Young's Belated Message To Isaac C. Haight, Acting Commander of The Iron County Brigade
On September 8, 1857, Capt. Stewart Van Vliet of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps arrived in Salt Lake City. Van Vliet's mission was to inform Young that the United States troops then approaching Utah did not intend to attack the Mormons, but intended to establish an army base near Salt Lake, and to request Young's cooperation in procuring supplies for the army. Young informed Van Vliet that he was skeptical that the army's intentions were peaceful, and that the Mormons intended to resist occupation.
On September 10, 1857, James Holt Haslam arrived in Salt Lake City, after experiencing long delays during his nearly 300 mile journey, to deliver a message from the acting commander of the Iron County Brigade, Isaac C. Haight to Brigham Young. This letter has yet to be found, but accounts say it asked Brigham Young, what, if anything, should be done with the Baker-Fancher party camped at nearby Mountain Meadows. After delivering the letter to Young, Haslam was told to rest for a few hours then return to pick up the reply. After his rest, Haslam picked up the reply from Young, and was instructed to return to Cedar City with the letter quickly and not to "spare horseflesh".
President Young’s message of reply to Haight, dated September 10, 1857, read:
"In regard to emigration trains passing through our settlements, we must not interfere with them until they are first notified to keep away. You must not meddle with them. The Indians we expect will do as they please but you should try and preserve good feelings with them. There are no other trains going south that I know of f those who are there will leave let them go in peace."
Yet, by the time the express rider delivered Young's letter to Haight, ordering that the emigrants not be harmed, the murders at Mountain Meadows had already taken place. According to trial testimony given later by express rider Haslam, when Haight read Young’s words, he sobbed like a child and could manage only the words, "Too late, too late."
Historians debate the letter's contents. Brooks believes it shows Young "did not order the massacre, and would have prevented it if he could." Bagley argues that the letter covertly gave other instructions.
Read more about this topic: Brigham Young And The Mountain Meadows Massacre
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