000			05027cam a2200505 i 4500
001			isl00022573
005			20250921141731.0
008			s2008 nyuab e b 001 0deng
010			_a 2008002286
020			_a9781416539889
020			_a1416539883
035			_z15148679
039			_a32607 _cTLC
040			_aDLC _cDLC _dDLC _dTLC _erda
043			_an-usp--
050	0	0	_aF593 _b.R54 2008
082	0	0	_a978/.02 _222
100	1		_aRoberts, David, _d1943-2021 _eauthor. _0(DLC)n 80144631
245	1	0	_aDevil's gate : _bBrigham Young and the great Mormon handcart tragedy / _cDavid Roberts.
250			_aFirst Simon & Schuster hardcover edition
264		1	_aNew York : _bSimon & Schuster, _c2008.
300			_a402 pages : _billustrations, map ; _c25 cm.
336			_atext _btxt _2rdacontent
337			_aunmediated _bn _2rdamedia
338			_avolume _bnc _2rdacarrier
380			_aBook _2tlcgt
385			_aGeneral _2tlctarget
504			_aIncludes bibliographical references (p. 375-380) and index.
520			_aThe Mormon handcart tragedy of 1856 is the worst disaster in the history of the Western migrations, and yet it remains virtually unknown today outside Mormon circles. Following the death of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, its second Prophet and new leader, Brigham Young, determined to move the faithful out of the Midwest, where they had been constantly persecuted by their neighbors, to found a new Zion in the wilderness. In 1846-47, the Mormons made their way west, generally following the Oregon Trail, arriving in July 1847 in what is today Utah, where they established Salt Lake City. Nine years later, fearing a federal invasion, Young and other Mormon leaders wrestled with the question of how to bring thousands of impoverished European converts, mostly British and Scandinavian, from the Old World to Zion. Young conceived of a plan in which the European Mormons would travel by ship to New York City and by train to Iowa City. From there, instead of crossing the plains by covered wagon, they would push and pull wooden handcarts all the way to Salt Lake." "But the handcart plan was badly flawed. The carts, made of green wood, constantly broke down; the baggage allowance of seventeen pounds per adult was far too small; and the food provisions were woefully inadequate, especially considering the demanding physical labor of pushing and pulling the handcarts 1,300 miles across plains and mountains. Five companies of handcart pioneers left Iowa for Zion that spring and summer, but the last two of them left late. As a consequence, some 900 Mormons in these two companies were caught in early snowstorms in Wyoming. When the church leadership in Salt Lake became aware of the dire circumstances of these pioneers, Young launched a heroic rescue effort. But for more than 200 of the immigrants, the rescue came too late." "The story of the Mormon handcart tragedy has never before been told in full despite its stunning human drama: At least five times as many people died in the Mormon tragedy as died in the more famous Donner Party disaster." "David Roberts has researched this story in Mormon archives and elsewhere, and has traveled along the route where the handcart pioneers came to grief. Based on his research, he concludes that the tragedy was entirely preventable. Brigham Young and others in the Mormon leadership failed to heed the abundant signs of impending catastrophe, including warnings from other Mormon elders in the East and Midwest, where the journey began. Devil's Gate is a powerful indictment of the Mormon leadership and a gripping story of survival and suffering that is superbly told by one of our finest writers of Western history.
600	1	0	_aYoung, Brigham, _d1801-1877 _0(DLC)n 50013614
650		0	_aLatter Day Saint pioneers _zWest (U.S.) _xHistory _y19th century. _0(DLC)sh 98000983
650		0	_aLatter Day Saint handcart companies _xHistory _y19th century. _0(DLC)sh 00000533
650		0	_aLatter Day Saints _xMigrations _xHistory _y19th century. _0(DLC)sh 85087296
650		0	_aDisasters _zWest (U.S.) _xHistory _y19th century. _0(DLC)sh 85038303
650		0	_aOverland journeys to the Pacific. _0(DLC)sh 85096196
650		0	_aFrontier and pioneer life _zWest (U.S.) _0(DLC)sh2008104177
650		0	_aLatter Day Saints _zWest (U.S.) _vBiography. _0(DLC)sh 85087300
852			_9p$26.00
856	4	2	_3Publisher description _uhttp://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0835/2008002286-d.html
856	4	1	_3Sample text _uhttp://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0838/2008002286-s.html
856	4	1	_3Table of contents only _uhttp://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0838/2008002286-t.html
856	4	2	_3Contributor biographical information _uhttp://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0901/2008002286-b.html
949			_aIANF _c978.02 ROB _g3ISPL00203644S _o20090214 _p26.00 _5N _t203644 _j8002 _eIANF _fAvailable
942			_cBK
999			_c8854 _d8854