THE FALL OF FAR WEST--JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN BETRAYED TO THE
ENEMY--HEBER FACING THE TRAITORS--HIS FEARLESS DENUNCIATION AND FIRM
TESTIMONY--ATROCITIES OF THE MOB--HEBER's PROPHECY OF RETRIBUTION--HE
VISITS THE PROPHET IN RICHMOND JAIL.
The thunder-cloud of war now rolled upon the doomed city of Far West.
Heber's narrative continues:
"On the 30th we discovered several thousand of the mob coming to Far
West, under pretence of being government troops; they passed through
our corn and wheat fields, making a complete desolation of everything
they came across.
"Brother Brigham and I were appointed captains of fifty, in a hurry,
and commanded to take our position, right in the thoroughfare on which
the mob was advancing to the city, momentarily anticipating the awful
tragedy of a bloody massacre. Joseph was with us giving counsel.
"The army came up to within good rifle shot, and halted; seeing our
temporary fortifications, which we had thrown up the night previous,
by pulling down some of our houses, and fixing up our wagons; they
dared not approach nearer, but retreated to Goose Creek, about
three-fourths of a mile, screaming, hallooing and screeching; the
devils in hell could not have made a more hideous howling. The mob
declared there were fifteen hundred of us; but to my certain knowledge
there were only about one hundred and fifty in that line.
"The word came to us that Joseph Smith and several others were to be
given up, otherwise they would massacre every man, woman and child. In
order to prevent this horrible threat from being executed, Joseph gave
himself up, with Elders Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight,
and George W. Robinson, they having been betrayed into the mob camp by
Col. George M. Hinkle and other apostates, on the 31st of October.
"November 1st, the mob, professing to be the regular militia of the
state of Missouri, numbering about 7,000, surrounded Far West, we were
all taken prisoners and then marched a short distance into a hollow,
where Col. Lucas had previously pointed his cannon, in full range, so
that if we had not laid down our arms, he could easily sweep us into
eternity, which was his design. We were then formed into a hollow
square, and commanded by Col. Lucas to ground arms and deliver up our
weapons of war, although they were our own private property. We were
then marched back a short distance, on the public square in Far West,
where we were again formed into a hollow square, near the house of
Brother Beeman.
"The mob then commenced plundering the citizens of their bedding,
clothing, money, wearing apparel, and everything of value they could
lay their hands upon; and also attempting to violate the chastity of
the women in sight of their husbands, pretending they were hunting for
prisoners and fire-arms.
"The most of us had not had any food for twenty-four hours, not having
time to go to our houses to get it. When these troops surrounded us,
and we were brought into a hollow square, the first persons that I
knew were men who had once professed to be beloved brethren, and they
were the men who piloted these mobs into our city, namely William
McLellin and Lyman E. Johnson, two of the twelve; John Whitmer and
David Whitmer, two of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon; William W.
Phelps and scores of others, hail fellows well met. A portion of the
troops were painted like Indians, and looked horrible, led by Neil
Gillium, who styled himself 'The Delaware Chief;' who, with many
others cocked their guns upon us and swore they would blow our brains
out, although we were disarmed and helpless.
"William E. McLellin wanted to know where Heber C. Kimball was. Some
one pointed me out to him as I was sitting on the ground. He came up
to me and said: 'Brother Heber, what do you think of the fallen
prophet now? Has he not led you blindfolded long enough? Look and see
yourself, poor, your family stripped and robbed, and your brethren in
the same fix; are you satisfied with Joseph?' I replied, 'Yes, I am
more satisfied with him a hundred fold than ever I was before, for I
see you in the very position that he foretold you would be in; a Judas
to betray your brethren, if you did not forsake your adultery,
fornication, lying and abominations. Where are you? What are you
about? You, and Hinkle, and scores of others; have you not betrayed
Joseph and his brethren into the hands of the mob, as Judas did Jesus?
Yes, verily, you have; I tell you Mormonism is true, and Joseph is a
true prophet of the living God; and you with all others that turn
therefrom will be damned and go to hell, and Judas will rule over
you.'
