Missouri vs. Joseph: Hyrum (2)

Mormon History: 1830 to 1839

Missouri vs. Joseph Smith: Hyrum's Affidavit (2)

Continuation of Hyrum Smith's 1843 affidavit. While waiting for Governor's orders, militiamen kill one, severely wound others. Militia arrives at Far West §. Doniphan refuses extermination order §. Haun's Mill massacre §. Militia plunders Far West §. Col. George M. Hinkle negotiates §. General Lucas arrests Joseph, others §. Militia plunders Far West (again?) §. Hyrum, others arrested §. Doniphan departs §. Prisoners say farewells §. Journey to Independence §. Richmond jail §. Court appearance §. Defense witnesses arrested §.

		Missouri vs. Joseph Smith [cont.]	TS 4, no. 16 (July 1, 1834): 249–253.
Doniphan's promise	¶	Mr. Rich requested General Doniphan to spare the people, and not suffer them to be massacred until the next morning, it then being evening. He coolly agreed that he would not, and also said, that he had not as yet received the Governor’s order, but expected it every hour, and should not make any further move until he had received it; but he would not make any promises so far as regards Neil Gillum’s [Gilliam's] army. he having arrived a few minutes previously, and joined the main body of the army, he knowing well at what hour to form a junction with the main body.
		Mr. Rich then returned to the city, giving this information.—
Hinckle asks for meeting		The Colonel [George M. Hinckle] immediately dispatched a second messenger with a white flag, to request another interview with General Doniphan in order to touch his sympathy and compassion, and if it were possible, for him to use his best endeavors to preserve the lives of the people.
Killed, wounded		On the return of this messenger, we learned that several persons had been killed by some of the soldiers, who were under the command of General Lucas.
Carey		One Mr. Carey had his brains knocked out by the britch [breech] of a gun, and he lay bleeding several hours, but his family were not permitted to approach him, nor any one else allowed to administer relief to him whilst he lay upon the ground, in the agonies of death. Mr. Carey had just arrived in the country, from the State of Ohio, only a few hours previous to the arrival of the army. He had a family, consisting of a wife and several small children. He was buried by Lucius N. Scovil, who is now the senior warden of the Nauvoo Lodge.	Scovil was the Junior Warden and also served as Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge of Nauvoo. Source by Mervin B. Hogan.
John Tanner		Another man, of the name of John Tanner, was knocked on the head at the same time, and his skull laid bare the width of a man's hand, and he lay, to all appearance, in the agonies of death for several hours; but by the permission of General Doniphan, his friends brought him out of the camp, and with good nursing he slowly recovered, and is now living.
Powell		There was another man, whose name is Powell, who was beat on the head with the britch of a gun until his skull was fractured and his brains run out in two or three places. He is now alive, and resides in this county, but has lost the use of his senses. Several persons of his family were also left for dead, but have since recovered.
General Lucas		These acts of barbarity were also committed by the soldiers under the command of General Lucas, previous to having received the Governor's order of extermination.
Tanner	¶	It was on the evening of the 30th of October, according to the best of my recollection, that the army arrived at Far West, the sun about half an hour high. In a few moments afterwards, Cornelius Gillum arrived with his army, and formed a junction.
Militia depredations Take prisoners Painted like Indians		This Gillum had been stationed at Hunter's mills for about two months previous to that time—committing depredations upon the inhabitants—capturing men, women and children, and carrying them off as prisoners, lacerating their bodies with hickory withes. The army of "Gillum" were painted like Indians, some of them were more conspicuous than were others, designated by red spots, and he, also, was painted in a si[250]milar manner, with red spots marked on his face, and styled himself the "DELAWARE CHIEF." They would whoop and hollowand yell as nearly like Indians as they could, and continued to do so all that night.
