September Dawn Page #6

It has been sent by the Council at Cedar City

and it has been approved

by all highest authorities.

Sir?

I cannot do this.

President Haight has counseled

with Colonel Dame

and has orders from him to put

all of the emigrants out of the way.

None who are old enough to talk

are to be spared.

Brethren.

The entire camp are cut-throats,

robbers and assassins.

They are a part of the people

who drove the Saints from Missouri,

and who helped shed the blood

of our prophets, Joseph and Hyrum.

It is our orders from all in authority

to get the emigrants from their stronghold.

Brother Lee, the brethren in the priesthood

are united in this.

It would not go well with you

to oppose them.

Let us pray on this matter again.

Brethren, I have the evidence

of God's approval of our mission.

It is God's will that we carry out

our instructions to the letter.

Amen.

Micah? Thank God.

Micah!

Micah!

Micah!

Jonathan. Jonathan. Help me.

Get me out of here. I can't help you in here.

- I can't do it anymore.

- Do what?

Oh, my God, what's happening?

Micah, what's happening?

The Indians and the wagon train.

It's awful. It's awful.

I can't make any sense of it.

Micah, you tell me

what's happening at the wagon train,

or so help me, I will cut your throat!

Yes, of course. Blood atonement.

You, too?

I thought you were the innocent one.

Tell me, please.

We attacked. It's started.

- Get me out of here. Please.

- It's too late.

It's too late. It's started. It's too late for me.

It's too late for everybody.

- It's started. It's too late.

- Micah!

Micah!

Micah!

Use this on the chain, and free yourself.

And when you get free, Jonathan,

you run as far and as fast as you can.

Do not come back and do not look back.

Save yourself from this while you still can.

No, I have to go to her. I have to.

There'll be nothing left to go to, Jonathan.

You run. Run.

Micah.

Goodbye, my brother.

No.

No, Micah, don't.

I'm going to follow the brethren

and do my duty to the Mormon god,

Brigham Young.

Micah. Micah! Micah!

- I didn't see it.

- What?

I didn't see the sun rise.

They're coming! Get ready!

Hold your fire!

Thank God. It's the Mormons!

I'm John D. Lee,

Indian Commissioner for this district.

We've got the Indians under control.

Come with us, and you'll be safe.

Thank God. They've been at us for days.

I don't think

we could have lasted much longer.

Most of the Indians trust us. We have

an agreement worked out with them.

But we must move quickly before

the dissenters convince the others

to attack again.

Don't worry, we've dealt with them before.

What should we do?

We must take all the weapons, all your guns,

and put them in one of the wagons.

Why should we give up our guns?

We have to give the appearance of peace.

No weapons.

I don't like us giving up our guns.

We'd be defenseless.

Sir, we know these savages.

They know that we are a militia.

We have to convince them

that you are in our custody.

Giving up our weapons

doesn't make much sense.

Nothing we have to do in order to

appease the Indians makes much sense, sir.

Trust me.

Don't worry,

we will transport you to Cedar City in safety.

Once there, you will be cared for

until the opportunity comes for you

to be taken to California.

I don't know about the others,

but I've got a bad feeling about this.

We're out of water.

We're almost out of food,

and the guns will do us no good

without ammunition.

All right.

Put all children, eight years old

and younger, into the other wagon.

- I'm not giving you my child.

- Neither am I.

Do you want to save your babies?

Then put them into that wagon.

There'll be armed guards all around.

Your babies will be protected better

than your gold.

- Take good care of him, Reverend.

- I will.

Please comfort her, Reverend.

She's so afraid.

I will take care of them all

as if they were my own Emily.

- Take care of them, will you?

- I will.

This is loving our neighbor as ourselves.

If he needs help, help him.

If he wishes salvation,

and it is necessary to spill his blood

upon the ground in order that he be saved,

spill it.

Will you love

your brothers and sisters likewise,

when they have committed a sin

that cannot be atoned for

without the shedding of their blood?

Will you love that man or woman

well enough to shed their blood?

That is what Jesus Christ meant.

He never told a man or woman

to love their enemies in their wickedness.

He never intended any such thing.

I could refer you to plenty of instances

where men have been righteously slain

in order to atone for their sins.

Oh, my God.

No.

Halt!

Wait.

Mormons! Do your duty!

- Have mercy!

- I do this out of duty.

May God forgive you.

Oh, Lord, my God, receive their spirits.

We were not to spill

the blood of the innocent!

I shot her before I realized she had a baby.

Micah! Micah! Enough.

The boy's dead.

- Are you sure?

- Go, do your duty for Jehovah.

Micah?

Micah?

Follow the brethren. Do my duty.

Micah.

Micah, where's Jonathan?

Jonathan.

He's free.

He's innocent.

Micah.

Why are you here?

You shouldn't be here.

I told you to stay out of this!

- I told you to leave!

- Jonathan!

- Micah, give me the gun.

- No.

No, I cannot do that!

- I have to do my duty!

- Micah, you can't do this.

You'll be cursed.

I'm already cursed!

Please, Jonathan,

shoot me.

Please. I can't live like this.

Put me out of my misery, please.

Please...

I can't.

- Help me atone for my sins.

- You're my brother.

I love you.

Jonathan, if you do this for me,

I'll be saved.

Please put me out of my misery.

- Kill me before I kill her!

- No! Micah!

Thank you.

I'm free now.

No!

Jonathan? Jonathan?

Jonathan?

Please.

Jonathan.

You came back.

Nothing or no one could ever keep us apart.

We're going to California together,

remember?

California.

Jonathan.

Yes?

I don't... I don't think

I'm going to make it to California.

You can't die. I won't let you die!

I don't think I'm gonna make it.

You have to make it.

If you die, I die.

- You can't.

- Don't die.

I have nothing left but you.

If you die, I have nothing.

We saved each other

that cold September dawn.

Sixteen children survived,

too young to remember, too young to tell.

They were taken to Mormon families

to be raised.

It was a year and a half before

the United States Army tracked them down

and returned them to their relatives.

The story of hate will eventually die.

The story of love will last forever.

When did you first hear

of the attack and destruction

of this Arkansas company

at Mountain Meadows in September 1857?

I did not learn anything

of the attack or destruction

of the Arkansas company

until some time after it occurred,

and then only by floating rumor.

Did John D. Lee report to you

at any time after this massacre

what had been done

at the massacre and if so,

what did you reply to him

in reference thereto?

Within some two or three months

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