9-11: Twice in America’s History Have Innocent Victims Died by People Using Their Religious Beliefs to Commit Murder

On September 11, Lee still believing he was following orders from God, approached the the wagon train with another Militiaman. They were waving a white flag.

The immigrants agreed to talk to them. Lee promised the immigrants that if they laid down their weapons and allowed the Paiutes to take their livestock he would have his men escort them safely to Cedar City where they could make arrangements to continue their journey.

Considering their desperate situation, the immigrants agreed.

The small children and the injured were loaded into wagons, and the women and older children were ordered to follow on foot, the men took up the rear with a militia man walking beside each man to protect them from further attack by the Paiutes.

Approximately, a mile and a half from the camp a signal was given and each of the militiamen turned and fired at the immigrant walking beside him. All the men of the party were killed almost instantly.

The women and children then fled and were set upon by Paiutes. The injured in the wagons were killed where they sat and laid.

Seventeen young children were then taken screaming, and covered in the blood of their parents and injured to the homes of several Mormon’s where they were to be adopted and raised.

At least one buggy and much of the livestock as well as the immigrants possessions were taken by the Mormons. Some was divided up, others were sold and the money place in the community coffers.

The attempted cover up of the entire incident began almost as soon as the massacre ended. Lee sent a report to Brigham Young the Mormon leader that the wagon train had been set upon by Indians and all but a few young children killed.

Slowly the facts began to come out and an investigation was launched. It would however, take 20 years before any justice was served and then only one man, John Lee would pay for deaths of the immigrants. He was eventually put to death by firing squad at Mountain Meadow.

None of the other Militia men who took part in the attack were ever convicted. Haight and Dame escaped capture and so they too got away with murder.

Both then and in more recent times members of the Latter Day Saints have attempted to explain away the actions of these few fanatics. Making people resent the continuing cover up of the entire story.

The one bright spot in this entire story is the attempt at forgiveness and healing that has started to take place between the descendants of the victims and the descendants of John Lee.

While no one dismisses the actions of this man, who was at least partially responsible for the tragic waste of human life no one holds his descendants responsible. On the other hand the descendant’s of Lee have expressed their regret for the loss that occurred at his hands.