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Chapter Three:
PROPAGANDA...
and the history of the LDS Church
A lot has been said about the early LDS Church. There is a lot of fact as well
as fiction that is floating
around about what really happened back then. Because so much anti-Mormon
literature deals with
the early history of the Church, I want to share some things with you I believe
you will find very
interesting. This chapter is phase two of the propaganda section, but with a
different tone. This is a
brief look at some of the actual events. Besides commentary, it contains actual
statements made by
men and women who lived during those times. This chapter is a look at the people
themselves. It is
told as much by them as it is by me.
Keep in mind that in dealing with propaganda, there are two things you need to
remember. One is: the targets change, but the tactics don’t. The other is: in order to be a
successful target of
propaganda, you have to be a minority, unpopular and militarily inferior. I’m
not trying to suggest
anything with that statement, it’s just a fact of history. You pick the
minority, you investigate their
history, you’ll find these tactics and facts to be true.
“There is a time coming when many things will change. Strangers
called earthmen will appear among you. Their skins are light colored
and their ways are powerful.”
Sweet Medicine, first Chief of the Cheyenne
“The white man made us many promises. They broke them all
but one. They promised to take our land, ...and they took it.”
Sioux Elder, 1890
As said before, propaganda has been with mankind since the beginning of time.
Understanding it is
important because it will be with us until the end of time as well. As it
pertains to religion, failure to
understand it can result in your being led away from your Father in Heaven.
Though the crudeness
of the early propaganda against the saints took it’s toll, over the years, the
craftiness of it has become
fine tuned. Because of the boom in technology, the engineers are better trained,
more sophisticated
in their tactics and have more resources at their disposal then ever before.
“Now it will be easy to carry on the fight, for we can call on the resources
of
the
State. Radio and press are at our disposal. We shall stage a masterpiece
of
propaganda. And this time, naturally, there is no lack of money.”
Josef Goebbels, Diary entry, February 3rd. 1933
“As civilization becomes more complex, and as the need for invisible government
has been increasingly demonstrated, the technical means have been invented and
developed by which public opinion may be regimented.”
Edward Bernay, former director of CBS in his book “Propaganda”.
So keep these points in mind as we take a look at the Mormon problem in
Missouri. You will be
surprised how the tactics of propaganda continually repeat themselves throughout
history. I want to
focus mostly on the era that the anti-Mormons focus on. The Mormon-Missouri
conflicts of 1838.
To get us to that point, perhaps a thumb nail sketch of the early Church history
is in order.
The Beginning...
In 1820 when Joseph Smith was fourteen years old and trying to
decide what
religion to join, he came across a passage in the New Testament (James 1:5) that
said “If any of you
lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not; and it shall be
given him.” On a spring morning in 1820, Joseph went into the woods to pray. A
light appeared that
was brighter than the noon day sun. Looking up, he saw two personages dressed in
white robes. One
pointing to the other and saying, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” Joseph was
told to join none
of the churches and that he was to prepare himself for a work the Lord had for
him to do.
“I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two
personages,
and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for
saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true...”
Joseph Smith, JSH, 1:25
Three years later, on a Sunday night, (September 21st, 1823) while Joseph was
praying and asking
for forgiveness of his sins, suddenly an angel appeared to him, saying his name
was Moroni. He told
him of a book with metal plates (pages) and that he would be called to translate
that book. Four years
later (1827) Joseph received the plates and with the aid of the Holy Spirit and
a couple friends, he
translated the plates. The translation of the plates was called the Book of
Mormon. It was published
in March of 1830. On April 6th of 1830, Joseph Smith organized the Church. In
looking for a home
for the Church and in an attempt to avoid mounting persecution, Kirtland, Ohio,
was chosen. In 1831,
Joseph Smith and several saints moved there. The Church was called the “Church
of Christ” by some
members, “The Church of Jesus Christ” by other members and it was called the
“Mormon Church”
or “Mormonites” by non-members. On May 3rd, 1834, the name was changed
to “The Church of the Latter Day Saints.” It stayed this way for four years. On
April 26th, 1838,
Joseph received a revelation that the Church was to be called, “The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” It’s been called that ever since.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received persecution from the
on-set. In fact, I think
it’s a fair and accurate statement to say that the only other churches that have
received more attention
and persecution than The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was the
original Church of
Jesus Christ and their saints, and then the Jews. Just as the original Church of
Jesus Christ was
pursued to extinction, that pursuit to extinction was tried on the Jews and it
was tried on The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The harshest persecution came during its
early years. The
members of the Church were being run out of place after place, accused of this,
that or the other
thing, and occasionally some members were even killed.
In 1831 Joseph Smith received a revelation (D&C 57) that revealed that in the
latter days before
Christ’s coming, Independence, Missouri (Jackson County) would be the sight of
the “New
Jerusalem.” It would be the gathering place for the Saints in America, just as
Jerusalem, Israel, would
be the gathering place for the Jews. Consequently members began to flock there
and by 1833 about
one-third of the population in Jackson County, were LDS. Because the number of
saints kept growing
and because of the distinctive beliefs of the saints, friction began. Soon the
Missourians began
demanding that the Mormons get out of Jackson.
As persecution rose, on July 23rd, 1833, a mob of about 500 men came riding into
Independence,
Missouri bearing a red flag, guns, dirks, whips and clubs. They said, “We will
rid Jackson County of
the Mormons peacefully if we can, forcefully if we must. If they will not go
without, we will whip and
kill the men, we will destroy their children, and we will ravish their women.”
