SAD SCENES AT FAR WEST.
Before starting, the prisoners were conducted into Far West, permitted
to get a change of linen, and take leave of their families, though
in the presence of a brutal guard. This parting, which they had good
reason to believe was their final one, was very distressing. Yet it
was borne with manly fortitude. Parley P. Pratt's wife was sick with a
fever, with an infant at her breast. The roof of the miserable hovel
in which she lay afforded but little protection from the drizzling
rain which at the time was falling. His large comfortable house had
been pulled down by the mob, and he had been forced to find temporary
shelter in this hovel, for his sick wife and her young family.
Stretched out on the foot of the bed, on which his wife lay, was
another woman who had been driven from her home the night before,
who now was in the throes of child-birth. To leave a family sick and
helpless and destitute and exposed to the insults of a lawless band of
murderers, would appall the stoutest heart. In tears Elder Pratt went
to General Wilson and told him the circumstances of his family with
the view of getting time to provide for their comfort, but he was only
answered with a mocking, exultant laugh.
The wife of Hyrum Smith was near her confinement, yet he was compelled
to take his leave of her in the presence of his brutal guard, who
peremptorily ordered her to get her husband a change of clothing within
two minutes or he would be compelled to go without them; and after
securing the clothing he was rudely hustled out of the house to join
the rest of the prisoners.
The separation of Sidney Rigdon from his family was scarcely less
distressing, and Joseph had been as roughly torn away from his family.
The prisoners were placed in a wagon, around which crowded the friends
and relatives, among whom were the aged parents of Joseph and Hyrum,
their hearts wrung with anguish and their eyes blinded with tears, as
they beheld their noble sons in the hands of their merciless enemies.
No one was allowed to speak to them, the silent pressure of the hand
was the only token of affection granted, and the wagon containing the
prisoners moved on, surrounded by its military guard, and followed by
the prayers of heart-sick wives and a grief-stricken people. Leaving
the prisoners to pursue their journey to Independence, let us relate
what happened about Far West and Diahman.
Joseph and his fellow-prisoners were started for Jackson County on
the second of November, and General Clark arrived at Far West on the
fourth. In the meantime, Lucas had sent Niel Gilliam's company and a
part of General Parks' brigade, under command of General Parks, with
orders to surround Diahman and disarm the people. And just before Clark
arrived, Lucas, too, went to Diahman. The first thing done by Clark was
to send orders to General Lucas to take all the men among the "Mormons"
prisoners, and secure their property, with a view of paying with it the
damages that had been sustained by the old settlers.
After this, the brethren remaining at Far West were drawn up in line,
and the names of fifty-six called off, and as they stepped out from
the line, they were put under arrest to await a trial, though they
were not informed as to the nature of the charges against them. After
these fifty-six had been secured, General Clark addressed himself to
the remainder, and referred them to the terms of surrender that Colonel
Hinkle had arranged for them without their consent, and even without
consulting with them. Yet General Clark as rigidly enforced those terms
as if the people had drafted them, or had given them their sanction
after they were drafted. The first item in the terms of capitulation
was that the leaders of the people should be given up to be dealt with
according to law. "This," said Clark, "you have complied with."
The second item was that they should deliver up their arms. "This has
been attended to," said the general.
The third stipulation was that they sign over their property to defray
the expenses of the war. "This you have also done," complacently went
on Clark. That was true. The saints had signed away their property at
the point of the musket, while the mob which compelled them to go to
such extremes, mocked them with their taunts and sneers, unchecked by
the officers who commanded them.
After enumerating the things the saints had complied with, the
self-important general concluded his speech in these words:
Another article yet remains for you to comply with, and that is, that
you leave the State forthwith; and whatever may be your feelings
concerning this, or whatever your innocence, it is nothing to me.
General Lucas, who is equal in authority with me, has made this treaty
with you--I approve of it--I should have done the same had I been
here--I am therefore determined to see it fulfilled. The character of
this State has suffered almost beyond redemption, from the character,
conduct and influence that you have exerted. And we deem it an act
of justice to restore her character to its former standing among the
States by every proper means.