"Soon after this, when things began to be a little more quiet, I
desired to go to my home to get something to eat as I had not eaten
anything for many hours. I asked some of the mob standing near, if I
could not have the privilege to go to my house, a little distance off;
they referred me to their captain, who was Bogard, the Methodist
preacher. I went to him and told him what I wanted. He first spoke of
sending some one with me, as I would be liable to be shot if found
alone. In a short time says he, 'I will go with you.' He went down to
my house; my wife prepared some dinner, and he ate with me; then we
returned, and I took my seat on the ground with my brethren who were
under guard.
"The next day, 2nd, I was permitted to return to my house, but was
told not to leave the city, as it was surrounded by a strong guard to
prohibit anyone leaving the place; they were engaged in taking every
man who seemed to have any influence, and putting them in chains to
stand a trial. They were pointed out by the apostate allies of the
mob.
"We were brought up at the point of the bayonet and compelled to sign
a deed of trust, transferring all our property to defray the expenses
of this war made on us by the State of Missouri. This was complied
with, because we could not help ourselves. When we walked up to sign
the deeds of trust to pay these assassins for murdering our brethren
and sisters, and their children; ravishing some of our sisters to
death; robbing us of our lands and possessions and all we had on
earth, and other similar "services," they expected to see us cast down
and sorrowful, but I testify as an eye witness that the brethren
rejoiced and praised the Lord, for His sake taking joyfully the
despoiling of their goods. Judges and magistrates, Methodist,
Presbyterian, Campbellite and other sectarian priests stood by and saw
all this going on, exulting over us, and it seemed to make them more
angry that we bore our misfortunes so cheerfully. Judge Cameron said,
with an oath, 'See them laugh and kick up their heels. They are
whipped, but not conquered.'
"On the 6th, Gen. Clark delivered his noted extermination speech, and
read over the names of the brethren who were made prisoners, to await
a trial for something, they knew not what, and placed under a strong
guard. In order that the tyrant may not be forgotten I insert a
portion of his speech:
"Gentlemen, you whose names are not attached to this list of
names, will now have the privilege of going to your fields and of
providing corn, wood, etc., for your families. Those who are now
taken will go from this to prison, be tried and receive the due
demerit of their crimes. But you (excepting such as charges may be
hereafter preferred against) are at liberty as soon as the troops
are removed that now guard the place, which I shall cause to be
done immediately. It now devolves upon you to fulfill the treaty
that you have entered into, the leading items of which I shall now
lay before you.
"The first requires that your leading men be given up to be tried
according to law; this you have complied with.
"The second is that you deliver up your arms--this has also been
attended to. The third stipulation is that you sign over your
properties to defray the expenses that have been incurred on your
account; this you have also done. 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 is, it is nothing to me. General Lucas
(whose military rank is equal to mine) has made this treaty with
you, and I approve of it. I should have done the same had I been
here, and am therefore determined to see it executed.
"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 by every proper means.
"The order of the Governor to me was that _you should be
exterminated_, and not allowed to remain in the State. And had not
your leaders been given up, and the terms of the treaty complied
with before this time, _your families would have been destroyed
and your houses in ashes_.
"There is a discretionary power vested in my hands, which,
considering your circumstances, I shall exercise for a season. You
are indebted to me for this clemency. I do not say that you shall
go now, but you must not think of staying here another season, or
of putting in any crops; for the moment you do this the citizens
will be upon you; and if I am called here again, in case of
non-compliance with the treaty made, do not think I shall act as I
have done now. 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 think, do not imagine for a moment,
do not let it enter your minds that they will be delivered and
restored to you again, for their _fate is fixed, the die is cast,
their doom is sealed_.
"I am sorry, gentlemen, to see so many apparently intelligent men
found in the situation that you are; and oh! if I could invoke
that great Spirit of the unknown God to rest upon and deliver you
from that awful chain of superstition, and liberate you from those
fetters of fanaticism with which you are bound--that you no longer
do homage to a man.
"I would advise you to scatter abroad and never again organize
yourselves with Bishops, Priests, 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."