“I must not omit to mention one act of cruelty, which, if possible, seems to
surpass
all others.
In one of the settlements were four families of very old men, infirm and very
poor. These
men had served in the Revolutionary War, and Brother Jones (one of the
four) had
been
one of General Washington’s body guards, but this availed them nothing,
for they
were
of the hated people. Thus were all the saints compelled to flee into
Clay
County.”
Newel Knight, January, 1834.
Colonel Pitcher, one of the leaders of the Missouri Militia, refused to grant
peace and safety to the
saints unless they surrendered their arms. The Saints refused to do so unless
the Missourian mob was
disarmed as well. Pitcher agreed to that and so the Saints surrendered their
grand total of forty-nine
rifles and one pistol. However, Pitcher then reneged on his agreement to disarm
the mob and as soon
as the saints had been disarmed, several bands of armed men raided the LDS
settlements. More than
twelve hundred members were driven from their homes. Two-hundred and three homes
were burnt
to the ground. The members moved toward the river and camped on the river’s
edge.
“The shore of the Missouri began to be lined on both sides of the ferry with
men,
women
and children...Hundreds of people were seen in every direction, some in tents
and
some in
the open air around their fires, while the rain descended in torrents. Husbands
were inquiring
for their wives, wives for their husbands; parents for children, and children
for parents.
Some had the good fortune to escape with their families, household goods,
and
some
provisions; while knew not the fate of their friends, and had lost all their
goods.
The
scene was indescribable, and, I am sure, would have melted the hearts of any
people
on earth, except our blind oppressors, and a blind and ignorant community.”
Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography
Joseph Smith heard of the problems in Missouri on February 22nd, 1834. Inquiring
of the Lord what
he should do, on February 24th, he received a revelation (D&C 103) commanding
him to organize
a relief force (Zion’s Camp) to send to Jackson to protect the Saints and to
usher them back to their
homes. The relief force was to consist of 100 to 500 armed volunteers. Men who
were willing to lay
down their lives if needed, to accomplish this task. On May 1st, the volunteer
force of twenty left
Kirkland in their nine-hundred mile march for Jackson. On May 6th, a group of
eighty-five men joined
the prophet. Within a few days, the numbers had grown to two-hundred men, eleven
women and
seven children.
The hardships were many. Including the deaths of thirteen men and one woman to
cholera. They arrived on June 22nd. Joseph Smith received another revelation (D&C 105) that no
fighting was to
take place. Dismayed, yet also relieved, everyone followed the prophet and
negotiations took place
instead. The grueling march had proved to be the separator needed to pick the
Church leadership. (B.
H. Roberts V1, P325-400 and Encyc.. of Mormonism, p1627-1629)
From Zion’s Camp came nine of the first twelve apostles
and all seventy of the first quorum of Seventies.
“Brethren, some of you are angry with me, because you did not fight in Missouri;
but let me tell you, God did not want you to fight. He could not organize His
Kingdom
with twelve men to open the gospel door to the nations of the earth, and with
seventy men
under their direction to follow in their tracks, unless he took them from a body
of men
who had offered their lives, and who had made as great a sacrifice as did
Abraham.
Now the Lord has got His twelve and His seventy...”
Joseph Smith, February 28th, 1835.
(HC, V1 p182, B.H. Roberts, V1 p377)
The Complaints about the Mormons
Meanwhile, in Kirtland, Ohio, the Saints prospered. The community grew, land
values rose, even a
temple had been built. On March 27th, 1836, the Kirtland Temple was dedicated.
This is part of the
dedicatory prayer by Joseph Smith, “...And now we ask thee, Holy Father, in the
name of Jesus
Christ, the Son of thy bosom, in whose name alone salvation can be administered
to the children of
men, we ask thee, O Lord, to accept of this house...” (D&C, 109) A banking
system was started by
Joseph Smith but it failed. This in itself created a lot of grief for Joseph
Smith because he was blamed
for the collapse. Soon rumors of polygamy began, starting with Joseph Smith’s
marriage to Fanny
Alger in 1835. In 1836 the Mormons (now in Clay County) who had been run out of
Jackson in 1834,
were building and buying homes. It looked like they were going to stay so they
were asked to leave
Clay County as well. The complaints were that: the Mormons were Easterners and
that they were
non-slaveholders. That the Mormons were poor and that they were friendly to the
Indians, and their
religion was different. The Mormons feel like Jackson County is their sacred
land, etc.. Actually,
those arguments by the Missourians were true.
The Saints were different... And they did believe the land of Jackson County was
for the saints, but
also they believed they could co-exist with other good people from other
religions. When the Saints
first arrived in Jackson County, they had a dedicatory service. In attendance
were not only the LDS
Saints, but on-lookers from everywhere. “Such a congregation was present as
could only be possible
in an American frontier district. Indians, Negroes (then slaves) and all classes
and conditions of
people from the surrounding counties. Universalists, Atheists, Deists,
Presbyterians, Methodists,
Baptists, both priest and people.” (B.H. Roberts V.1 p.255)
The Mormons were friendly to the Indians... Joseph Smith sent missionaries out
among the Indians
to teach them the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
“We feel truly thankful to our white friends who have come so far and been at
such
pains to tell us good news, and especially this new news concerning the book of
our
forefathers. It makes us glad in here (hand over heart)...we will build a
council house
and meet together, and you shall read to us and teach us more concerning the
book
of our fathers, and the will of the Great Spirit.”
