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Show 71 and the nearest enemy soldier. The Mountain Meadow Massacre was yet to have an important impact on the development of Mormon defease strategy. While military preparations were being made, the contingency plans were going ahead at the same time. In the early stages of the "war," the major thrust of this plan was to secure the grain and keep a lookout for suitable locations in the mountains to cache it and where the women and children might be secreted in safety if necessary. Letters from General Wells went out to district commanders in mid-August. In his instructions to Major Evans of Lehi dated August 13, Wells wrote: Sir, you are hereby instructed to keep one or two tens out in the mountains upon the approaches to the settlements as a corps/ of observation that we may not be taken /at any point by surprise. Get the Indians in your vicinity also to watch, and take the most effective measures to be in readiness and to have all the grain secured; be careful that not a kernal is wasted,... have your eye out for good safe places in the mountains where grain can be cached and where the women and children can be safe in case we have to take to the mountains. Drop other business and thrash the grain, and secure it first thing. This is the first business to attend to. The time may come when we shall have to lay everything waste, and group into the mountains; therefore be prepared for such an event.... Instruct the Indians that our enemies are also their enemies and that it will come upon them as well as the souix and chyennes in due time, that they must be our friends and stick to us, for if our enemies kill us off, they will surely be cut off by the same parties. Find safe retreats in the mountains for stock as well as families, and cache some grain to learn how to do it so it will keep....30 |