		In the morning early, the Colonel of Militia sent a messenger into the camp with a white flag, to have another interview with General Doniphan.—
Extermination order Doniphan refuses		On his return, he informed us that the Governors order had arrived. General Doniphan said that "the order of the Governor was, to exterminate the Mormons by God, but he would be damned if he obeyed that order, but General Lucas might do what he pleased."
		We immediately learned from General Doniphan that "the Governor's order that had arrived was only a copy of the original, and that original order was in the hands of Major General Clark, who was on his way to Far West, with an additional army of six thousand men."
Haun's Mill massacre		Immediately after this, there came into the city a messenger from Haun's Mill, bringing the intelligence of an awful massacre of the people who were residing in that place, and that a force of two or three hundred, detached from the main body of the army, under the superior command of Colonel Ashley, but under the immediate command of Captain Nehemiah Compstock, who, the day previous, had promised them peace and protection, but on receiving a copy of the Governor's order "to exterminate or to expel" from the hands of Colonel Ashley, he returned upon them the following day and surprised and massacreed the whole population of the town, and then came to the town of Far West and entered into conjunction with the main body of the army.	The massacre occurred on October 30, before the extermination order had arrived.
		The messenger informed us that he himself with a few others fled into the thickets, which preserved them from the massacre, and on the following morning they returned and collected the dead bodies of the people and cast them into a well; and there were upwards of twenty who were dead or mortally wounded, and there are several of the wounded who are now living in this city.—	Eighteen men and boys were killed and thirteen injured.
		One, of the name of Yocum, has lately had his leg amputated, in consequence of wounds he then received. He had a ball shot through his head, which entered near his eye and came out at the back part of his head, and another ball passed through one of his arms.
Soldiers plunder	¶	The army, during all the while they had been encamped in Far West, continued to lay waste fields of corn, making hogs, sheep and cattle common plunder, and shooting them down for sport. One man shot a cow and took a strip of her skin, the width of his hand, from her head to her tail and tied it around a tree, to slip his halter into, to tie his horse to.
Ingress, egress prohibited		The city was surrounded with a strong guard, and no man woman or child was permitted to go out or come in, under the penalty of death.
Many shot		Many of the citizens were shot in attempting to go out to obtain sustenance for themselves and families.
Corn crop destroyed		There was one field fenced in, consisting of twelve hundred acres, mostly covered with corn. It was entirely laid waste by the horses of the army,
Hinkle: officers want parley		and the next day after the arrival of the army, towards evening, Colonel Hinkle came up from the camp, requesting to see my brother Joseph, Parley P. Pratt, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, and George W. Robinson, stating that the officers of the army wanted a mutual consultation with those men, also stating that Generals Doniphan, Lucas, Wilson and Graham—(however General Graham is an honorable exception: he did all he could to preserve the lives of the people, contrary to the order of the Governor,)—he, Hinkle, assured them that these generals had pledged their sacred honor that they should not be abused or insulted, but should be guarded back in safety in the morning, or so soon as the consultation was over.
Joseph denies jurisdiction		My brother Joseph replied that he did not know what good he could do in any consultation, as he was only a private individual; however he said that he was always willing to do all the good he could and would obey every law of the land, and then leave the event with God.
Hinkle delivers "prisoners"		They immediately started with Colonel Hinkle to go down into the camp. As they were going down about half way to the camp, they met General Lucas with a phalanx of men, with a wing to the right and to the left, and a four pounder in the centre. They supposed he was coming with this strong force to guard them into the camp in safety; but to their surprise, when they came up to General Lucas, he ordered his men to surround them, and Hinkle stepped up to the General and said, "These are the prisoners I agreed to deliver up."
People horrified		General Lucas drew his sword and said, gentlemen, you are my prisoners, and about that time the main army were on their march to meet them. They came up in two divisions, and opened to the right and left, and my brother and his friends were marched down through their lines, with a strong guard in front, and the cannon in the rear, to the camp amidst the whoopings, hollowings, yellings and shoutings of the army, which was so horrid and terrific that it frightened the inhabitants of the city. It is impossible to describe the feelings of horror and distress of the people.