Chief Anderson, Chief of the Delawares.
The members of the Church were non-slave holders... In fact, they wouldn’t have
anything to do
with slavery and they spoke against it. This created a lot of grief for the
Saints because the feeling
toward slavery by the Missourians, or slave sympathizers was very clear and
definite.
“If any Negro or mulatto come into the state of Missouri, without a certificate
from a court of
record in some one of the United States, evidencing that he was a citizen of
such state, on
complaint before any justice of the peace, such Negro or mulatto could be
commanded by the
justice to leave the state...if he refused...jailed...if found guilty...receive
ten lashes on his or her
back...if refused still...repeated...until such person departed.” (Missouri Law,
1833)
“The Secret Constitution”
Issued against the Saints in Missouri
July, 1833
“More than a year since, it was ascertained that they (the Saints) had been
tampering
with our slaves, and endeavoring to sow dissensions and raise seditions amongst
them. Of this
their Mormon leaders were informed, and they said they would deal with any of
their members
who again in like case offend. But how specious are appearances. In a late
number of the Star,
published in Independence by the leaders of the sect, there is an article
inviting free Negroes and
mulattoes from other states to become Mormons, and remove and settle among us.
This exhibits
them in still more odious colors. It manifests a desire on the part of their
society, to inflict on
our society an injury that they know would be to us entirely insupportable, and
one of the
surest means of driving us from the country; for it would require none of the
supernatural
gifts that they pretend to, to see that the introduction of such a caste amongst
us would
corrupt our blacks, and instigate them to bloodshed.” (History of the Church,
V.1 p.374)
The members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints not only refused
to have anything
to do with slavery and not only did they speak against slavery, but they taught
the gospel to the
slaves. Elijah Abel was born on July 25th, 1810. He was the husband of Mary Ann
Adams and the
father of eight children. He was the personal friend of Joseph Smith and he
helped build the Kirtland,
Nauvoo and the Salt Lake Temples. He was also the first Black Elder in The
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. He was ordained on March 3rd. 1836. He died on Christmas
Day, 1884, and
is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Saints were poor... Sometimes destitute people in general. Many had
sacrificed everything they
had to get this far and when they arrived, they had nothing but the few things
they were able to bring
with them. Many were immigrants. The amount of poor people was so great that it
placed incredible
hardship on the Church. Sometimes land contracts would not be met and land had
to be repossessed.
(B.H. Roberts V.1 p397-299)
“We journeyed until we came to Springfield, about a hundred miles from Nauvoo,
then called Commerce. We found brothers Joseph Smith and Sydney Rigdon there,
with
a few
others. The rest were coming in daily in a most distressed condition. Many of
them
were sick, and
they had no house to enter when they arrived. The nature of the climate,
combined with the
hardships they had previously endured, soon made those ill who were
not so
previously. Numbers
of the sick and dying had to lie on the ground,
with only a blanket over
them...”
Benjamin Brown
Persecution rose and the Mormons succumbed to the pressure. Joseph Smith and
Sidney Rigdon had
been dragged from their homes and beaten. Joseph had been tarred and feathered
and had the tar
paddle rammed into his mouth which broke his front teeth. As the violence rose,
the decision was
made to leave Kirtland. The exodus from Kirtland, Ohio to Missouri took place in
late 1837 and
continued until mid 1838.
“Passed through the village of Jefferson...After we left the main road to
Columbus, as we
followed along, they seemed astonished and filled with wonder and amazement at
seeing so large
a body moving together, and some did not fail to express their feelings with
warmth to the
brethren as they passed along, declaring against the ‘fallacy’, as they called
it, of Jo Smith’s
prophecies, and expressing their pity for the deluded believers in modern
revelation.”
Joseph Smith, Friday, July 13th, 1838
(Journal entry, HC V,3 p.100 & 106)
The 1838 Mormon-Missouri Conflicts
That is a brief account of things to get us to the 1838 Mormon, Missouri
conflict. To fairly
investigate that era, there are several good and credible books in your public
library to choose from.
Remember to make sure that the writer is credible, accurate and unbiased.
Anti-Mormon writers have
accurate information in their books too. The problem is, their information is
laced with so much
slander and outright lies, that unless you compare it with the work of credible
historians, you don’t
know when you’re getting a wooden nickel. I have tried very hard to be accurate
and unbiased
throughout this book. I have made sure that my sources were credible historians.
I have been brief
and I have used eye-witness accounts because my actual intent of this book is to
give you enough
information to get you to open your mind and think. That’s all. Probably one of
the best all around
account of things is by Steven C. LeSueur. His book is called The 1838 Mormon
War in Missouri.
I believe he is accurate and fair to both sides and non-LDS. Several of his
statements in his book led
me to believe that.
If you like history as I do, one of the first things you will notice is that
every historian seems to have
a slightly different version of the facts. That bothers some people but it
doesn’t bother me. The reason
is because after twenty years of talking to witnesses at crime scenes and at
accident scenes, each
witness seems to have a slightly different version of the facts, even though
they watched the exact
same incident. As a police investigator of over twenty years, I have learned
that,
the truth lies someplace in between the stories!
Sometimes more to one side than the other,
...but always someplace in between!
The same things that haunted the Saints in Ohio, haunted the Saints in Missouri.
The Mormons were
a different people! Also, it was now 1838, just four years after they had been
run out of Missouri in
1834. The Saints were dealing with the same people as before. Because the LDS
population was
beginning to overwhelm the Missourians in the local areas, friction was again
beginning to break out.
