The Saints did not consecrate their possessions as they had
so recently voted they would do; they began to reflect, and the
final determination was that they could manage their worldly
effects better than any one of the apostles; in fact, better than
the Prophet and the Priesthood combined. Individual Saints
entered large tracts of land in their own names, and thereby
secured all of the most desirable land round about Far West.
These landed proprietors became the worst kind of extortionists,
and forced the poor Saints to pay them large advances for every
acre of land that was settled, and nothing could be called free
from the control of the money power of the rich and headstrong
Mormons who had defied the revelations and wishes of God.
So things went from bad to worse, until the August election at
Gallatin referred to. The troubles of that day brought the Church
and Saints to a standstill; business was paralyzed; alarm seized
the stoutest hearts, and dismay was visible in every countenance.
The Prophet issued an order to gather all the people at Far West
and Adam-on-Diamond, under the leadership of Col. Lyman White,
for the purpose of protecting the people from mob violence, and
to save their property from lawless thieves who were roaming the
country in armed bands.
The Gentiles and Mormons hastened to the executive of the State.
The Gentiles asked for a military force to protect the settlers
from Mormon violence. The Mormons requested, an investigating
committee to inquire into the whole subject and suggest means
necessary for future safety to each party. Also they demanded
military protection from the mobs and outlaws that infested the
country.
The Governor sent troops to keep order. They were stationed about
midway between Far West and Adam-on-Diamond. A committee was also
appointed and sent to Gallatin to inquire into the recent
disturbances. This committee had full power to send for
witnesses, make arrests of persons accused of crime, and
generally to do all things necessary for a full and complete
investigation of the entire affair.
Many arrests were made at the request of the committee. The
persons so arrested were taken before Justice Black, of Daviess
County, and examined; witnesses were examined for both parties,
and much hard and false swearing was done on both sides. After a
long and fruitless examination the committee adjourned, leaving
the military to look after matters until something would turn up
to change the feeling of danger then existing. It was thought by
the committee that all would soon become quiet and peace would be
restored.
The Gentiles of the country were dissatisfied with the action of
the committee and in no way disposed to accept peace on any
terms; they determined that, come what would, the Mormons should
be driven from the State of Missouri. Letters were written by the
Gentiles around Far West to all parts of the State, and
elsewhere, giving the most fearful accounts of Mormon atrocities.
Some of the writers said it was useless to send less than three
or four men for each Mormon, because the Mormons felt sure of
heaven if they fell fighting, hence they did not fear death; that
they fought with the desperation of devils.
Such reports spread like wildfire throughout northern Missouri,
and thence all over the States of the Mississippi Valley, and
resulted in creating a feeling of the most intense hatred in the
breasts of all the Gentiles against the Mormons. Companies of
volunteers were raised and armed in every town throughout
northern Missouri, and commenced concentrating in the vicinity of
the Mormon settlements. The troops sent by the Governor to guard
the settlers and preserve order soon took part with the mob, and
all show for legal protection was gone, so far as Mormons were
concerned. I had built a cabin in the valley of Adam-on-Diamond,
at the point where the Prophet said Adam blessed his posterity
after being driven from the Garden of Eden.
The condition of the country being such that we could not labor
on our farms, I concluded to go and hunt for wild honey. Several
of my neighbors were to join me in my bee hunt, and we started
with our teams, and traveled northeasterly until we reached the
heavy timber at the three forks of Grand River. We camped on the
middle fork of Grand River, and had fine success in securing
honey.
We had been out at camp only two or three days when we discovered
signs of armed men rushing through the country. On the 3d of
October, 1838, we saw a large number of men that we knew were
enemies to the Mormons on their way, as we supposed, to attack
our people at the settlements. I concluded to go and meet them,
and find out for certain what they were really intending to do. I
was forced to act with caution, for, if they discovered that we
were Mormons, our lives would be taken by the desperate men
composing the mob who called themselves State volunteers. I took
my gun and carrying a bucket on my arm started out to meet the
people and learn their intentions. I met them just after they had
broken camp on Sunday morning.
As soon as I saw them I was certain they were out hunting for
Mormons. I concluded to pass myself off as an outsider, the
better to learn their history. My plan worked admirably. I stood
my ground until a company of eighteen men rode up to me, and
said:
"You move early."
"Not so early, gentlemen; I am not moving any sooner than you
are. What are you all doing in this part of the country, armed to
the teeth as you are? Are you hunting for Indians?"
"No," said they, "but we wish to know where you are from, and
what you are doing."
