' s ▁Mill ▁mass acre . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁third ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁sie ge , ▁Lee ▁( not ▁dressed ▁as ▁a ▁Native ▁American ) ▁approached ▁the ▁Baker - F an cher ▁enc irc lement ▁under ▁cover ▁of ▁a ▁white ▁flag ▁and ▁convinced ▁the ▁em igr ants ▁to ▁surrender ▁their ▁weapons ▁and ▁property ▁to ▁the ▁M orm ons ▁in ▁return ▁for ▁safe ▁conduct ▁to ▁nearby ▁C ed ar ▁City . ▁The ▁em igr ants ▁accepted ▁the ▁offer ▁and ▁surrender ed , ▁however ▁approximately ▁ 1 2 0 ▁of ▁the ▁Baker - F an cher ▁party ▁were ▁then ▁killed ▁by ▁M orm on ▁milit ia ▁and ▁P ai ute ▁Indians , ▁leaving ▁only ▁about ▁ 1 7 ▁small ▁children ▁as ▁surv iv ors . ▁William ▁Ash worth ▁notes ▁in ▁his ▁aut obi ography ▁that ▁after ▁the ▁mass acre , ▁the ▁" le aders ▁among ▁the ▁white ▁men ▁had ▁bound ▁themselves ▁under ▁the ▁most ▁binding ▁o ath s ▁to ▁never ▁reve al ▁their ▁part ▁in ▁it ." ▁Lee ▁told ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁that ▁the ▁Indians ▁had ▁been ▁sole ly ▁responsible , ▁that ▁" no ▁white ▁men ▁were ▁mixed ▁up ▁in ▁it ." ▁Lee ▁later ▁maintained ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁acted ▁under ▁orders ▁from ▁his ▁milit ia ▁leaders , ▁under ▁protest , ▁and ▁remained ▁active ▁in ▁M orm on ism ▁and ▁local ▁government ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁afterwards . ▁ ▁Ar rest ▁and ▁execution ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁Lee ▁was ▁arrested ▁and ▁tried ▁for ▁leading ▁the ▁mass acre . ▁The ▁first ▁trial ▁ended