The state of Missouri was a very new state. The country was still a very new
country. Consequently,
law and order was hard to find. Seemingly little help from the government could
or would be given
to defuse the friction.
The Danites... The anti-Mormons talk about the Danites as if they were a fierce
military strike force.
From what I have been able to learn about them, you might say they were some
kind of home grown
Mormon militia. Probably more accurately said, an underground home grown Mormon
militia! Were
they ever sanctioned by the Church? No! Were they probably welcomed by some,
perhaps many of
the Saints? Yes! They were started by Sampson Avard. The reasons they began
stemmed from the
lawless behavior exhibited by some of the residents of Kirtland, Ohio. Basically
what it was, was a
group of men who took some kind of oath to rally and protect each other and the
Church and it’s
members. There were a lot of tall tales about the Danites, but most of them were
just that. Tall tales.
By 1900, there were at least fifty novels that had been published in English
about the Danites.
Exciting stories of murder, pillage and conspiracy against the rest of the
community. “Arthur Conan
Doyle, A Study in Scarlet, created Sherlock Holmes to solve a murder committed
by Danites. Zane
Grey, Riders of the Purple Sage, and Robert Louis Stevenson, The Dynamiter, were
among authors
who found the image of the evil Danites well suited for popular reading.”
(Encyclopedia of
Mormonism, p356) “Many historians have discounted evidence linking Smith with
the Danites
because that evidence came from Mormon dissenters. More importantly, the
prophet’s journal
account for this period states that he knew little about the Danites or their
activities.” (LeSueur, The
1838 Mormon War p.43)
A lot of Mormon troubles stemmed from Mormon dissenters; apostates who turned
against the
Church and found themselves being ex-communicated because of their activities,
beliefs or actions.
Sidney Rigdon made a speech on June 17th, 1838 where he referred to the
apostates as “Salt that had
lost their savor and needed to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.”
That speech had a
negative impact on the apostates and created a lot more animosity among them.
The attacks on the
Church by the dissenters increased. There is evidence that zealots on both sides
began prodding and
poking at each other, drawing lines in the sand so to speak. On the 4th of July,
Sidney Rigdon gave
his famous, or maybe infamous, fourth of July speech to the crowd.
“We take God and all the holy angels to witness this day, that we warn all men
in the name
of Jesus Christ, to come on us no more forever, for from this hour, we will bear
it no more...The
man or the set of men who attempts it, does it at the expense of their lives.
And that mob that
comes on us to disturb us; it shall be between us and them a war of
extermination...for we will
follow them, till the last drop of their blood is spilled, or else they will
have to exterminate us...We
will never be the aggressors, we will infringe on the rights of no people; but
shall stand for our
own until death. We claim our own rights, and are willing that all others shall
enjoy
theirs...We...proclaim ourselves free, with a purpose and a determination that
never can be
broken, no never! No Never! NO NEVER!”
Sidney Rigdon
Up to this point, most of the their troubles in Missouri were fairly minor. But
after the aggressive
posture of Rigdon’s speech, the Missourians felt targeted and confrontations
with Missourians
escalated. (See also, A Book of Mormons by Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C
Walker p. 235)
“Elder Rigdon was the prime cause of our troubles in Missouri,
by his fourth of July oration.”
Brigham Young
Things came to a head during the Gallatin election on August 6th, 1838. On
election day, William
Peniston, who was running for the state legislature, tried but failed to gain
the Mormon vote. In
retaliation, he launched a verbal attack against the Mormons calling them horse
thieves, liars, dupes
and counterfeiters. He boasted to the crowd that he had previously led a company
of men that
ordered the Saints to leave the county.
“If we suffer such men as those to vote, you will soon lose your suffrage.”
William Peniston
Dick Weldon piped up from the crowd and said that in Clay County, the Mormons
had not been
allowed to vote, “no more than the Negroes!” Weldon walked up to a small
shoemaker by the name
of Samuel Brown and said:
“Are you a Mormon Preacher, sir?”
“Yes, sir, I am!” said Brown.
“Do you Mormons believe in healing the sick by laying on of hands, speaking
in tongues, and casting out devils?” Asks Weldon.
“We do!” said Brown.
“You are a damned liar! Joseph Smith is a damned imposter!” said Weldon.
Weldon then attacked Brown. When other Mormons tried to stop Weldon, five or six
Missourians
jumped in and began beating the Mormons. John L. Butler, a Mormon and apparently
a fellow of
good size, yelled out, “Oh Yes, you Danites, here is a job for us!” Ten Mormon
men jumped in,
followed by forty or so Missourians.
“I had witnessed many knock-downs in my time, but none on so grand a scale!”
Joseph McGee, a non-Mormon
“When I called out for the Danites a power rested upon me such as one as I never
felt before. I never struck a man the second time, and while knocking them down,
I really felt that they would soon embrace the gospel!”
John L. Butler, Aug. 6th. 1838. Journal history, Butler account
“Despite their inferior numbers, the Mormons held their ground and finally drove
the Missourians
from the field.” (LeSueur has over 20 different references for this account,
including LDS accounts.
P.60-64 of his book) On August 8th, a group of Mormons, including Joseph Smith,
went to Judge
Adam Black’s home, fearing the law would not be fair in it’s judgement against
the Mormons.
“...called on Adam Black, justice of the peace, and judge elect for Daviess
county,
who had some time previous sold his farm to Brother Vinson Knight, and received
part
pay according to agreement, and afterwards united himself with a band of mobbers
to drive the Saints from, and prevent their settling in, Daviess county.”