The orders of the governor to me were, that you should be
exterminated, and not allowed to remain in the State; and had your
leaders not been given up and the terms of the treaty complied with,
before this you and your families would have been destroyed, and your
homes in ashes. There is a discretionary power vested in my hands
which I shall exercise in your favor for a season, for this lenity you
are indebted to _my clemency._ I do not say that you shall go now,
but you must not think of staying here another season, or of putting
in crops; for the moment you do this the citizens will be upon you.
If I am called here again in case of a non-compliance of a treaty
made, do not think that I shall act any more as I have done, you need
not expect any mercy, but extermination, for I am determined the
governor's order shall be executed.
As for your leaders do not once think--do not imagine for a moment--do
not let it enter your mind, that they will be delivered or that you
will see their faces again, for _their fate is fixed--their die is
cast. Their doom is sealed._ I am sorry, gentlemen, to see so great
a number of apparently intelligent men found in the situation you
are; and oh, that I could invoke that _Great Spirit,_ the unknown
God, to rest upon you and make you sufficiently intelligent to break
that chain of superstition and liberate you from those fetters of
fanaticism, with which you are bound, that you no longer worship a man.
I would advise you to scatter abroad and never again organize
yourselves with bishops, presidents, etc., lest you excite the
jealousies of the people and subject yourselves to the same calamities
that have now come upon you.
You have always been the aggressors; you have brought upon yourselves
these difficulties by being disaffected and not being subject to
rule; and my advice is that you become as other citizens, lest by a
recurrence of these events, you bring upon yourselves irretrievable
ruin.
After listening to this harangue--this mixture of hypocrisy and
conceit, affected pity and heartless cruelty, pretended patriotism and
willful treason--the fifty-six brethren who had been arrested, for
what, they knew not, neither did Clark appear able to inform them,
were sent to Richmond where they were to be tried; and the remainder
were dismissed to provide food and fuel for their families, and make
preparations for leaving the State.
Governor Boggs appeared anxious about having his exterminating orders
carried into effect, and occasionally stirred up General Clark to
a lively remembrance of what he expected him to do, by sending him
messages from time to time. Here is a specimen received directly after
Clark had sent the fifty-six prisoners to Richmond:
It will be a necessity that you hold a military court of inquiry in
Daviess County, and arrest the "Mormons," who have been guilty of
the late outrages committed towards the inhabitants of said county.
My instructions to you are to settle this whole matter completely if
possible before you disband your forces; if the "Mormons" are disposed
voluntarily to leave the State, of course it would be advisable in you
to promote that object in any way deemed proper. _The ring-leaders
ought by no means to be permitted to escape the punishment they merit._
As if inspired to new zeal by the receipt of this message, Clark
ordered General Wilson, who, in the meantime, had returned from Jackson
County, to go to Diahman and take charge of all the prisoners at that
place, and ascertain those who had committed "crimes," put them under
close guard, and when he moved to take them to Keytesville, the county
seat of Chariton County, and between seventy and eighty miles from
Diahman. A number of the brethren were taken prisoners at Diahman and
were examined before Judge Adam Black, one of the ringleaders of the
mob in bringing about the whole trouble. But even he was obliged to
acquit the brethren brought before him, as they were innocent of the
charges made against them. At the close of their examination, General
Wilson ordered all the saints to leave Diahman within ten days, with
permission to move into Caldwell County, and remain until spring, when
they were to leave the State.
A committee of twelve men were granted the privilege of moving about
freely between Far West and Diahman, with permission to move the corn
and household goods from the latter to the former place. The stock,
or the most of it, was taken possession of by the mob-militia. The
committee of twelve were to wear white badges on their hats in order
that they might be easily recognized by the forces that would be
detailed to watch the movements of the "Mormon" people.
By this arrangement the saints at Diahman were driven from their
comfortable homes to camp out through a long, dreary and severe winter
in their wagons and tents, by reason of which exposure many perished,
among whom were a number of delicate women and children.