Why was the Mormon war fought?

Answer 1

There have been three conflicts called the "Mormon War":

-The Missouri Mormon War of 1838 was a dispute between the Mormons and the non-Mormon citizens of northwest Missouri. The Mormon population was growing rapidly and local residents were concerned that this would sway the politics. Some residents suggested that the Mormons should not be allowed to vote, and a fight ensued between the Mormons and the non-Mormons about voting rights, which escalated to include Mormon's rights in other areas. The non-Mormons robbed and burned Mormon homes, killed several men, raped several women, arrested the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith for treason (because some of his people attacked the state militia), and succeeded in getting the Missouri governor to issue an order forcing the Mormons to leave the state.

-The Illinois Mormon war of 1844-46 was a war between Mormons and the non-Mormon citizens of western Illinois. Similar to the Missouri Mormon war, local residents were concerned that Mormons were becoming a major political force. The prophet and Nauvoo city Mayor Joseph Smith was arrested for 'inciting a riot' for ordering the destruction of a slanderous paper, and was murdered while awaiting trial. The murderers were never punished, causing many Mormons to contend with their non-Mormon neighbors. The non-Mormons petitioned the government for an extermination order similar to the one in Missouri, and the Illinois government asked the Mormons to leave before spring 1846.

-The Utah Mormon War of 1857-58 wasn't really a war at all. Preparations were made, but it was solved through negotiation with no fighting taking place. The Mormons had been living peacefully in Utah for 10 years at this time, and the US President heard a false rumor that the Mormons were planning on overtaking the US government. He sent US troops to stop the "rebellion". The Mormons thought that the US Military was coming to establish a sort of police state and infringe on their freedom of religion. The Mormons left their homes and moved south out of the path of the military, leaving some men behind prepared to burn the homes and the military supply wagons, which would force the military to turn around or die in the harsh Utah winter. However, when the military arrived and realized the Mormons were not planning any uprising, they reached an agreement with Mormon leaders. The army agreed to leave the Mormons alone unless they were violating federal law, and the Mormons agreed to leave the army alone.

Answer 2

The Utah War refers to the situation in which US President James Buchanan heard reports that the Mormons in newly-acquired Utah Territory were planning to revolt against the US government or committing treason. He sent the US Army to end the supposed 'revolt' in early 1857. When the Mormons learned that the Army was coming, they thought that it was to annihilate the Mormons, so they manufactured weapons, vacated their cities, and planned their defense. When the army reached southwestern Wyoming, the Mormons began attacking their supply wagons, hoping to discourage the troops enough so that they would turn around and go home. They also became very suspicious of anyone trying to enter or cross Utah Territory, believing them to be military spies. This suspicion resulted in nearly every casualty of the war, as Mormons killed innocent civilians attempting to cross Utah so that they could not relay information to the delayed army (this is the case with the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the lesser known Aiken Massacre).

During the winter of 1857-58 and into the spring, the army realized that the Mormons were not planning a revolt and the Mormons realized that the Army was not trying to annihilate them - it had all been a misunderstanding. President Buchanan agreed to grant the Mormons amnesty for the crimes of sedition and treason if they would agree to let him appoint a governor of Utah Territory and allow the army to stay in order to keep an eye on them. The Utah War, although short lived, proved as an embarrassment to President Buchanan and also set the stage for significant events such as the creation of the Pony Express, the establishment of Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City, the transcontinental railroad, the abandonment of many Mormon settlements, and the arrival of non-Mormon settlers throughout Utah.