Joseph Smith, journal entry, Wednesday, August 8th 1838.
The members asked Black to sign a written statement asking him to be fair and
impartial and stating
he was not associated with any mob. Black was offended by the suggestion, even
though he had
headed an anti-Mormon mob in the past. Black refused to sign. Angry at the whole
thing, Black
wrote out his own statement.
“I, Adam Black, a Justice of the Peace of Daviess county, do hereby certify to
the people,
coled Mormin, that he is bound to suport the constitution of this State, and of
the United State,
and he is not attached to any mob, nor will not attach himself to any such
people, and so long
as they will not molest me, I will not molest them. This the 8th day of August,
1838"
Adam Black, J.P. (HC- V.3, 59-60)
More rumors were spread and the Missourians were convinced that the Mormons were
going to
invade Ray County. Capt. Samuel Bogart, a local Methodist minister, organized a
militia of fifty to
sixty men and decided he was going to make a preemptive strike against the
Mormons. On October
23, 1838, Bogart and his men rode into northern Ray County and began disarming
Mormon settlers.
On October 24th, they rode into Caldwell County and while wearing white blanket
coats, disarmed
more Mormons and ran them out of their homes. He threatened to “give Far West
thunder and
lightening.” Within two days, most of the Mormons were disarmed and driven from
Ray County.
Think about this... You will notice that in early Church history there were some
fights or near fights
reported between the Mormons and the Missourians. You and I were not there and
so it’s hard to tell
exactly what happened. Police officers go to a lot of 239's (fight calls)
between neighbors or friends
or between strangers in parking lots, etc. The police are “Johnny Come Latelies”
in all fight calls, just
as you and I are in this Mormon, Missouri conflict. The police arrive after the
fact and we don’t have
a crystal ball to tell us what really happened. We know that each side will tell
us their own version
of the incident. We know that the truth lies someplace between the stories of
those involved. So we
try and piece it back together as best we can to discover the truth, just as you
and I are trying to do
with the Mormon, Missouri conflicts now. But one thing the police look at, which
is an extremely
important fact, “Who’s turf did the fight take place on.” In other words,
...who brought the fight to who?
The simple fact is, unless both sides meet, a fight cannot take place. The only
other way possible is
for one party to bring the fight to the other party. In our investigations, we
ask ourselves, “Who
interrupted whose normal course of events and which person had the ability to
leave and which
person didn’t?” As you study these conflicts, notice where they took place. The
Missourians claimed
their actions were justified because of the constant aggressive behavior of the
Mormons.
Well, how can the other guy be the aggressor in a fight, if you are
always showing up at his door and he’s fortified inside ...refusing to let you
in?
Think about it! ...Other than the common ground incidents at Crooked River and
the fist fight at the
Gallatin Day Election, nearly every other confrontation took place on LDS turf.
No matter whose
side of the issue you are on, the undeniable fact of history is that the fight
was constantly brought to
the Mormons. That was true in settlement after settlement, county after county.
As the friction continued, Governor Boggs sent 2800 militia men to Daviess
County to stop the
disturbances between the Mormons and the Missourians. Mormon leaders complained
to Boggs that
he was too untimely in sending the militia and that they had arrived “after much
delay.” The Mormons
asked for writs against the Missourians but the writs were refused. On September
26th a meeting
between the Mormons and Missourians was scheduled in Diahman, Missouri to
discuss one side or
the other selling out and leaving the county. The day before the meeting,
threats of further violence
against the Mormons began to circulate.
“Drive the Mormons with powder and lead from the county!”
General Parks-September 25, 1838
“We have been driven time after time, and that without cause;
and smitten again and again, and that without provocation.”
Joseph Smith
Tensions continued to build and The Rockford Journal reported on October 6th
that Governor Boggs
had ordered 3000 troops to Far West, “turning them back to Jefferson after
finding out that the
Missourians and not the Mormons were causing the problems!” (LeSueur p.98)
“Many rumors are current in regard to the movements of these people in our
western counties; but we apprehend that the excitement which has been created,
or at least much of it; is without foundation.”
Missouri Argus, newspaper, September 27th, 1838
“Whatever may have been the disposition of the people called Mormons, before our
arrival here,
since we have made our appearance they have shown no disposition to resist the
laws or to hostile
intentions. There has been so much prejudice and exaggeration concerned in this
matter, that I
found things on my arrival here, totally different from what I was prepared to
expect.”
General Parks, to Governor Boggs, September 25th 1838 (HC-V,3 p.84)
On October 1st, 150 men marched on DeWitt, burning one Mormon home and driving
others from
their homes as they went. Shooting broke out on both sides and the Mormons
prepared for the worst.
They placed their women and children in a large home with a white flag on top so
it would not be
fired upon. The 150 men were repulsed by 70 to 80 Mormon men. The Missourians
circled the town
and placed it under siege, meanwhile calling on other counties for help.
“We must be enemies to the common enemies of our laws, religion and country.”
To the citizens of Howard County, October 7th, 1838
Appointed investigators, J. Price and W. Logan from Chariton County made a one
day trip and found
the Carroll County citizens “waging a war of extermination” against the Mormons.
They also
reported that they found the Mormons acting on the defensive. The Mormons were
begging for peace
and waiting for civil authority intervention.
“We arrived at the place of difficulties on the 4th of October, and found a
large
portion of the citizens of Carroll and adjoining counties assembled near De
Witt,
well armed...They said that there was a large portion of the people called
Mormons
embodied in De Witt, from different parts of the world. They were unwilling for
them
to remain there, which is the cause of their waging war against them.”
