MOBS DRIVE THE SETTLERS INTO FAR WEST--HEROIC DEATH OF APOSTLE
PATTEN--TREACHERY OF COL. HINKLE, AND FALL OF THE MORMON
CAPITAL--FAMOUS SPEECH OF MAJOR-GENERAL CLARK.
But the iliad of Mormondom was now in Far West.
Haun's Mill massacre was merely a tragic episode; a huge tragedy in
itself, it is true, such as civilized times scarcely ever present, yet
merely an episode of this strange religious iliad of America and the
nineteenth century.
The capital of Mormondom was now the city of Far West, in Missouri.
There was Joseph the prophet. There was Brigham Young--his St.
Peter--who by this time fairly held the keys of the latter-day kingdom.
There were the apostles. There were two armies marshaled--the army of
the Lord and the army of Satan. And these were veritable hosts, of
flesh and blood, equipped and marshaled in a religious crusade--not
merely spiritual powers contending.
"On the 4th of July, 1838," writes Apostle Parley Pratt, "thousands of
the citizens who belonged to the church of the saints assembled at the
city of Far West, the county seat of Caldwell, in order to celebrate
our nation's birth.
"We erected a tall standard, on which was hoisted our national colors,
the stars and stripes, and the bold eagle of American liberty. Under
its waving folds we laid the corner-stone of a temple of God, and
dedicated the land and ourselves and families to him who had preserved
us in all our troubles.
"An address was then delivered by Sidney Rigdon, in which was portrayed
in lively colors the oppression which we had suffered at the hands of
our enemies.
"We then and there declared our constitutional rights as American
citizens, and manifested our determination to resist, with our utmost
endeavors, from that time forth, all oppression, and to maintain our
rights and freedom, according to the holy principles of liberty as
guaranteed to every person by the constitution and laws of our country.
"This declaration was received with shouts of hosanna to God and the
Lamb, and with many long cheers by the assembled thousands, who were
determined to yield their rights no more unless compelled by superior
power."
Very proper, too were such resolutions of these sons and daughters of
sires and mothers who were among the pilgrim founders of this nation,
and among the heroes and heroines of the Revolution.
But Missouri could not endure this temple-building to the God of
Israel, nor these mighty shouts of hosanna to his name; while the
all-prevailing faith of the sisters brought more of the angels down
from the New Jerusalem than earth just then was prepared to receive. In
popular words, this formidable gathering of a modern Israel and this
city building within its borders loomed up to Missouri as the rising of
a Mormon empire.
Soon the State was alive with mobs determined on the extermination
of the saints; soon those mobs numbered ten thousand armed men; soon
also were they converted into a State army, officered by generals and
major-generals, with the governor as the commander-in-chief of a boldly
avowed religious crusade, with rival priests as its "inspiring demons."
One feature, all worthy of note, in this Hebraic drama of Mormondom, is
that while modern Israel was ever in the action inspired by archangels
of the new covenant, the anti-Mormon crusade was as constantly inspired
by sectarian priests at war with a dispensation of angels.
Even the mobber, Captain Comstock, who was bold enough to perpetrate a
Haun's Mill massacre, was in consternation over the magic prayers of a
few stricken women who honored the God of Israel in the hour of direst
calamity.
Thus throughout Missouri. And so the exterminating order of Governor
Boggs prevailed like the edict of a second Nebuchadnezzar.
There was a _Mormon war_ in the State. So it was styled.
Mobs were abroad, painted like Indian warriors, committing murder,
robbery, burning the homesteads of the saints, and spreading desolation.
Next, one thousand men were ordered into service by the Governor, under
the command of Major-General Atchison and Brigadier-Generals Park and
Doniphan.
This force marched against the saints in several counties. A
Presbyterian priest, Rev. Sashel Woods, was its chaplain. He said
prayers in the camp, morning and evening. 'Twas a godly service in
an ungodly crusade, but the Rev. Sashel Woods was equal to it. The
Philistines drove modern Israel before them, and their priest prayed
Jehovah out of countenance.
In Far West a thousand men of our Mormon Israel flew to arms, and in
Davies county several hundred men assembled for defence. Colonel David
Patten, an apostle, with his company put to flight some of the mob;
but the crusaders in general drove the saints from settlement after
settlement.
Hundreds of men, women and children fled from their homes to the cities
and strongholds of their people. From Davies county and the frontiers
of Caldwell the refugees daily poured into the city of Far West. Lands
and crops were abandoned to the enemy. The citizens in the capital of
the saints were constantly under arms. Men slept in their clothes, with
arms by their side, ready to muster at a given signal at any hour of
the night.
A company under Colonel Patten went out to meet the enemy across the
prairies, a distance of twelve miles, to stop the murder and spoliation
of a settlement of their people. Parley Pratt was one of the posse.
