SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - There is no evidence Brigham Young ordered the Mountain Meadows
Massacre. That's the conclusion of a new major book on the 1857 Southern Utah massacre - one that claimed the lives of more than 120 men, women and children.
The authors of “Massacre at Mountain Meadows – An American Tragedy” say, perhaps, the number one question they get asked is this: What was Brigham Young's role in the Mountain Meadows Massacre?
And as the three authors tried to answer that question, they came to this conclusion about LDS President Brigham Young.
Glen M. Leonard, one of the authors says, "They weren't responding to orders from Salt Lake city. Brigham Young hadn't ordered anything."
Richard E. Turley Jr., his co-author adds, "We looked very carefully to see whether he himself issued an order for the massacre. And we find no evidence that he did."
Which, according to the book, is not to say that LDS Church members were totally blameless in the raid on Arkansas emigrants.
Ronald W. Walker, the book’s final author says,"There are lessons to be learned here from this event. There are lessons about correct Christian living."
The authors also believe that last year's 150th anniversary of the massacre was an important moment for the LDS Church.
One where Henry B. Eyring - now a member of the LDS Church First presidency - spoke emotionally about the past.
Turley adds, "He expressed profound regret for what happened at Mountain Meadows and for the participation of church members in what happened."
The three writers and historians hope their book will bring a better understanding of Mountain Meadows and contribute to the healing.
Which is why they dedicated it to "The Victims."
Still, all these years later, six words continue to haunt Mountain Meadows.
Leonard says, “The massacre could have been prevented."
A telling sign as to how much interest there is in this book is that hasn't even had its official release yet and the first printing is already sold out.
The entire half hour interview with the book's authors can be seen Sunday morning on “On the Record."
That airs at 9:30, right here on ABC 4.
