The Mormon Rebellion: America's First Civil War, 1857-1858

In 1857 President James Buchanan ordered U.S. troops to Utah to replace Brigham Young as governor and restore order in what the federal government viewed as a territory in rebellion. In this compelling narrative, award-winning authors David L. Bigler and Will Bagley use long-suppressed sources to show that--contrary to common perception--the Mormon rebellion was not the result of Buchanan's "blunder," nor was it a David-and-Goliath tale. They argue that Mormon leaders had their own far-reaching ambitions and fully intended to establish an independent nation--the Kingdom of God--in the West.