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Show The Uneasy Peace 79 In August, 1857, Brigham Young appointed Jacob Hamblin to succeed R. C. Allen as President of the Southern Indian Mission. Young advised Hamblin to continue the Mormon policy of forming an alliance with the Indians against the possibility of American invasion: "Continue the conciliatory policy towards the Indians, which I have ever recommended, and seek by works of righteousness to obtain their love and confidence, for they must learn that they have either got to help us, or the United States will kill us both." 3S In September Hamblin went north to Salt Lake City, taking with him "twelve Indian Chiefs who had come to see President Brig-ham Young. One of them was the head chief, Tut-si-gabot. There was also the chief of the Piedes and of the Deserets and Santa Clara and Rio Virgin and of Harmony; . . . President Young had an interview for about one hour with the Indians." :'9 What was said at this meeting is not known. The Nuwuvi and Pahvant headmen had enough time to return to the south before the disastrous incident at Mountain Meadows. The incident revolved around a group of emigrants called the Fancher party. They had the bad fortune of entering Utah at a time of heightened tensions among the Mormons due to the approach of an invading army from the United States. As they moved south, a rumor went ahead of the party that they had poisoned a well near Corn Creek, resulting in the death of twenty Indians and some Mormon stock. Whether this rumor was based on actuality or merely used by Mormons to justify their story that the Indians carried out the attack is unclear. Superintendent of Indian Affairs Jacob Forney, after extensive investigation, found no evidence among the Pahvants who lived on Corn Creek that the story was true. In fact, Forney decided that the Pahvants had not participated in the affair at all and that all Indians involved were from the Nuwuvi bands in the region of Mountain Meadows.40 Whatever the reason, upon camping at Mountain Meadows, the emigrant train soon found itself under attack. After several days, they agreed to a truce with John D. Lee, who by that time was in charge of both the large party of Mormons who had gathered at the scene and of the Indians. The emigrant men were led out single file with a Mormon at each of their sides until the signal was given. Then they were shot. The women and older children also were killed. Only those under ten were spared.41 |