Report of the Committee of Chariton County.
October 5th, 1838. Signed, John W. Price, Wm. H. Logan.
New Mormon arrivals to the community from Canada found themselves in a sticky
mess and not
knowing what to do and not wanting to resort to bloodshed, did what they could
to avoid it.
“This state of affairs was very trying to some of our sober, serious Christians
that
had been taught that it was wicked to fight; it almost rocked their faith in the
Gospel;
to take up arms and try to kill their fellow mortals was a new doctrine that
some could hardly
endure and it was reported some feigned sickness and stayed in their wagons,
while on the
contrary some of the roughest of the company that cared, seemingly nothing for
religion,
were always ready and even anxious to make battle with the mob...”
Zodak Judd, Autobiography
Times got pretty rough in the town during the siege. Food was scarce and stray
cattle and other
animals that wandered near the town were caught and butchered. Anyone who tried
to leave was
arrested by the Missourians.
“We were sustained as the children of Israel in the desert, only by different
animals.
They by quails, and we by cattle and hogs, which came walking into the camp.”
Sidney Rigdon, (HC V,3 p.452)
“The Mormons, though equally determined to repel the vigilantes, wanted to
resolve the conflict
peacefully.” (P.105 LeSueur) On October 1st and 6th, two riders were sent from
DeWitt by the
Mormons. Henry Root was dispatched to Judge King asking for intervention. A.C.
Caldwell was
dispatched to Governor Boggs asking for intervention. Joseph Smith, leading a
militia from Far West
arrived the same time as did General Parks.
“Should these troops from Doniphan’s brigade arrive in time, I hope to be able
to prevent
bloodshed. Nothing seems so much in demand here to hear the Carroll County men
talk, as
Mormon scalps-as yet they are scarce. I believe Hinkle, with his present force
and position, will
beat Austin with five hundred of his troops. The Mormons say they will die
before they will be
driven out. As yet they have acted on the defensive as far as I can learn. It is
my settled opinion,
the Mormons will have no rest until they leave-whether they will, or not, time
only can tell.”
General Parks, October 7th, 1838 (HC V,3 p.156)
On October the 9th, A.C. Caldwell returned from Governor Boggs. Caldwell said
Boggs refused to
help and Governor Boggs made a statement he would later deny. “The quarrel was
between the
Mormons and the mob and they must fight it out themselves!” Governor Boggs as
reported by A. C.
Caldwell. ( LeSueur, p107-108)
“...that the state had been put to a great deal of expense on account of these
difficulties, and that he could see no cause to interpose...”
The Missouri Republican, reporting Governor Boggs’ statement
Judge Erickson came to DeWitt on October 10th and told the Mormons that the
Missourians were
preparing to attack and that if one Missourian was killed, hundreds would rush
to avenge his death.
He tells them that, “by the power of an enraged people,” they will be driven
from the state. (History
of Carroll County, p.13) As the Missourians were preparing to attack DeWitt, the
Mormons decided
to surrender. On October 11th, the Mormons left DeWitt. The siege lasted two
weeks. The
Missourians then focused on Daviess County.
Some of the Mormons adopted a militant posture after being run out of DeWitt and
other places.
During that time, there was an account of “Mormon soldiers” that raided the town
of Gallatin and
upon finding it empty, gathered food and supplies and took them back to their
families and friends.
These actions by the Mormon Militia created more animosity by fellow Missourians
and ultimately
more grief for the Mormons.
“I do not know what to do. I will remain passive until I hear from you. I do not
believe calling out the militia would avail anything toward restoring peace,
unless they were called out in such force as to fright the Mormons and drive
them
from the country. This would satisfy the people, but I cannot agree to it.”
General Parks to General Atchison
Talk of driving the Mormons to Far West and then out of the state began to
circulate and build.
Appeals to Governor Boggs for help against the Mormons was sought while prodding
on both sides
continued. On October 25th, a group of Mormon militia, led by Patten, confronted
a group of
Missouri militia led by Bogart on the Crooked River. Fighting and gunfire broke
out. It was reported
as being one of the most fierce battles in Missouri history. Rumors spread of
Bogart’s company being
“massacred.” (P.143, LeSueur, 1838 Mormon War. History of the Church, V,3
p.170-177)
“You can hardly find in the annals of history a more severe battle when taking
into consideration the smallness of the number and the shortness of the
engagement.”
Albert Rockwood, Missourian
Or at least, so went the stories and the reports from the Missourians. Actually,
the Missourians fled
when the Mormons began fighting! So what were the casualties in the Crooked
River battle? One
Missourian killed, six wounded. Three Mormons killed, seven wounded. But the
rumors of the
Crooked River battle and “massacre” by the Mormons turned out to be the gasoline
on the fire.
County after county, militias began preparations for war with the Mormons.
“The citizens of Daviess, Carroll, and some other northern counties have raised
mob after mob for
the last two months for the purpose of driving a community of fanatics called
mormons from
those counties and from the State. Those things have at length goaded the
Mormons into a state
of desperation that has now made them aggressors instead of acting on the
defensive. This places
the citizens of this whole community in the unpleasant attitude that the civil
and decent part of the
community have now to engage in war to arrest a torrent that has been let loose
by a cowardly
mob, and from which they have dastardly fled on the first show of danger.”
