In this episode, we delve into the life of one of the most controversial and complex figures of the American West: William Adams “Wild Bill” Hickman, known as “Brigham’s Destroying Angel.” Hickman’s life was a paradox: he was a devoted father to 35 children, a trusted enforcer for Mormon leaders, and a self-proclaimed murderer of ….dozens? We trace his story from his frontier childhood, his deep loyalty to Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and his role in pivotal events like the Utah War, guerrilla raids, and the infamous Aiken Massacre. Along the way, we explore his violent yet devout religious identity, his strained family relationships, and the fallout from his eventual betrayal of Brigham Young. From shootouts to secret marriages to his final days in exile, Hickman’s story offers a fascinating lens into the turbulent history of the Mormon frontier and the blurred lines between faith, power, and survival.
SHOWNOTES:
- Brigham’s Destroying Angel: Being the Life, Confession, and Startling Disclosures of the Notorious Bill Hickman, the Danite Chief of Utah by William Adams Hickman (1872)
- •“Wild Bill” Hickman and the Mormon Frontier by Hope A. Hilton (1988)
- •The Mormon Rebellion: America’s First Civil War, 1857-1858 by David L. Bigler and Will Bagley (2011)
- •At Sword’s Point: A Documentary History of the Utah War by William P. MacKinnon (Volumes 1 & 2)
- •Bigler, David L. “The Aiken Party Executions and the Utah War, 1857-1858.” Western Historical Quarterly
- •MacKinnon, William P. “Prelude to Civil War: The Utah War’s Impact and Legacy.” In Civil War Saints, edited by Kenneth L. Alford
- •Letters from William A. Hickman to Brigham Young (1854–1868)
- •Soldiers’ letters from the Utah War
- •Richard Burton’s The City of the Saints and Across the Rocky Mountains to California (1862)
- •American Moses: Brigham Young and the Pioneer Frontier by Leonard J. Arrington
- •Bagley, Will. Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows
- •Turner, John G. Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet
- •“Letters of Capt. Jesse A. Gove, 10th Infantry, U.S.A.
You mention Hickman reported on 24 July 1857 about the supply wagons of the army, stating he was reporting a full month earlier than anyone else.
May I challenged you on that?
There were four horsemen that arrived about noon on the 27th at the 10th Pioneer Day, including Rockwell, Stoddard, and Smoot. The crowds at the picnic were warned then of the approach.
Proud Luce descendant!