Utah's Black Hawk War

by John Alton Peterson

"On Sunday 9 April 1865, Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee met in the parlor of Wilmer McLean’s brick home in Appomattox Court House, Virginia, to negotiate the conclusion of the Civil War. That same day, far to the west, a handful of Mormons and northern Utes met in the central Utah town of Manti in an attempt to achieve a peace of their own. Unlike the negotiations at Appomattox, however, those in Manti failed, and the events that transpired there are viewed as the beginning of Utah’s Black Hawk War, the longest and most serious Indian-white conflict in Utah history."
—From the book

So begins the story of Black Hawk, Ute Indian warrior chief and brilliant strategist, and Brigham Young, sagacious religious and political leader of the Mormons. Two powerful and unyielding men forged by hardship and conviction, both revered and both reviled in their times. One, orchestrating a remarkable campaign to turn back the tide of white expansion and prevent the extinction of his people, the other, attempting to keep his exiled church and its thriving utopian society sovereign and intact. Two men of distinct races, beliefs, and cultures, but sharing a determination to keep U.S. soldiers out of their bloody conflict for control of land and other resources in the Utah territory.

From 1865 to 1867, the warrior Black Hawk, also known as Antonga, led a combined force of Utes, Navajos, and Paiutes in a series of intense stock raids on the Mormon settlements in Utah territory. Black Hawk astutely judged that political conflict between the federal government and Mormon Utah would keep U.S. soldiers from chastising his band. Moreover, the antagonism of Washington toward Utah’s polygamy, theocracy, and isolationism made Mormon leader Brigham Young wary of seeking federal help. In fact, to keep the government from using the war as a pretext for sending more troops to Utah, the Mormons withheld information, making the Black Hawk War an almost secret war as far as the rest of the nation was concerned. As directed by Brigham Young, Utah’s Latter-day Saint citizens mobilized a church militia, the Nauvoo Legion, to repel Indian attacks. Yet Black Hawk and others were able to carry on their activities for almost eight years without incurring the federal military reprisals that Indians on all four sides of the Mormon heartland experienced. Bloodshed on both sides plunged Mormons and Indians into a war of vengeance—years of killing and raiding that continued until federal troops stepped in 1872.

In this unprecedented volume, historian John Peterson provides the first comprehensive analysis of a unique and compelling chapter of western history and of the violent and protracted conflict it engendered. Utah’s Black Hawk War not only explores political intricacies and broader implications, scrutinizing the Mormons' Indian policies—most notably Brigham Young’s extraordinary "better to feed them than fight them" teachings—but also presents vivid narrative accounts of various raids and battles. The result is a masterfully researched and engagingly written account of Utah’s secret war, a war largely unknown among western history students, scholars, and enthusiasts—until now.

Genres: History, War, Religion, Nonfiction, Book Club, Native Americans

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 26, 1999

Reviews

[Trevor Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a little known but very interesting war fought between the Mormons and the Indians in Utah. AS a resident of Utah, the history was fascinating. I was able to gain a deeper understanding of some of the small southern towns and what they went through. Of old forts that I had visited but not understood the rational behind. Of battles I had never known in places I drive by frequently.

The thing I loved most about this book was how the author carefully explained as best he could the motivations and perspectives driving the three main parties involved: Mormons, Indians, and "Gentile" non-mormon Caucasians.

All three groups did terrible things for mixed and complicated reasons. Many of the Mormons were poor, starving immigrants who were fighting to survive as best they could. The Indians were having their lands overrun, and while they had in many cases agreed to let the Mormons settle, they had not realized the devastation this would cause to their way of life. As a result they too were starving and watching their culture crumble. And then there were the 'gentiles' who greatly viewed the Mormons as a rebellious and dangerous sect looking to overthrow the US Government much as the South had just tried to do in the Civil War. They wanted to protect the United States that they loved.

Of course this is a very simplified summary. To really cover and explore these concepts would take hundreds of pages. Well, actually 448 according to Goodreads. My main take away is that it is easy to judge one group or another from the comfort of my armchair. But the motivations and rational behind the war, the killings, the theft, the lying of all the parties involved is far more complex than I can today comprehend.

And it is fascinating to learn that.

[GRANT · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sad, sad story. This is a very extensive history mostly missed in our understanding of the European settlement of what is now Utah, a state named for the people who once lived here. It wasn't just Mormon settlers, but the U.S. Army, miners, explorers, capitalists, desperados and others who came and made such changes. With an amazing list of sources, Peterson explains the general perspective of three main groups, the native tribal peoples, the Mormon pioneers and the "Gentiles," non-LDS, non-Mormon, others of European ancestry. And while there are general patterns and attitudes, the diversity within these groups is striking with all kinds of human responses to the situation that within the context of the day stretched from the most charitable to the most horrific and brutal blood-lust. Peterson is from an LDS heritage and a descendant of one of the principal Mormon militia leaders. He still manages to address the wrongs of his ancestors along with those of other groups. There are no good guys or bad guys here. There are humans in tragic stories of conflict.

