SORRY: Albright was right

I owe Syd Albright an apology. The Army was sent to Utah to attempt to restore federal control over the court system there. Once the Mountain Meadows Massacre occurred, in 1857 not 1846 as I had mentioned, it’s my understanding that Brigham Young’s arrest was also sought.

However, according to Irving Stone’s “Men to Match My Mountains,” Brigham Young did not authorize this slaughter. The attack on a wagon train was led by John Lee (AKA Jason Lee). The attackers consisted of 50 Mormon militia members plus a number of Piutes whom Lee had recruited for the slaughter. Author Stone reports that 120 people were murdered, not the 151 people that I had read in another source.

Brigham Young wasn’t arrested and the Army withdrew in 1858. Major Lee was later executed.

BOB RIDOUT

Hayden