THE HAUN'S MILL MASSACRE.
In this chapter I wish to tell you about one of the saddest events that
happened in all that sad time of persecution in Missouri.
It occurred on October 30, 1838, during the time of great excitement, when
bands of armed men roamed over the country doing what damage they could to
the homes of the Saints.
At a point on Shoal Creek, about sixteen miles from Fat West, a brother by
the name of Haun had built a flour mill. Besides the mill there were a
blacksmith shop and half a dozen houses. About thirty families lived here,
some of which had just arrived from the Eastern States and were yet camping
in their tents.
This little body of Saints had been threatened by mobs a number of times,
but on the 28th, a treaty of peace was made in which each party agreed not
to molest the other. Before this, however, Joseph had advised the Saints at
Haun's Mill to move into Far West, which advice they had not taken.
October 30th was a beautiful autumn day. The air was warm, and the breeze
stirred the fields of wheat and rustled the corn. The children were playing
on the banks of the creek, and their merry laugh was echoed by the birds in
the forest close at hand. All seemed peaceful and lovely.
[Illustration: HAUN'S MILL.]
About four o'clock in the afternoon, a company of two hundred and forty
men dashed up to the clearing. Brother David Evans who had command of the
few brethren, ran out to meet them, swinging his hat and crying, "Peace,
peace." The leader of the mob told all who desired to save their lives and
make peace to run into the blacksmith shop. Some of the brethren did this,
but in a few seconds after, a volley was fired into the shop. The bullets
went between the logs, which were far apart, and in at the open door,
killing and wounding the brethren within. Some few shots were fired back,
but the brethren soon saw it was useless to resist, so they tried to save
themselves as best they could. Men, women and children scattered in every
direction taking refuge in the woods, while the bullets of the mobbers flew
thick and fast among them, wounding and killing.
The mob kept on firing at the shop until they thought all within were
killed; then they went about the place killing all they could find alive,
and robbing the houses of everything they could carry off. They even
stripped the dead and dying of their clothes. They went into the blacksmith
shop for this purpose, and there they saw dead men lying in piles, and
wounded men groaning in pain, while pools of blood stood on the floor. A
little ten year old boy named Sardius Smith had crawled under the bellows,
trying to hide from the wicked mobbers; but one of them saw him and dragged
him out. Then putting the muzzle of his gun to the boy's head he killed him
instantly. Sardius' little brother, Alma, seven years old had a great hole
shot in his hip; but he lay still, fearing that if he moved they would
shoot him again. Another boy by the name of Charles Merrick was discovered.
He pleaded with the mobbers not to kill him: "I am an American boy," he
said "O! don't kill me!" The mobber heeded not, but blew out his brains.
Thomas McBride, an old, gray-haired man who had fought in the
Revolutionary War under Washington, gave up his gun to a mobber, and then
pleaded for his life. The cruel mobber took the gun and shot the old man
dead, and then another mobber cut him to pieces with an old corn cutter.
Thus it continued. I cannot tell you half of the horrible things which
happened. At last the mobbers departed, and night came on. Then, lowly and
fearfully, the women and children and what few men were left crept out of
their hiding places to see what had been done and to help as best they
could. Perhaps you can imagine what they saw and how they felt during that
long, dark night in the midst of dead and dying husbands, brothers and
sons.
Next morning it was found that nineteen men and boys were dead, or wounded
so badly that they could not live, and about fifteen others were wounded.
What to do with the dead was the question. There were not men enough to dig
graves; besides, the mob might come back again and finish their awful work;
so the best they could do was to put the nineteen bodies into a large, dry
well that was close by. This was done, and straw and earth placed on top.
Sister Smith, mother of Sardius and Alma, has told some of the experiences
which she passed through during that awful time. Her husband and one son
were killed, while another son had his hip nearly shot away. During that
first night she says that she prayed to God to know what to do for her
wounded boy, and the Lord distinctly whispered to her what kind of poultice
to put on the wound and how to treat him.
"I removed the boy to a house next day," she says, "and dressed his hip,
the Lord directing me as before."
"'Alma, my child,' I said, 'you believe that the Lord made your hip?'
"'Yes, mother.'
"'Well, the Lord can make something there in place of your hip, don't you
believe he can, Alma?'
"'Do you think that the Lord can, mother?'
"'Yes, my son,' I replied, 'He has shown it all to me in a vision.'
"And then I laid him comfortably on his face and said: 'Now you lay like
that and don't move, and the Lord will make you another hip.'
"So I laid Alma on his face for five weeks, until he was entirely
recovered, a flexible gristle having grown in place of the missing joint
and socket."
Alma grew up to be a man and became a useful member of the Church.
Topics.--1. The massacre at Haun's Mill. 2. Sardius and Alma Smith.
Questions and Review.--1. Where was Haun's Mill. 2. What advice did
Joseph give the Saints who lived there? 3. What happened October 30, 1838?
4. Tell about the Smith boys and Charles Merrick. 5. Tell about Thomas
McBride. 6. How many were killed?