Devil's Gate: Brigham Young and the Great Mormon Handcart Tragedy
Sep 2008 · Simon and Schuster
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About this ebook
The Mormon handcart tragedy of 1856 is the worst disaster in the history of the Western migrations, and yet it remains virtually unknown today outside Mormon circles.
Following the death of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, its second Prophet and new leader, Brigham Young, determined to move the faithful out of the Midwest, where they had been constantly persecuted by their neighbors, to found a new Zion in the wilderness. In 1846-47, the Mormons made their way west, generally following the Oregon Trail, arriving in July 1847 in what is today Utah, where they established Salt Lake City. Nine years later, fearing a federal invasion, Young and other Mormon leaders wrestled with the question of how to bring thousands of impoverished European converts, mostly British and Scandinavian, from the Old World to Zion. Young conceived of a plan in which the European Mormons would travel by ship to New York City and by train to Iowa City. From there, instead of crossing the plains by covered wagon, they would push and pull wooden handcarts all the way to Salt Lake.
But the handcart plan was badly flawed. The carts, made of green wood, constantly broke down; the baggage allowance of seventeen pounds per adult was far too small; and the food provisions were woefully inadequate, especially considering the demanding physical labor of pushing and pulling the handcarts 1,300 miles across plains and mountains. Five companies of handcart pioneers left Iowa for Zion that spring and summer, but the last two of them left late. As a consequence, some 900 Mormons in these two companies were caught in early snowstorms in Wyoming. When the church leadership in Salt Lake became aware of the dire circumstances of these pioneers, Younglaunched a heroic rescue effort. But for more than 200 of the immigrants, the rescue came too late.
The story of the Mormon handcart tragedy has never before been told in full despite its stunning human drama: At least five times as many people died in the Mormon tragedy as died in the more famous Donner Party disaster.
David Roberts has researched this story in Mormon archives and elsewhere, and has traveled along the route where the handcart pioneers came to grief. Based on his research, he concludes that the tragedy was entirely preventable. Brigham Young and others in the Mormon leadership failed to heed the abundant signs of impending catastrophe, including warnings from other Mormon elders in the East and Midwest, where the journey began. Devil's Gate is a powerful indictment of the Mormon leadership and a gripping story of survival and suffering that is superbly told by one of our finest writers of Western history.
Following the death of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, its second Prophet and new leader, Brigham Young, determined to move the faithful out of the Midwest, where they had been constantly persecuted by their neighbors, to found a new Zion in the wilderness. In 1846-47, the Mormons made their way west, generally following the Oregon Trail, arriving in July 1847 in what is today Utah, where they established Salt Lake City. Nine years later, fearing a federal invasion, Young and other Mormon leaders wrestled with the question of how to bring thousands of impoverished European converts, mostly British and Scandinavian, from the Old World to Zion. Young conceived of a plan in which the European Mormons would travel by ship to New York City and by train to Iowa City. From there, instead of crossing the plains by covered wagon, they would push and pull wooden handcarts all the way to Salt Lake.
But the handcart plan was badly flawed. The carts, made of green wood, constantly broke down; the baggage allowance of seventeen pounds per adult was far too small; and the food provisions were woefully inadequate, especially considering the demanding physical labor of pushing and pulling the handcarts 1,300 miles across plains and mountains. Five companies of handcart pioneers left Iowa for Zion that spring and summer, but the last two of them left late. As a consequence, some 900 Mormons in these two companies were caught in early snowstorms in Wyoming. When the church leadership in Salt Lake became aware of the dire circumstances of these pioneers, Younglaunched a heroic rescue effort. But for more than 200 of the immigrants, the rescue came too late.
The story of the Mormon handcart tragedy has never before been told in full despite its stunning human drama: At least five times as many people died in the Mormon tragedy as died in the more famous Donner Party disaster.
David Roberts has researched this story in Mormon archives and elsewhere, and has traveled along the route where the handcart pioneers came to grief. Based on his research, he concludes that the tragedy was entirely preventable. Brigham Young and others in the Mormon leadership failed to heed the abundant signs of impending catastrophe, including warnings from other Mormon elders in the East and Midwest, where the journey began. Devil's Gate is a powerful indictment of the Mormon leadership and a gripping story of survival and suffering that is superbly told by one of our finest writers of Western history.
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3.7
3 reviews
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December 31, 2011
I am a Latter-day Saint (yes a Mormon). Normally I would not write a review. It always fascinates me that someone can write about my history and my church who is not a member of my church and knows more about the church than I do. I first thought that this was a book about the mormon pioneers. In some ways it was but as I continued to read the book it is obvious that the author has much contempt for the mormon people. Anything that he could find good or bad he threw into the book. I am sure that there were members of the church who left the church during and after the trek. (Guess what there are still people joining and leaving the church today). I find it hard to believe that they would have anything positive to say about the church and I am sure that they would say many things that were not true about what happened. Why, because they left the church and have great contempt for the church. And yes, they can do that because it is their right. But to put all this into a book and then try and portray to me that Brigham Young was an out of control leader, I just had to laugh. I think that it would be interesting to find out what the author really holds as sacred in his life and then do a bunch of research and put everything that I can find good or bad, true or not and then interject my negative thoughts and ridicule his sacred thing as bunk, then put it into a book for all of you to read. If you want to know the truth, ask a Mormon, you don't ask a non-Mormon. If I want to fix my car, I go to someone I know and trust to help me fix my car, not to someone who does not know how to fix a car. I am about half way through the book. It is obvious that the author has done a lot of research. I don't agree with a lot of the stuff he put in the book and I think that it was a great tragedy to interject his negative comments over and over and over again in this book. And no, I would not recommend this to someone to read. I think's it's full of a bunch of bull, opps, did I say that. And no, I would never read another book from this author, I don't think he can tell the truth. The positive thing about this book is that I only paid $1 in the dollar store for it. This book will make a great fire starter for my wood stove.
John Jones
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August 28, 2015
I was raised as a Mormon, and this book taught me more about the history of my families church, then I ever learned from the white washed Sunday school lessons that I endured where the Mormon Handcart Pioneers were held up as martyrs and examples of faith. It was no small thing that David Roberts was given use of the church's private records in writing his book, and though many in the church may feel betrayed that he did not unquestioning portray Brigham Young as a hero, and the epic as a noble sacrifice, the end result is much more grounded, and closer to the truth than if he had glossed over the mistakes and faults of many of the biggest names in Mormon folklore. I can't recommend this book enough. It should be required reading for every school child in Utah.
1 person found this review helpful
About the author
David Roberts (1943–2021) was the author of dozens of books on mountaineering, adventure, and the history of the American Southwest. His essays and articles have appeared in National Geographic, National Geographic Adventure, and The Atlantic Monthly, among other publications.
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