I learned today that the mob had made it known that they were coming
to drive out the "Mormons." The Governor sent an officer to raise
volunteers to disperse the mob, but the mob learning this they came
sooner than they had calculated. The brethren being apprised of
the intentions of the mob prepared to meet them as well as their
circumstances would permit. Some of the new citizens also made
preparations to join the brethren. They made five cannon shot of an
old steam boat shaft. They also filled some barrels with powder, old
iron, etc., which were buried in the pass to the city which could
be fired by a slow match but this was of no avail as some traitors
informed the mob of it, hence they did not come into the settled part
of the city. On Saturday the 12th inst., the mob made their appearance
being about twelve hundred in number. The brethren and some of the
new citizens in the whole about one hundred and sixty went to give
them battle, but many of the new citizens and some of the brethren
when they saw the numbers of the mob fled and left about one hundred,
nearly all brethren, to fight the enemy. The mob had pieces of cannon.
They met near Boscow's store on Winchester street. The cannon of the
mob were two blocks from the brethren and the other part of rifle men
one block from them. The mob fired a number of times into Barlow's old
barn expecting many of the brethren were concealed there but in this
they were disappointed, the brethren chiefly lying down on the ground
behind some shelter and fired in that position. They fought one hour
and twenty minutes when the mob offered terms of compromise which were
these, that all the "Mormons" should leave the city within five days
leaving ten families to finish the unsettled business. The brethren
consented to this inasmuch as they had been well informed that 1,500
more were coming to join the mob and they had nothing to expect from
the authorities of the state. Lyman Johnson, one of the twelve, headed
a party of the mob from Keokuk, Iowa territory. Three of the brethren
were killed, viz. William Anderson, his son, and Norris, a blacksmith.
Three others wounded. The mob would not own to any of their party being
killed but one person saw them put sixteen men into one wagon and
handled them more like dead persons than wounded. The ground where they
stood was pretty much covered with blood, so that there is no doubt
they had many slain or wounded. They had 150 baggage wagons. Esquire
Wells took command of the brethren and rode to and fro during the whole
battle without receiving injury, although the balls whistled by him on
every side. Amos Davis fought bravely. While running across a plowed
field he stumbled and fell on his left arm which formed a triangle with
his head. As he fell a cannon ball passed through the angle of his
arm between that and his head. Hiram Kimball received a slight wound
with a musket ball on the forehead. The mob fired sixty-two shots with
the cannon and ten rounds with the muskets making 12,000 musket balls
only killing three and wounding three. The brethren did not fire so
much in proportion but did much more execution. Truly, the Lord fights
the battles of his saints. The cannon of the brethren was not of much
service, they would not carry more than a quarter of a mile, whereas
those of the mob would hold well a half a mile. They shot nine balls
through a small smith shop, one through Wells' barn and one at his
house but the ball struck the ground in front of his house and glanced
through the well curb. The mayor of Quincy watched the battle from the
tower of the temple and owned that history never afforded a parallel.
The brethren then began to get their families and effects over the
river where they remain in a suffering and destitute condition until
wagons and means are sent from the saints to their relief. On the
Thursday following, the mob, 1,200 strong, entered the city. 'Tis said
from good authority that such is the distress and sufferings of the
saints as actually to draw tears from this mob.