"I am from Illinois; there are four of us who have come out here
to look up a good location to settle. We stopped on Marrowbone,
and did think of staying there, until the settlers and Mormons
got into a row at Gallatin, on election day. After that we
concluded to strike out and see what this country looked like. I
am now going to cut a bee tree that I found yesterday evening,
and I brought my gun along so that if I met an old buck I could
secure some venison to eat with my honeycomb."
As I got through they all huddled around me and commenced to
relate the horrors of Mormonism. They advised me to have nothing
to do with the Mormons, for said they:
"As old Joe Smith votes, so will every Mormon in the country
vote, and when they get into a fight they are just the same way;
they stick together. When you attack one of the crew you bring
every one of them after you like a nest of hornets."
To this I replied that I had heard a little of the fuss at
Gallatin, but did not suppose I had got the right of the story,
and would be glad if they would tell me just how it was. I should
like to learn the facts from an eyewitness. Several of the men
spoke up and said they were there and saw it all. They then told
the story, and did the Mormons more justice than I expected from
them.
They said, among other things, that there was a large rawboned
man there who spoke in tongues, and that when the fight commenced
he cried:
"Charge, Danites!"
They then said the Mormons must leave the country.
"If we do not make them do so now, they will be so strong in a
few years they will rule the country as they please. Another band
of men will come along soon; and they will then go through the
Mormon settlements and burn up every house, and lynch every
Mormon they find. The militia has been sent to keep order in
Daviess County, but will soon be gone, and the work of destroying
the Mormons begin."
"If they have done as you say they have, pay them in their own
coin," I said.
The company then passed on, and I returned with a heavy heart to
my friends. I advised making an immediate start for home, and in
a few minutes we were on our way.
While coming up from home we had found four bee trees, that we
left standing, intending to cut them down and get the honey as we
went back. When we got on the prairie, which was about eight
miles across, the men with me wanted to go and get the honey. I
was fearful that the people I had met in the morning would attack
the settlements, and I wanted to go directly home and let trees
and honey alone.
While we were talking the matter over a single blackbird came to
us, apparently in great distress. It flew around each one of us,
and would alight on the head of each one of our horses, and
especially on my horses' heads, and it even came and alighted on
my hat, and would squeak as though it was in pain, and turn its
feathers up, and acted as if it wished to warn us of danger. Then
it flew off towards the settlements where I wished to go.
All admitted that these were strange actions for a bird, but they
still insisted on going to cut the bee trees. I was persuaded to
go with them. We had gone a quarter of a mile further when the
blackbird returned to us and went through the same performance as
before, and again flew off toward the settlement.
This was to me a warning to go home at once; that there was
danger there to my family. I then proposed that we all join in
prayer. We did so, and I prayed to the Author of our existence,
and asked that if it was His will for us to go home at once, and
if the blackbird had been sent as a warning messenger, to let it
return again, and I would follow it. We then traveled on some two
miles, when the messenger returned the third time and appeared,
if possible, more determined than before to turn us towards home.
I turned my team and started, as straight as I could go, for
Adam-on-Diamond.
As we passed over the prairie we saw the smoke rising from many
farms and houses in the vicinity of where we had left our bee
trees. This smoke showed us that our enemies were at work, and
that had we kept on in the course we were first intending to
travel we would have fallen into the hands of the lawless and
lost our lives.
Before we got home the news of the attack upon the settlements
had reached there. It was also reported, and we afterwards
learned that the report was true, that many of the Mormon
settlers had been tied to trees and whipped with hickory withes,
some of them being horribly mangled by the mob. This conduct on
the part of the Gentiles roused every Mormon to action, and the
excitement was very great.
Joseph the Prophet was then sent for. Col. White called together
every man and boy that could carry arms. When the forces were
assembled Col. White made a war speech. As he spoke he stood by
his fine brown horse. There was a bearskin on his saddle. He had
a red handkerchief around his head, regular Indian fashion, with
the knot in front; he stood bareheaded, in his shirt sleeves,
with collar open, showing his naked breast. He held a large
cutlass in his right hand. His manner of address struck terror to
his enemies, while it charged his brethren with enthusiastic zeal
and forced them to believe they were invincible and bullet-proof.
We were about three hundred and seventy-five strong. I stood near
Col. White while he was speaking, and I judge of its effect upon
others by the way it affected me.
While our Colonel was in the midst of his speech the aid-de-camp
of the militia colonel came up with a dispatch to Col. White, to
the effect that the militia had become mutinous and could no
longer be controlled, but were going to join the mob; that the
colonel would disband his forces, and would then go and report to
the Governor the true condition of the country; that Col. White
must take and make use of all the means in his power to protect
the people from the mob, for the Government officers were
powerless to aid him.
