Mountain Meadows Massacre
Not to make light of the tragedy that occurred in Orlando last weekend, nor to diminish Gerry Bill’s June 16 letter on the mass shootings of Native American Indians, but the Mountain Meadows Massacre should not be forgotten.
The Mountain Meadows Massacre was the killing of roughly 120 emigrants who were passing through Southern Utah in September 1857. The massacre occurred on Sept. 11, 1857. The killings occurred after the emigrants were convinced to put down their guns and surrender peacefully.
Most of the emigrants – men, women and children – were traveling from Arkansas to settle in the Fresno and Tulare areas. The massacred travelers were part of the Baker-Fancher wagon train. They were killed by a group of Mormons with the help of Paiute Indians.
Mick Walker, Fresno
This story was originally published June 17, 2016 at 9:40 AM with the headline "Mountain Meadows Massacre."