Mormon History
Affidavit of Philip Klingon Smith - 1872
Daily Corinne Reporter – September 20, 1872
MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE.
_______
We give below the affidavit
of Philip Klingon Smith one of the bishops who obeyed the orders of Brigham in
the butchery of Mountain Meadows. The fearful story requires no comment, nor
does it admit of a doubt.
State of Nevada,
County of Lincoln ss:
Personally appeared before me, Peter B. Miller, Clerk of Court of the Seventh
Judicial District of the State of Nevada, Philip Klingon Smith, who being duly
sworn, on his oath says: My name is Philip Klingon Smith; I reside in the
county of Lincoln, in the State of Nevada; I resided at Cedar City in the County
of Iron, in the Territory of Utah, from A.D. 1852 to A.D. 1859; I was residing
at said Cedar City at the time of the massacre at Mountain Meadows, in said
Territory of Utah; I had heard that a company of emigrants was on its way from
Salt Lake City, bound for California; after said company had left Cedar City,
the militia was called out for the purpose of committing acts of hostility
against them; said call was a regular military call from the superior officers
to the subordinate officers and privates of the regiment at Cedar City and
vicinity, composing a part of the militia of the Territory of Utah; I do not
recollect the number of the regiment. I was at that time the Bishop of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Cedar City; Isaac C. Haight was
President over said church at Cedar City and the southern settlements in said
Territory; my position as Bishop was subordinate to that of said President.
W. H. Dame was the President of said Church at Parowan, in said Iron County,
said Dame was also colonel of said regiment; said Isaac C. Haight was
lieutenant-colonel of said regiment, and said John D. Lee, of Harmony in said
Iron County, was Major. Said regiment was duly ordered to muster, armed and
equipped as the law directs, and prepared for field operations. I had no command
nor office in said regiment on the expedition which resulted in said company's
being massacred in the Mountain Meadows, in said County of Iron. About four days
after said company of emigrants had left Cedar City, that portion of said
regiment then mustered at Cedar City took up its line of march in pursuit of
them. About two days after said company had left Cedar City, Lieutenant-Colonel
I. C. Haight expressed in my presence a desire that said company might be
permitted to pass on their way in peace; but afterward he told me that he had
orders to kill all of said company of emigrants except the little children. I do
not know whether said headquarters meant the [regional] headquarters at Parowan
or the headquarters of the Commander-in-chief at Salt Lake City. When the said
company had got to Iron Creek, about twenty miles from Cedar City, Captain Joel
White started for Pinto Creek Settlement, through which the said company would
pass for the purpose of influencing the people to permit said company to pass on
their way in peace. I asked and obtained permission of said White to go with him
and aid him in trying to save life. When we got about three miles from Cedar
City, we met Major J. D. Lee, who asked us where we were going. I replied that
we were going to try to prevent the killing of the emigrants, Lee replied, "I
have something to say about that." Lee was at that time on his way to Parowan,
the headquarters of Colonel Dame. Said White and I went to Pinto Creek; remained
there one night, and the next day returned to Cedar City, meeting said company
of emigrants at Iron Creek. Before reaching Cedar City we met one Ira Allen, who
told us that "The decree had passed devoting said company to destruction." After
the fight had been going on for three or four days a messenge[r] from Major Lee
reached Cedar City, who stated that the fight had not been altogether
successful, upon which Lieutenant-Colonel Haight ordered out a reinforcement. At
this time I was ordered out by Captain John M. Higby who ordered me to muster,
"armed and equipped as the law directs." It was a matter of life or death to me
to muster or not, and I mustered with the reinforcing troops. It was at this
time that Lieutenant-Colonel Haight said to me that it was the orders from
headquarters that all but the little children of said company were to be killed.
Said Haight had at that time just returned from headquarters at Parowan, where a
military council had been held. There had been a like council held at Parowan
previous to that, at which were present Colonel Dame, Lieutenant-Colonel I. C.
Haight and Major John D. Lee. The result of this first council was the calling
out of said regiment for the purpose already stated. The reinforcement aforesaid
was marched to the Mountain Meadows, and there formed a junction with the main
body. Major Lee massed all the troops at a spring and made a speech to them,
saying that his orders from "headquarters were to kill the entire company except
the small children." I was not in the ranks at that time, but on the side
talking to a man named Slade, and could not have seen a paper in Major Lee's
hands. Said Lee then sent a flag of truce into the emigrant camp, offering said
emigrants that "if they lay down their arms, he would protect them." They
accordingly laid down their arms, came out from their camp, and delivered
themselves to said Lee. The women and children were then, by the order of said
Lee, separated from the men and were marched ahead of the men. After the said
emigrants had marched about a half mile toward Cedar City the order was given to
shoot them down. At that time said Lee was at the head of the column. I was in
the rear. I did not hear Lee give the order to fire, but heard it from the under
officers as it was passed down the column. The emigrants were then and there
shot down, except seventeen little children, which I immediately took into my
charge. I do not know the total number of said company as I did not stop to
count the dead. I immediately put the little children in baggage wagons
belonging to the regiment and took them to Hamlin's ranch, and from there to
Cedar City, and procured them homes among the people; J. Willis and S. Murdy
assisted me in taking charge of said children. On the evening of the massacre W.
H. Dame and Lieut. I. C. Haight came to Hamblin's, where I had said children,
and fell into a dispute, in the course of which said Haight told Colonel Dame,
that, if he was going to report of the killing of said emigrants he should not
have ordered it done. I do not know when or where said troops were disbanded.
About two weeks after said massacre occurred said Major Lee (who was also an
Indian agent) went to Salt Lake City and, as I believe, reported said fight and
its results to the commander-in-chief: I was not present at either of the
before-mentioned councils, nor at any council connected with the aforesaid
military operations or with said company. I gave no orders except to those
connected with the saving of the children, and those, after the massacre had
occurred, and said orders were given as bishop and not in a military sense. At
the time of the firing of the first volley I discharged my piece. I did not fire
afterwards, though several subsequent volleys were fired. After the first fire
we delivered I at once set about saving the children. I commenced to gather up
the children before the firing had ceased. I have made the foregoing statements
before the above-entitled Court for the reason that I believe that I would be
assassinated should I attempt to make the same before any court in the Territory
of Utah. After said Lee returned from Salt Lake City, as aforesaid, said Lee
told me that he had reported fully to the President, meaning the
commander-in-chief, the fight at Mountain Meadows and the killing of said
emigrants. Brigham Young was at that time the commander-in-chief of the militia
of the Territory of Utah; and further deponent saith not.
(Signed) PHILIP KLINGON SMITH.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 10th day of April A.D. 1871.
(Copy of Seal -- District Court, Seventh Judicial District, Lincoln County,
Nevada.)
Note 1: Although two Justices of the Utah Territorial Supreme Court certified
Mr. Klingensmith's statement, the text published by the Corinne Daily
Reporter appears to have dropped out a few lines and words, here and there,
(none of which changes the explicit import of his testimony).
Note 2: The Reporter reprinted this same statement in its issue of Sept.
24th.