Guard		After being thus betrayed they were placed under a strong guard of thirty men, armed cap-a-pie, which they relieved every two hours. There they were compelled to lay on [251] the cold ground that night, and were told in plain language, that they need never to expect their liberties again.
		So far for their honors pledged. However, this was as much as could be expected from a mob under the garb of military and executive authority in the State of Missouri.
Soldiers pillage Far West		On the next day, the soldiers were permitted to patrol the streets, to abuse and insult the people at their leisure, and enter into houses and pillage them, and ravish the women, taking away every gun and every other kind of arms or military implements:
Hinkle calls out Hyrum		and about twelve o'clock on that day Colonel Hinkle came to my house with an armed force, opened the door and called me out of doors and delivered me up as a prisoner unto that force. They surrounded me and commanded me to march into the camp.
Joins other prisoners		I told them that I could not go: my family were sick, and I was sick myself, and could not leave home. They said they did not care for that—I must and should go. I asked when they would permit me to return. They made me no answer, but forced me along with the point of the bayonet into the camp, and put me under the same guard with my brother Joseph—and within about half an hour afterwards, Amasa Lyman was also brought and placed under the same guard.—
Court martial Hinkle argues for Mormons 21 ministers complicit		There we were compelled to stay all that night, and lie on the ground: but along some time in the same night, Colonel Hinkle came to me and told me that he had been pleading my case before the Court Martial, but he was afraid he should not succeed. He said there was a Court Martial then in session, consisting of thirteen or fourteen officers, Circuit Judge A. A. King, and Mr. Birch, District Attorney; also Sashiel Woods, Presbyterian priest, and about 20 other priests of the different religious denominations in that country. He said they were determined to shoot us on the next morning in the public square in Far West. I made him no reply.
Doniiphan leaves		On the next morning about sunrise, General Doniphan ordered his brigade to take up the line of march and leave the camp. He came to us where we were under guard, to shake hands with us, and bid us farewell. His first salutation was, 'By God you have been sentenced by the court martial to be shot this morning; but I will be damned if I will have any of the honor of it, or any of the disgrace of it; therefore I have ordered my brigade to take up the line of march and to leave the camp, for I consider it to be cold blooded murder, and I bid you farewell,' and he went away.
Death threats		This movement of General Doniphan, made considerable excitement in the army, and there was considerable whisperings amongst the officers. We listened very attentively, and frequently heard it mentioned by the guard, that the damned Mormons would not be shot this time. In a few moments the guard was relieved with the new set; one of those new guard said that the damned Mormons would not be shot this time, for the movement of General Doniphan had frustrated the whole plan and that the officers had called another court martial, and had ordered us to be taken to Jackson county, and there to be executed;
		and in a few moments two large wagons drove up and we were ordered to get into them, and while we were getting into them, there came up four or five men armed with guns, who drew up and snapped their guns at us, in order to kill us, some flashed in the pan, and others only snapped, but none of their guns went off. They were immediately arrested by several officers and their guns taken from them, and the drivers drove off.
Lucas allows prisoners to get clothing, say good-byes		We requested of General Lucas to let us go to our houses and get some clothing; in order to do this, we had to be drove up into the city. It was with much difficulty that we could get his permission to go and see our families and get some clothing; but after considerable consultation, we were permitted to go under a strong guard of five or six men to each of us, and we were not permitted to speak to anyone of our families, under the pain of death. The guard that went with me ordered my wife to get some clothes immediately, within two minutes, and if she did not do it, I should go off without them. I was obliged to submit to their tyrannical orders, however painful it was, with my wife and children clinging to my arms and to the skirts of my garments, and was not permitted to utter to them a word of consolation, and in a moment was hurried away from them at the point of the bayonet.