David R. Atchinson and Alexander W. Doniphan
To Lt. Col. R. B. Mason. October 27th, 1838
“If a fight has actually taken place, of which I have no doubt, it will create
excitement
in the whole upper Missouri, and those base and degraded beings will be
exterminated from
the face of the earth. If one of the citizens of Carroll should be killed,
before five days
I believe that there will be from four to five thousand volunteers in the field
against the Mormons, and nothing but their blood will satisfy them.”
Major General Samuel D. Lucas
“I never was in such a crowd before. Many of them had never seen a mormon till
they saw
me...they had been stirred up to anger by designing men and were made to believe
the mormons
were a dangerous set of desperadoes and their own safety depended on their
present action. They
would curse old joe Smith...dam him. I’ll shoot him the first sight I get of
him.”
David Osborn
Hearing and believing that the Mormons had gotten totally out of control,
Governor Boggs made an
unprecedented decision. He issued an extermination order.
Headquarters of the Militia
City of Jefferson, October 27th, 1838
“General John B. Clark”
“Sir, since the order of this morning to you, directing you to cause four
hundred mounted men to be
raised within your Division, I have received... by Amos Rees, Esq. of Ray County
and Wiley C.
Williams, Esq. one of my aids, information of the most appalling character,
which entirely changes
the face of things, and places the Mormons in the attitude of an open and avowed
defiance of the
laws, and of having made war upon the people of this State. Your orders are,
therefore, to hasten
your operations with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies,
and must be
exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace, their
outrages are beyond all
description. If you can increase your force, you are authorized to do so to any
extent you may
consider necessary. I have just issued orders to Major General Willock, of
Marion County, to raise
five hundred men, and to march them to the northern part of Daviess, and there
unite with General
Doniphan, of Clay, who has been ordered with five hundred men to proceed to the
same point for the
purpose of intercepting the retreat of the Mormons to the north. They have been
directed to
communicate with you by express, you can also communicate with them if you find
it necessary.
Instead therefore of proceeding as at first directed to reinstate the citizens
of Daviess in their homes,
you will proceed immediately to Richmond and then operate against the Mormons.
Brigadier General
Parks, of Ray, has been ordered to have four hundred of the Brigade in readiness
to join you at
Richmond. The whole force will be placed under your command.”
“I am very respectfully,
Your Ob’t serv’t
L. W. Boggs, Commander-in-Chief”
On October 30th 1838, just three days after Boggs’ extermination order, the town
of Far West found
itself surrounded and under siege from over 2,500 troops. Joseph Smith with his
600 Mormon militia
soldiers, tried to work out some sort of compromise. On the same day, October
30th, Tuesday
afternoon, 200 to 250 armed men surrounded the small Mormon settlement of Hauns
Mill.
Approximately 15 families and 20 emigrant families were there. When the
Missourians surrounded
the settlement and came out of the woods, the Mormons were going about their
daily lives, unaware
of any impending danger. Many of the Hauns Mill residents first thought the
visitors must be
reinforcements, sent by Joseph Smith from Far West. In the silence, Captain
Comstock (leader of
the mob) fired his rifle into the air and then waited for a reaction. Slowly but
surely, the Mormons
began to catch the drift of things. Fear began to settle in their hearts and
they began gathering their
families. Suddenly the Missourians broke the silence with shooting and yelling.
The Mormon
settlement was now under full scale attack.
“Peace can only be kept by the sword.”
Adolf Hitler
David Evans, commander of the local Mormon militia ran toward the advancing
Missourians waving
his arms and yelling that he wanted to surrender. So did several other Mormons.
But the Missourians
gave them no quarter. The guns of the mob were turned on them and they shot them
all. Fifteen men
and three boys ran into the blacksmith shop to take up a defensive position.
They drew the majority
of the fire which undoubtedly gave others time to flee into the woods. The
Missourians bombarded
the blacksmith shop killing everyone inside, or so they thought.
Thomas McBride, a sixty two year old veteran from the War of Independence with
England, ran from
the shop but was caught by Jacob Rogers. McBride surrendered and gave his rifle
to Rogers. Rogers
took the rifle and then turned it on McBride and shot him in the chest. Rogers
was on horseback.
McBride raised his hand and tried to surrender. Rogers took hold of McBride’s
hand and with his free
hand, took his knife and cut off McBride’s hand. Rogers then commenced to
butcher the old patriot
alive.
Isaac Leany ran from the shop as well but before he could make it to the woods,
he was shot twice
in the chest, once in the hip and once in each arm. Sardius Smith, a ten year
old boy was hiding under
the bellows in the blacksmith shop. His father was dead on the floor in front of
him. William Reynolds
put a gun to the boy’s head and blew the top of his head off.
“Nits will make lice, and if he had lived he would have become a Mormon.”
William Reynolds
After the shooting stopped and all were presumed dead, the bodies were looted.
Some of the
Mormons had feigned death. Amanda Smith, who had made it to the woods, came back
to the mill
afterwards and found her seven year old son, shot and feigning death under a
pile of dead bodies in
the blacksmith shop. Amanda pulled him out and tended to his wounds. Bodies were
scattered
throughout the settlement. A total of eighteen dead and fifteen wounded.
“All through the night we heard the groans of the dying. Once in the dark we
crawled over
the heap of dead in the blacksmith’s shop to try to help or soothe the
sufferers’ wants.”
Amanda Smith
“We thought it best to attack them first...
What we did was in our own defense, and we had the right to do.”
