In the fall of 1856, the Willie and Martin Mormon handcart expeditions found themselves caught in devastating blizzards in the mountains of Utah and Wyoming. Of the nine hundred travelers, two hundred fifty of them did not reach their destination. The migration was a disaster and a stain on the legacy of Brigham Young (1801-1877), second president of the Mormon Church. This tragic event has remained in the shadows of Mormon history and omitted from history books. When I saw this title in my list of recommendations, I immediately purchased it and began to learn about a crucial era in American history as told by author David Roberts.

Prior to starting the book, I was familiar with the Mormon Church and its offshoot the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), made infamous by the arrest and conviction of its former leader Warren Jeffs for sexual assault of underage followers. Jeffs is currently incarcerated and allegedly still holds power within the Church. However, I was not aware of this particular story. Roberts explains the history of the Mormon Church, paying close focus on its growth as it attracted converts from as far away as England and Scandinavia. The European immigrants played an integral role in the church’s plans but their belief and dedication came at steep personal costs as we learn in the book. Further, the Church itself was a pariah, and frowned upon by officials in more than one state. In fact, the Mormons are forced to vacate their dwellings more than once in the book as authorities sought to clamp down on the group and its polygamous beliefs. In spite of the unrelenting pressure, the church’s first leader Joseph Smith (1805-1844), was determined to see his vision come to fruition, but he met his own untimely demise, re-told in detail by the author. A power vaccum ensues but as fate would have it, the reins would end up in the hands of Young, who later had blood on them as well. 

Brigham Young was a charasmatic figure and that can be seen in the story. He had the ability to make people belief in his vision even if that meant the possibility of death. But there is a darker side to the story which I did not expect, prior to the dreadful handcart expedition we know is coming. As I read the story, I took notice of the Danites fraternal organization that served as an “enforcement” arm of the church. This part of the story is mind bending and made me recoil in surprise. I had no prior knowledge of this group and what Roberts reveals about their actions sent chills down my spine. It is surreal. And if former bodyguard Bill Hickman (1815-1883) is to be believed, Smith and Young were more dangerous than they seemed. 

While the Church is finding its footing, Young continues with his plan for the handcart migrations. Like any tragedy, there are a series of events that led up to the disaster. One in particular is glaringly obvious, but it benefits the reader by taking a look online at the handcards the settlers were forced to use in 1856. The sheer amount of physical strength and endurance to push these carts without adequate nutrition and compliant weather should answer any questions as to what it was like for them on their journey. But as this played out, I asked myself where was Brigham Young and what was he doing? The author answers both questions, and what I learned was both shocking and infuriating. Surely, Young took secrets with him to his grave, but I find it difficult to accept his actions during this time. Officially he is still seen as a prophet in the Mormon Church, but his actions and inactions cannot be overlooked. The hardships faced by the handcart companies were beyond brutal and highlight the lack of foresight by those they trusted with their lives. And to remove all doubt, the author provides entries from journals taken by various settlers who survived the trek. Their stories paint an even darker picture of the realities they faced during the migration. At times, I stepped away from the book to have a moment to digest what I had learned about their ordeal. I developed a newfound appreciation of modern-day comforts. 

Admittedly, this book is not a “light” read but it is invaluable in understanding the ideas and goals that inspired people to embark on journeys across North America during the 1800s to parts unknown. Each year on July 24, Mormons celebrate “Pioneer’s Day” to commemorate the arrival of converts in 1847 to the Great Salt Lake Valley in Utah. It is a significant day but the deaths of settlers who dreamed of reaching the valley should not be in vain. Their story remains alive in this book that tells the tale of the handcart tragedy. 

“The conclusion is inescapable: nearly two months before the arrival of the long-awaited Ellsworth and McArthur Companies, Heber Kimball and Brigham Young were fully aware that more than seven hundred more handcart Saints were preparing their journeys westward, dangerously late in the season. What those two men, as well as the rest of the Mormon authorities in charge of the emigration, did—or more precisely, did not do—in the face of this alarming development remains all but inexplicable today.”

ASIN : B001FA0HTS