"The night was dark," he says; "the distant plains far and wide were
illuminated by blazing fires; immense columns of smoke were seen rising
in awful majesty, as if the world was on fire. This scene, added to the
silence of midnight, the rumbling sound of the tramping steeds over
the hard and dried surface of the plain, the clanking of swords in
their scabbards, the occasional gleam of bright armor in the flickering
firelight, the gloom of surrounding darkness, and the unknown destiny
of the expedition, or even of the people who sent it forth, all
combined to impress the mind with deep and solemn thoughts."
At dawn of day they met the enemy in ambush in the wilderness. The
enemy opened fire, mortally wounding a brother named O'Banyon. Soon
the brethren charged the enemy in his camp; several fell upon both
sides, among whom was the brave apostle, David Patten; but the foemen
flung themselves into a stream and escaped on the opposite shore, while
the wilderness resounded with the watchword of the heroes, "_God and
Liberty_:"
Six of the brethren were wounded, and one left dead on the ground.
The heroes returned to Far West. Among those who came out to meet them
was the wife of the dying apostle, Patten.
"O God! O my husband!" she exclaimed, bursting into tears.
The wounds were dressed. David was still able to speak, but he died
that evening in the triumphs of faith.
"I had rather die," he said, "than live to see it thus in my country!"
The young O'Banyon also died about the same time. They were buried
together under military honors; a whole people in tears followed them
to their grave.
David Patten was the first of the modern apostles who found a martyr's
grave. He is said to have been a great and good man, who chose to lay
down his life for the cause of truth and right.
Not long now ere Governor Boggs found the opportunity for the grand
expulsion of the entire Mormon community--from twelve to fifteen
thousand souls. He issued an order for some ten thousand troops to be
mustered into service and marched to the field against the Mormons,
giving the command to General Clark. His order was expressly to
_exterminate_ the Mormons, or drive them from the State.
The army of extermination marched upon the city of Far West.
The little Mormon host, about five hundred strong, marched out upon the
plains on the south of the city, and formed in order of battle. Its
line of infantry extended near half a mile; a small company of horse
was posted on the right wing on a commanding eminence, and another in
the rear of the main body extended as a reserve.
The army of extermination halted and formed along the borders of a
stream called Goose Creek; and both sides sent out white flags, which
met between the armies.
"We want three persons out of the city before we massacre the rest!"
was the voice of the white flag from the governor's army.
Small need this, for the flag of mercy! But it was as good as the mercy
of Haun's Mill, which was given on the very same day.
That night Major-General Lucas encamped near the city. The brethren
continued under arms, and spent the night throwing up temporary
breastworks. They were determined to defend their homes, wives and
children to the last. Both armies were considerably reinforced during
the night, the army of extermination being reinforced with the monsters
from the Haun's Mill massacre.
But the prophet and brethren were on the next day betrayed by the
traitor Colonel George M. Hinkle, who was in command of the defence of
Far West.
Joseph was now a prisoner of war; Parley and others were prisoners
also; Brigham was at Far West, but even he could not save the prophet
and the saints from this formidable army, nor lessen the blow which
a traitor had dealt. The treachery of Colonel Hinkle had, however,
perhaps saved the lives of hundreds of women and children, and
prevented brave men from fighting in a just cause.
It was November, now, and Major-General Clark was also at Far West
with _his_ army of extermination. No book of the persecutions could be
properly written without his speech to the Mormons, especially a book
of the sisters, whom it so much concerned:
"GENTLEMEN: You, whose names are not on this list, will now have
the privilege of going to your fields to obtain grain for your
families--wood, etc. Those that compose the list will go hence to
prison, to be tried, and receive the due demerits of their crimes.
But you are now at liberty, all but such as charges may hereafter
be preferred against. It now devolves upon you to fulfill the
treaty that you have entered into--the leading items of which I now
lay before you.
"The first of these items you have already complied with--which
is, that you deliver up your leading men to be tried according to
law. Second, that you deliver up your arms--this has been attended
to. The third is, that you sign over your property to defray the
expenses of the war; this you have also done. Another thing yet
remains for you to comply with; that is: that you leave the State
forthwith; and, whatever your feeling concerning this affair,
whatever your innocence, it is nothing to me. General Lucas, who
is equal in authority with me, has made this treaty with you. I am
determined to see it executed.
"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 treaty complied with, before
this you and your families would have been destroyed and your
houses in ashes.
"There is a discretionary power resting in my hands, which I shall
try to exercise for a season. I did not say that you must go now,
but you must not think of stopping here another season, or of
putting in crops; for the moment you do, the citizens will be upon
you. I am determined to see the Governor's orders fulfilled, but
shall not come upon you immediately. Do not think that I shall
act as I have done any more; but if I have to come again because
the treaty which you have made is not complied with, you need not
expect any mercy, but extermination; for I am determined that 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, 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 that you are. And, oh! that
I could invoke the spirit of the unknown God to rest upon you, and
deliver you from that awful chain of superstition, and liberate you
from those fetters of fanaticism with which you are bound. I would
advise you to scatter abroad and never again organize 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 inevitable ruin."