"He also said: 'You must not be seen as many as five together, if
you are, the citizens will be upon you and destroy you, but you
should flee immediately out of the state. There is no alternative
for you but to flee, you need not expect any redress; there is
none for you.'"
"I was present," continues Heber, "when that speech was delivered, and
I can truly say 'he is a liar and the truth is not in him,' for not
one of us had made any such agreement with Lucas, or any other person;
what we did was by compulsion in every sense of the word, and as for
Gen. Clark and his 'unknown God,' they had nothing to do with our
deliverance, but it was our Father in heaven, the God of Abraham, of
Isaac, and of Jacob, in whom we trust, who liveth and dwelleth in the
heavens, and the day will come when our God will hold him in derision
with all his coadjutors."
"Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman
Wight, Amasa Lyman and George W. Robinson were marched off for
Independence, Jackson County. It was rumored that all of the men who
were in the Crooked River battle would be taken prisoners, therefore
many of them fled to the north, before the guards were placed around
the city.
"I have no doubt that I would also have been taken a prisoner, for
every means was adopted by Hinkle to have me taken, but he could not
remember me. The mob had not become acquainted with Brother Brigham,
as he lived three or four miles from the city on Mill Creek; and I had
not been there over three weeks when the mobbing commenced, and was
only known by the brethren, and many of them I had not seen since my
arrival."
Heber's wonderful influence over men, that power of controlling and
subduing their passions which won for him from the Prophet Joseph the
surname of "peace-maker," here found an opportunity for its exercise.
"One afternoon," says he, "I sent my son William on an errand, a short
distance, when one of the guards drew up his rifle and threatened to
blow out his brains if he stepped one inch further towards the house.
Through the agency of some of my brethren I was notified of it. I went
to the man and spoke to him in a friendly manner, and conversed with
him about the beautiful country, it being more beautiful than England
and the nations I had been traveling in. He became very much
interested; in a short time I pointed out my son William; says I,
'that is my son.' He said, 'if that is one of your sons, he may pass,
he may go home;' afterwards the man came to my house several times and
became very friendly.
"I merely mention this, to show the perils we were in, men, women and
children; death and destruction waiting on us; and this spirit aroused
by apostates such as Hinkle, who sold Joseph and his brethren, and
actually received money for betraying them.
"The murders, house-burnings, robberies, rapes, drivings, whippings,
imprisonments, and other sufferings and cruelties inflicted upon the
people of God, under the illegal orders of Missouri's Executive, have
only in part been laid before the world, and form a page in history
unsurpassed and unparalleled in the history of religious
persecution--that foulest of all crimes. This historic page alone can
credit Lilburn W. Boggs and his minions with feeding the ministers of
the proscribed religion on the flesh of their murdered brethren; the
odium of which is fully shared by the ministers of different
denominations who participated in these vile atrocities. If hell can
furnish a parallel where is it?
"I have not the ability to write what I saw and felt and realized, but
will leave it to eternity to reveal the scenes of those days. I can
say before God, angels, heaven and earth, that I am innocent of
violating any law of the state of Missouri, and my brethren are
equally innocent and virtuous, true to their God and their country.
"The measure they meted to the Latter-day Saints shall be measured to
them again, and upon all those who had a hand in our persecution and
expulsion, and those who consented to it, four-fold, full, running
over, and pressed down; and AS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY LIVETH, I SHALL
LIVE TO SEE IT COME TO PASS![A]
[Footnote A: During the great Civil War (1861-65) this region was
literally baptized in fire and blood.]
"After the mob departed, I accompanied Brother Brigham to Richmond
jail, to see our brethren. We found Joseph, Hyrum, Sidney and others
chained together in one room, and others confined in other places,
amongst the most dissolute associations. We scarcely had the privilege
of speaking to our brethren more than to say, 'how do you do,' every
eye being upon us in suspicion. We put up at a public house for the
night, and I bear testimony, from our feelings and the spirit
manifested in that house, that there were legions of devils present; I
do not remember that either of us slept any that night.
"November 29th, the brethren were removed to Liberty Jail, in Clay
County, and put in close confinement."