[Kevin Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Peterson asserts this is a lost history both within the intermountain region and nationally as well. Peterson uses primary and secondary sources, including Utah territorial records, Bureau of Indian Affairs sources, and LDS Church archives. Peterson shows possible sources of the Mormon and Native American violence along with establishing who some of the lessor known perpetrators on both sides of the conflict are the roles they played. Peterson takes some risks in showing Brigham Young’s role as the principal “planner of the military operations” against the Native Americans. His writing style can be a bit repetitive and dry at times but this is a good read for anyone interested in Early pioneer settlement in the west and especially of early Mormon history in Utah.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, nor to scorn human actions, but to understand them." -Spinoza

This quote is at the beginning of the book and is very accurate to the way the author approached this subject. It's easy to vilify any one of the groups involved, but a closer look is an opportunity to gain insight into human nature.

I was amazed at what I didn't know about the history of the land on which I live. Driving around the valley is a new experience for me now. So much of this history feels tragic and is heartbreaking, but it is the reality of the settlement of this state and nation. I'm grateful to understand the struggle better than I did before.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative narrative regarding not only the Native American vs European settler expansion (something we all have some broad familiarity with), but concerning the Mormon complexity overlay.

The author reveals much concerning the reasons for Native American unrest, as well as the trade network for stolen cattle and horses. Also interesting was the presence of white outlaws and ruthless opportunists in the disposition of stolen livestock.

I learned a bit more regarding the animosity between the Federal Government and the Mormons, including the detail on some of the commandeers who maintained a federal presence in "Deseret."

And the average reader will benefit from a very detailed description of Brigham Young's views on Native Americans as well as his policies, contrasting at time with those of various groups of Mormon settlers scattered around the region.

[Marilyn Sue Michel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to read if you ever wanted to know more about indigenous tribes being shoved around, killed, and their "removal" to reservations in Utah. No doubt the tribesmen killed their share of Mormons and "gentiles" (non-LDS). Both sides killed innocent people in revenge for attacks by other people. There was not enough food to go around and many people went hungry. The federal government in particular did not provide food and supplies for the reservations. Brigham Young is portrayed as a sly one, who boasted he could kill more "Injuns" with flour than bullets. Eventually the Mormons had to request help from federal troops, who were not at all shy about killing anyone who did not obey.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a history book, so a bit hard to get through and I kept falling asleep! But I loved it. I can’t believe I knew nothing about this war especially because it explains so much of the balance of power between the Indians, LDS Saints, and the federal government. Utah in the 1860s was a much more complicated place than I knew. And I was surprised and how much it related to some politics and policies 160 years later. I had to sit and the kitchen table to make sure I didn’t fall asleep...but so worth it!!

[Walt Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned a lot about local history that I had not found anywhere else

[Nayajja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I grew up in Utah, this was history I never knew. As I travel around Central Utah now, I see places and remember some of these difficult times.

[Bliss Tew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several years ago, I read Mr. Peterson's "UTAH'S BLACK HAWK WAR," as we share a common ancestor that played a leading role in the war - Brig. General Warren S. Snow. The book thrilled me with the depth of both research and analysis on a war that was and is little known in the annals of U.S. History or Utah history for that matter. This is a no-hold-barred book as it doesn't protect either the Mormons, the Utes, or the federal government from telling some rather unpleasant historical truths about the causes of the war. I recommend it to anyone who wants to better understand Western History from the 1840s through the 1870s. This week I again picked up the book and read parts of it, thus this review.

[Scott Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and informative this book strives for a balanced look at this conflict. The book is critical of the LDS church in many ways. It also does not fit into the everything was rosy in the church problem that many books written by church members would. The author also seems to truly dislike my family, Ivie, in this book as many of my ancestors were cast in a bad light, maybe that was a good thing too.

[John E · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been a great book if it was only half the size. It reads like the Ph.D. dissertation it is -- it could have used a hard nosed editor. It was an interesting study of cultural clash: the Mormons called it a war while the Utes called it hunting on their traditional hunting lands. It shows the limitations that leaders, even powerful ones like Brigham Young, have over their followers when it comes to "cattle russling" and men with guns.

[Tod · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly detailed account of Mormon, Native American, Gentile relations in territorial Utah. Peterson weaves a rich narrative that is well documented and frank without trying to pin blame on any one group. The Black Hawk War was a tragic time in Utah history and remains an important chapter in Western history in need of further study.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book about a particular time in Utah history. I know the Author. He's a really good friend of mine. And very knowledgeable about Utah and LDS History. I recommend this book to anyone who is into history.

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on a part of "unknown" Utah history.

[Dlora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous nonfiction about a time in Mormon history that we don't usually learn about. Brigham Young emerges as the definite hero in this history. Extremely well researched and insightful.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

diggety dank!