The aid did not deliver his message, for as he rode up close to
where Col. White was standing speaking to his men, he stopped and
listened a short time; then he wheeled his horse and rode back to
the militia camp and reported that Col. White had fifteen
thousand men under arms, in battle array, and would be upon their
camp in less than two hours; that he was then making a speech to
the army, and that it was the most exciting speech he had ever
listened to in his life; that he meant war, and of the most
fearful kind, and the only safety for their forces was in instant
retreat. The soldiers broke camp and left in haste. I cannot say
that the colonel commanding the militia was alarmed, or that he
fled through fear of being overcome; but it suited him to leave,
for he was anxious to prevent a collision between his troops and
the men under Col. White.
Joseph, when informed of the danger of the settlers from mob
violence, sent Maj. Seymour Brunson, of Far West, with fifty men
to protect the settlers who lived on the two forks of the Grand
River. Col. White kept his men in readiness for action. A strong
guard was posted round the settlement; a point was agreed upon to
which place all were to hasten in case of alarm. This point of
meeting was east of the town, under the bluffs, on the main road
leading from Mill Port to Adam-on-Diamond.
This road ran between the fields and bluff. We expected to be
attacked every hour. A few nights afterwards the alarm was given,
and every man rushed to the field. When I reached the command I
found everything in confusion. The officer in command tried to
throw two companies across the road, but the firing was heavy and
constant from the opposing forces, who had selected a strong
point for the purpose of attack and defense. The flash of the
rifles and the ringing reports that echoed through the hills at
each discharge of the guns added to the confusion, and soon
forced the Mormons to take up their position in the fence corners
and elsewhere, so they could be in a measure protected from the
bullets of the enemy. Soon there was order in our ranks, and we
were prepared to dislodge our opponents or die in the attempt,
when two men came at the full speed of their horses, shouting:
"Peace! peace! Cease firing, it is our friends."
Chapman Duncan, the adjutant of Col. White, was the one who
shouted peace. We were then informed that the men we had taken
for a part of the Gentile mob were no other than the command of
Maj. Brunson, who had been out on Three Forks to defend the
settlers, and that he had been ordered back to the main body of
the Hosts of Israel. They had intended to stop at Mill Port, but
finding it deserted they concluded to alarm the troops at Adam-
on-Diamond, so as to learn whether they would fight or not. I
admit that I was much pleased to learn that danger was over and
we were facing friends and not enemies; yet I was mad to think
men would impose upon us in that way. The experiment was a
dangerous one, and likely to be very serious in its consequences.
The other men with me were equally wroth at the insult offered by
those who had been so foolish as to question our bravery.
The withdrawal of the State militia was the signal for the
Gentiles to give vent to the worst of their inclinations. The
Mormons, at command of the Prophet, at once abandoned their
homes, taking what could be carried with them, and hastened to
either Far West or Adam-on-Diamond for protection and safety.
Some few refused to obey orders, and they afterwards paid the
penalty for disobedience by giving up their lives to the savage
Gentiles who attacked and well-nigh exterminated them.
Armed men roamed in bands all over Caldwell, Carroll, and Daviess
counties; both Mormons and Gentiles were under arms, doing injury
to each other when occasion offered. The burning of houses,
farms, and stacks of grain was generally indulged in by each
party. Lawlessness prevailed, and pillage was the rule.
The Prophet Joseph said it was a civil war, and that by the rules
of war each party was justified in spoiling his enemy. This
opened the door, and men of former quiet became perfect demons in
their efforts to spoil and waste away the enemies of the Church.
I then found that men are creatures of circumstances, and that
the occasion calls forth the men needed for each enterprise.
I also soon saw that it was the natural inclination of men to
convert to their own use that which others possessed. What
perplexed me most was to see how religion had not the power to
subdue that passion in man, but at the first moment when the
restrictions of the Church were withdrawn the most devout in our
community acted like natural-born thieves.
Being young, stout, and having plenty of property, I fitted
myself out in first-class style. I had good horses and plenty of
the best of arms. I joined in the general patrol duty, and took
part in daily raids made under either Maj. Brunson or Capt.
Alexander McRay. I saw much of what was being done by both
parties. I also made several raids under Capt. Jonathan Dunham,
alias Black Hawk. I remember one incident that was amusing at the
time, as it enabled us to determine what part of our forces would
fight on the field and face the enemy, and also those who
preferred to fight with their mouths.
