"The Indians then stripped the men and women of their clothing and left them in the broiling sun. When Brother Lee found it out, he took some men with him to the place and buried their bodies. It was a horrible task. The whole air was filled with an awful stench. The Indians obtained all their property, cattle, horses, wagons, etc. There was another large company of emigrants who had 1,000 head of cattle. They were also damning both Indians and Mormons, but were afraid of sharing the same fate. Brother Lee had to send interpreters with them to the Indians to try to save their lives." The foregoing statement from the journal of Elder Woodruff which was recorded at that time is of special importance in view of the fact that the enemies of the Church for years endeavored to fasten upon President Young some responsibility for that awful affair. There is nothing in the statement whatever which bears the least semblance of deception. It was one of those straightforward {389} records which characterize Elder Woodruff's journal from beginning to end. Then the character and integrity of the man are both guarantees of the truthfulness of the statement made by John D. Lee to President Young as recorded in Elder Woodruff's journal. If President Young neglected at this time to give the report of John D. Lee as much attention as it perhaps should have received, and if an investigation was not immediately instituted, there is ample excuse to be found in the circumstances of those times. The army was pressing upon the people and uttering dire threats as to what would take place when it reached the Valleys. Immediately following the record of John D. Lee's visit, Elder Woodruff says in his journal: "An express came in at night saying that the troops were near Bridger and had formed into three bodies while traveling. General Wells sent word to President Young to let them come on to Echo Canyon and there give them battle. At 6 o'clock on the morning of the 30th the drums beat, and an army of soldiers, some 400 in number, paraded the streets. They were in readiness to march at a moment's notice to the seat of war. We had at this time about 800 men in the mountains. It was a solemn time; for the armies of the Gentiles were making war upon us because of our religion, and we had to defend ourselves against a nation of 25,000,000 people, and the war had just commenced. We had to trust in God for the results. We resolved to do what we could and leave the work in His hands. All were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the express. I told President Young that I was on hand at any moment to go into the mountains when he would say the word. I went up in the evening to the President's office and learned that the California mail had arrived. I heard some letters read. One stated that the government had made arrangements to send light draft boats up the Colorado with men and arms against us from that point.