Utah Phillips John D. Lee Lyrics

Here's news come to the city about a wagon train;
Here's news come to the city about a wagon train;
How men and all their families by John D. Lee was slain

Brigham Young sent out a runner, bid Squire Wells to come;
Brigham Young sent out a runner, bid Squire Wells to come;
Go down into that country and see my justice done

He gathered up a posse, a dozen men or more
He gathered up a posse, a dozen men or more
They tracked across the desert to the Colorado shore

No sooner they crossed over than John D. Lee was found
No sooner they crossed over than John D. Lee was found
Down in the Indian village the squaws was camped around

The horses from Missouri was found in his corral;
The horses from Missouri was found in his corral;
The Squire read him guilty the facts we find here tell

A wagon and a coffin, they make a heavy load A wagon and a coffin, they make a heavy load
To haul up to the meadow along the black ridge road

Way up in Mountain Meadows they made him dig his grave
Way up in Mountain Meadows they made him dig his grave
Though loudly he protested, his life he thought to save

The wagons they still smoldered, their ashes blew around
The wagons they still smoldered, their ashes blew around
In sight of this mute evidence, they shot their victim down

Some say he was not guilty, so I have heard it said
Some say he was not guilty, so I have heard it said
The deed fell to his captors who should have died instead

His grave is undiscovered, the grass it grows so tall
His grave is undiscovered, the grass it grows so tall
Such was the Saints' own vengeance on John D. Lee did fall