Leave for Jackson County		We were hurried back to the wagons and ordered into them, all in about the same space of time. In the mean while our father, and mother, and sisters, had forced their way to the wagons to get permission to see us; but were forbidden to speak to us; and they immediately drove off for Jackson county.
Suffer from cold		We travelled about twelve miles that evening, and encamped for the night. The same strong guard was kept around us, and were relieved every two hours, and we were permitted to sleep on the ground, the nights were then cold, with considerable snow on the ground, and for the want of covering and clothing, we suffered extremely with the cold.
Hyrum sick		That night was a commencement of a fit of sickness from which I have not wholly recovered unto this day, in consequence of my exposure to the inclemency of the weather.
Meat, no bread		Our provision was fresh beef roasted in the fire on a stick; the army having no bread in consequence [252] of the want of mills to grind the grain.
Public exhibition		In the morning at the dawn of day, we were forced on our journey and were exhibited to the inhabitants along the road; the same as they exhibit a carravan [caravan] of elephants or camels. We were examined from head to foot, by men women and children, only I believe they did not make us open our mouths to look at our teeth. This treatment was continued incessantly, until we arrived at Independence, in Jackson county.
Independence		After our arrival at Independence, we were driven all through the town for inspection, and then we were ordered into an old log house, and there kept under guard as usual, until supper, which was served up to us as we sat upon the floor, or on billets of wood, and we were compelled to stay in that house all that night and the next day.
Pay expenses		They continued to exhibit us to the public, by letting the people come in and examine us, and then go away and give place for others, alternately all that day and the next night; but on the morning of the following day we were all permitted to go to the tavern to eat and to sleep; but afterward they made us pay our own expenses, for board, lodging, and attendance, and for which they made a most exorbitant charge.
Back to Richmond		We remained in the tavern about two days and two nights, when an officer arrived with authority from General Clark, to take us back to Richmond, Ray county, where the general had arrived with his army to await our arrival there;
Clark orders prisoners to Richmond		but on the morning of our start for Richmond, we were informed by General Wilson, that it was expected by the soldiers that we would be hung up by the necks on the road, while on the march to that place, and that it was prevented by a demand made for us by General Clark, who had the command in consequence of seniority, and that it was his prerogative to execute us himself; and he should give us up into the hands of the officer, who would take us to General Clark, and he might do with us as he pleased.
Horses		During our stay at Independence, the officer informed us that there were eight or ten horses in that place belonging to the Mormon people, which had been stolen by the soldiers, and that we might have two of them to ride upon, if we would cause them to be sent back to the owners after our arrival at Richmond. We accepted of them, and they were rode to Richmond, and the owners came there and got them.
Col. Price		We started in the morning under our new officer, Colonel Price, of Keytsville, Chariton county, with several other men to guard us over.
Richmond Chained together		We arrived there on Friday evening, the 9th day of November, and were thrust into an old log house, with a strong guard placed over us. After we had been there for the space of half an hour, there came in a man who was said to have some notoriety in the penitentiary, bringing in his hands a quantity of chains and padlocks. He said he was commanded by General Clark to put us in chains. Immediately the soldiers rose up and pointing their guns at us, placed their thumb on the cock, and their finger on the trigger; and the state's prison keeper went to work; putting a chain around the leg of each man, and fastening it on with a padlock, until we were all chained together, seven of us.
Conditions	¶	In a few moments came in General Clark, we requested to know of him what was the cause of all this harsh and cruel treatment.—He refused to give us any information at that time; but said he would in a few days; so we were compelled to continue in that situation; camping on the floor, all chained together, without any chance or means to be made comfortable; having to eat our victuals as it was served up to us, using our fingers and teeth instead of knives and forks.
Clark's execution plans		Whilst we were in this situation, a young man of the name of Grant, brother-in-law to my brother William Smith, came to see us, and put up at the tavern where General Clark made his quarters, he happened to come in time to see General Clark make choice of his men, to shoot us on Monday morning, the 12th day of November,
		he saw them make choice of their rifles, and load them with two balls in each, and after they had prepared their guns, General Clark saluted them by saying 'Gentlemen, you shall have the honor of shooting the Mormon leaders on Monday morning at eight o'clock!'
