mormons, forcing them to leave Missouri or be killed. read more

May 11, 2017–Two new volumes contribute to understanding the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The volumes, titled Mountain Meadows Massacre: Collected Legal Papers, Initial Investigations and Indictments, and Mountain Meadows Massacre: Selected Trial Records and Aftermath, are now available from the University of Oklahoma Press and Amazon. read more