View source for What Did the Militiamen Say about the Massacre?

=What Did the Militiamen Say about the Massacre?=
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[[Image:Samuel knight 4b.jpg|thumb|left|92px|<center>'''Samuel Knight'''</center>]][[Image:Nephi johnson 2a.jpg|thumb|left|92px|<center>'''Nephi Johnson'''</center>]][[Image:Elliott willden 2d.jpg|thumb|left|125px|<center>'''Ellott Willden'''</center>]]
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For a [[A Basic Account|Basic Account]] of the massacre see [[A Basic Account|here]]. It is largely based on the confessions of fourteen militiamen who admitted being present at the massacre. The [[List of the Accused|List of the Accused]] identifies more than sixty men and the sources connecting them to the massacre. Some identifications are certain, others are probable, still others are problematic. 
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The fourteen militiamen who admitted being present at or involved in the massacre are discussed in the article entitled, [[The Self-Confessed|The Self Confessed]]. It identifies and provides background on these fourteen militiamen. For individual articles on these fourteen militiamen including biographical sketches and a brief summary of their statements about the massacre, see [[Samuel Knight|Samuel Knight]] (above left), [[Nephi Johnson|Nephi Johnson]] (center left), [[Ellott Willden|Ellott Willden]] (below left), [[Joseph Clews|Joseph Clews]], [[William Edwards|William Edwards]], [[John M. Higbee|John M. Higbee]], [[Philip Klingensmith|Philip Klingensmith]], [[John D. Lee|John D. Lee]], [[Daniel Macfarlane|Daniel Macfarlane]], [[Samuel McMurdie|Samuel McMurdie]], [[James Pearce|James Pearce]], [[Samuel Pollock|Samuel Pollock]], [[Joel White|Joel White]], and [[William A. Young|William Young]]. 
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Can we possibly rely on any of their statements? Here, as every detective, judge, criminologist and historian knows, the key is confessions combined with corroboration. The brief article, [[A Method for Sifting Participants' Statements for the Truth|A Method for Sifting Militia Accounts]], introduces some of the main issues in distinguishing confessions and incidental detail from a variety of more questionable or blame-shifting statements -- evasions, denials and accusations against others. 
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"Every Man His Own Historian," Carl Becker famously declared in 1931 to the American Historical Association. And certainly, on this continually controversial topic, it is necessary that every man and women be his or her own historian. Each one must weigh the controversies to get at the truth. The article, [[Historiography|Historiography of the Massacre]], briefly sketches some of the major treatments of the massacre in the past century and a half. But with the historical treatments at such variance with one another, you must be prepared to be your own historian -- to sift the evidence and draw your own conclusions. 
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[[Eyewitnesses and Sources to the Mountain Meadows Massacre|Eyewitnesses and Sources to the Mountain Meadows Massacre]] identifies the witnesses who offered written statements concerning the massacre or important particulars before or after it.
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