Mormon sympathizers deter Clark Studies military law		But in consequence of the influence of our friends, the heathen general was intimidated, so that he durst not carry his murderous designs into execution, and sent a messenger immediately to Fort Leavenworth to obtain the military code of laws. After the messenger's return, the general was employed nearly a whole week, examining the laws; so Monday passed away without our being shot: however, it seemed like foolishness to me for so great a man as General Clark pretended to be, should have to search the military law to find out whether preachers of the gospel, who never did military duty, could be subject to court martial. However, the general seemed to learn that fact after searching the military code, and came into the old log cabin where we were under guard, and in chains, and told us he had concluded to deliver us over to the civil authorities; as persons guilty of treason, murder, arson, larceny, theft, and stealing. The poor deluded general did not know the difference between theft, larceny, and stealing.
Turned over to civil authorities		Accordingly we were handed over to the pretended [253] civil authorities,
Chains removed Judge King and D.A. Birch		and the next morning our chains were taken off, and we were guarded to the court-house, where there was a pretended court in session; Austin A. King being the judge, and Mr. Birch, the district attorney;—the two extremely and very honorable gentlemen who sat on the court martial when we were sentenced to be shot.
Witnesses intimidated		Witnesses were called up and sworn at the point of the bayonet and if they would not swear to the things they were told to do, they were threatened with instant death, and I do know, positively, that the evidence given in by those men whilst under duress, was false.
King calls for defense witnesses		This state of things was continued twelve or fourteen days, and after that time we were ordered by the judge, to introduce some rebutting evidence, saying, if we did not do it, we would be thrust into prison. I could hardly understand what the judge meant, for I considered we were in prison already and could not think of any thing but the persecutions of the days of Nero, knowing that it was a religious persecution, and the court an inquisition:
Forty called		however, we gave him the names of forty persons who were acquainted with all the persecutions and sufferings of the people.—
Bogard brings witnesses		The judge made out a subpœna, and inserted the names of those men and caused it to be placed in the hands of Bogard, the notorious Methodist minister, and he took fifty armed soldiers and started for Far West. I saw the subpœna given to him and his company, when they started.
Witnesses jailed		In the course of a few days they returned with most all those forty men, whose names were inserted in the subpœna and thrust them into jail, and we were not permitted to bring one of them before the court, but the judge turned upon us with an air of indignation and said, gentlemen you must get your witnesses or you shall be committed to jail immediately; for we are not going to hold the court open on expense much longer, for you any how.
Lyman Wight protests Joseph silent (ill)		We felt very much distressed and oppressed at that time. Colonel Wight said, what shall we do? Our witnesses are all thrust into prison, and probably will be, and we have no power to do any thing, of course we must submit to this tyranny and oppression; we cannot help our selves. Several others made similar expressions in the agony of their souls; but my brother Joseph did not say any thing, he being sick at that time with the tooth ache, and ague in his face, in consequence of a severe cold brought on by being exposed to the severity of the weather.
Doniphan and Reese More witnesses subpoened		However, it was considered best by General Doniphan and Lawyer Reese, that we should try to get some witnesses before the pretended court. Accordingly, I myself gave the names of about twenty other persons; the judge inserted them in a subpœna, and caused it to be placed into the hands of Bogard the Methodist priest, and he again started off with his fifty soldiers to take those men prisoners, as he had done to the forty others.
King conspirator		The judge sat and laughed at the good opportunity of getting the names, that they might the more easily capture them, and so bring them down to be thrust into prison, in order to prevent us from getting the truth before the pretended court, of which himself was the chief inquisitor or conspirator.
Bogart returns with one witness		Bogard returned from his second expedition with one prisoner only, whom he also thrust into prison.
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