Early in the morning, while Maj. Brunson's men were marching
along, shivering in the cold - for it was a dark, cloudy morning
late in October, 1838 - we saw a company of horsemen some three
miles away. We concluded they were Missourians, and made for them
at full speed. They halted and appeared willing to fight. When
our command got within three hundred yards of them many of our
pulpit braves found out all at once that they must stop and
dismount to fix their saddles or for some other reason. The
remainder of us rode on until within one hundred and fifty yards
of the other force, and were drawn up in line of battle. Maj.
Brunson rode forward and hailed them, saying,
"Who are you?"
"Capt. McRay," was the reply. "Who are you?"
"Maj. Brunson."
They met and shook hands. Seeing this the pulpit braves rushed up
in great haste and took their places in the ranks, and lamented
because we did not have an enemy to overcome.
So it is through life - a coward is generally a liar; those men
were cowards, and lied when they pretended they would like to
fight. All cowards are liars, but many liars are brave men.
While I was engaged with the Mormon troops in ranging over the
country, the men that I was with took a large amount of loose
property, but did not while I was with them burn any houses or
murder any men. Yet we took what property we could find,
especially provisions, fat cattle, arms, and ammunition. But
still many houses were burned and much damage was done by the
Mormons, and they captured a howitzer and many guns from the
Gentiles. Frequent attacks were also made upon the Mormon
settlements.
The Mormons made an attack on Gallatin one night, and carried off
much plunder. I was not there with them, but I talked often with
others and learned all the facts about it. The town was burned
down, and everything of value, including the goods in two stores,
carried off by the Mormons. I often escaped being present with
the troops by loaning my horses and arms to others who liked that
kind of work better than I did. Unless I had adopted that course
I could never have escaped from being with the Hosts of Israel,
for I was one of the regular Host, and could not avoid going when
ordered, unless I furnished a substitute, which sometimes was
accepted, but not always.
Once a company went from Adam-on-Diamond and burned the house and
buildings belonging to my friend McBrier. Every article of
movable property was taken by the troops; he was utterly ruined.
This man was an honorable man, but mere good character, and
properly, had no effect on those who were working to build up the
Kingdom of God.
The Mormons brought in every article that could be used, and much
that was of no use or value was hauled to Adam-on-Diamond. Such
acts had the effect of arousing every Gentile in the three
counties of Caldwell, Carroll, and Daviess, as well as to bring
swarms of armed Gentiles from other localities.
Brother Lyman White, with three hundred men, was called to defend
Far West. I went with his command. The night White reached Far
West the battle of Crooked River was fought. Capt. David Patton,
alias Fear Not, one of the twelve apostles, had been sent out by
the Prophet with fifty men to attack a body of Missourians who
were camping on the Crooked River. Capt. Patton's men were nearly
all, if not every one of them, Danites. The attack was made just
before daylight in the morning. Fear Not wore a white blanket
overcoat, and led the attacking party. He was a brave, impulsive
man. He rushed into the thickest of the fight, regardless of
danger - really seeking it to show his men that God would shield
him from all harm. But he counted without just reason upon being
invincible, for a ball soon entered his body, passing through his
hips. The wound was fatal; but he kept on his feet and led his
men some time before yielding to the effects of the wound.
The Gentiles said afterwards that Capt. Patton told his men to
charge in the name of Lazarus:
"Charge, Danites, charge!"
As soon as he uttered the command which distinguished him they
gave the Danite captain a commission with powder and ball, and
sent him on to preach to the spirits.
In this battle several men were killed and wounded on both sides.
I do not remember all of the names of the Danites that were
killed, but I do remember that a man by the name of Banion was
killed, and one by the name of Holbrook wounded. I knew a man by
the name of Tarwater, on the Gentile side, that was cut up
fearfully. He was taken prisoner. The Danites routed the
Gentiles, who fled in every direction. The night being dark,
Holbrook and another Danite met and had a hand-to-hand fight, in
which they cut each other fearfully with their swords before they
discovered that they were friends.
After the Gentiles retreated the Mormons started for Far West,
taking Tarwater along as a prisoner. After traveling several
miles they halted in a grove of timber and released Tarwater,
telling him he was free to go home. He started off, and when he
was some forty yards from the Mormons Parley P. Pratt, then one
of the twelve apostles, stepped to a tree, laid his gun up by the
side of the tree, took deliberate aim, and shot Tarwater. He fell
and lay still. The Mormons went on and left him lying where he
fell.