Mountain Meadows Massacre

Date: September 11, 1857 • Location: Enterprise, United States

A legion of Mormon militiamen completed a massacre of at least 120 California-bound Arkansas pioneers at Mountain Meadow, Utah.

The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized militia of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States from February 4, 1841, until January 29, 1845. Its main function was the defense of Nauvoo and surrounding Latter Day Saint settlements, but it was also occasionally used as local law enforcement and paraded at ceremonies such as the laying of the cornerstone for the Nauvoo Temple. The Nauvoo Legion was unique among contemporary militias for its chain of command structure, its expanded functions of the court martial, and for operating at a city level.