Charles Ashby, December 24th, 1838. State Legislator
of Livingston County, and attacker of Haun’s Mill.
“...It was about four o’clock, while sitting in my cabin with my babe in my
arms, my wife standing
by my side, the door being open. I cast my eyes on the opposite bank of Shoal
Creek and saw a
large company of armed men, on horses, directing their course toward the mills
with all possible
speed...Mr Nehemiah Comstock fired a gun, which was followed by a solemn pause
of ten or
twelve seconds, when all at once, they discharged about one hundred rifles...I
took a path which
led up the hill...after daylight appeared...some four or five men with
myself...repaired to the mills
to learn the condition of our friends.
When we arrived at the house of Mr. Haun,
we found Mr.
Merrick’s body lying in the rear of the house, Mr McBride’s in front, literally
mangled from head
to foot. We were informed by Miss Rebecca Judd, who was an eye witness, that he
was shot with
his own gun, after he had given it up, and then cut to pieces with a corn cutter
by Mr. Rogers of
Daviess County, who keeps a ferry on Grand River...Mr. York’s body we found in
the house, and
after viewing these corpses, we immediately went to the blacksmith’s shop, where
we found nine
of our friends, eight of whom were already dead, the other, Mr. Cox, of Indiana,
struggling in the
agonies of death and soon expired...”
Sworn statement of Joseph Young, survivor, Hauns Mill. To C.M. Woods,
Clerk Circuit Court, Adams County. Date of statement: June 4th, 1839
“I do hereby certify that my husband, Warren Smith, in company with several
families, was
moving from Ohio...Whilst we were traveling...we were stopped by a mob...they
took our
guns...A little before sunset a mob of three hundred came upon us. The men
hallooed for the
women and children to run for the woods...Our men took off their hats and swung
them and cried
‘quarters’ until they were shot...I took my little girls, my boy I could not
find, and started for the
woods...One girl was wounded by my side and fell over a log, her clothes hung
across the log;
and they shot at them expecting they were hitting her; and our people afterwards
cut out of that
log twenty bullets...When they had done firing, they began to howl...I came down
to view the
awful sight. Oh horrible! My husband, and my son ten years old lay lifeless upon
the ground, and
one seven years old, wounded very badly...A dozen helpless widows, thirty or
forty fatherless
children, crying and moaning for the loss of their fathers and husbands...”
Written statement of Amanda Smith, survivor,
Hauns Mill. Date of statement: April 18th, 1839.
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism listed the casualties as seventeen Mormons and one
friendly non-Mormon killed, and thirteen Mormons wounded. So what was the causality list for
the Missourians?
Three wounded. Those are the facts. It’s hard to say it was anything but a
massacre. The news of
Hauns Mill reached Far West and the concerns of the saints were high.
“We knew their determination was to exterminate us & we made up our
determination to
defend the city until the last man should fall to the ground, we have the
promise that but little
blood will be shed at this time, but God only knows how we are to be delivered.”
Albert P. Rockwood, journal, October 1838
The Surrender of the Mormons
When the news of Hauns Mill Massacre reached Joseph Smith in Far West, Joseph’s
concern, love
for the Saints and love for the Church was taxed to their limits. Should he
fight back or should he
beg for peace? Reed Peck and John Corrill were sent by Joseph Smith to the
leaders of the
surrounding militia of Far West to try and negotiate a compromise.
“The sisters, many of them, were engaged in gathering up their most valuable
effects,
fearing a terrible battle in the morning, and that the houses might be fired and
they obliged
to flee. The enemy was five to one against us.”
Joseph Smith, journal entry, Wednesday October 31st. 1838.
“Smith said he would go to prison for twenty years or even die rather than
allow his people to be exterminated.”
John Corril
“Beg like a dog for peace. On any terms short of battle.”
Joseph Smith
After the terms of the surrender were agreed upon, Joseph Smith brought the
message to his soldiers.
He requested all in favor to take three steps forward. With highly mixed
emotions, one by one, they
all stood behind their Prophet, and took three steps forward.
“I would have willingly fought until the last drop of my blood had been spilt.”
Jesse W. Johnston
“Although our numbers ware small I felt confident the victory would be ours
and the Lord work out our escape with our lives and the Kingdom of God roll on”
Luman Shurtliff
“If we had not have received word from Joseph we should have been
very likely to have sent hundreds of them to Hell.”
Zerah Pulsipher
“That was a tough pill to swallow, however, if Joseph says so, all right.”
William Draper
The 600 Mormon men with their wives and children watching, crying, and believing
the men were
going to be killed, marched out in front of the 2500 Missourians. At the order
to ground their
weapons, one by one, they all did! And then, came the Spoils of War!
“We were ordered to march our men...onto a small prairie bottom and form into a
hollow
square with our guns. We were ordered to step two paces in front and ground our
weapons.
We left them on the ground which they picked up and carried away in a wagon.
That was the
last we ever saw of our arms...Finally Far West was infested with State troops
and the
Prophet and others were betrayed into the hands of the mob troops.”
James Leithead
“The Disarming of the Mormon Soldiers opened the way for widespread plundering
and violence against the Saints that continued until they left the state.
Missouri soldiers ransacked
homes, some looking for property allegedly stolen from them, others simply
searching for booty, while the Mormons looked helplessly on.” (LeSueur, p. 180)
“After depriving these of their arms the mob continued to hunt the brethren like
wild beasts,
and shot several, ravished the women, and killed one near the city.
Joseph Smith, journal entry, November 3rd, 1838
“We were huddled up against a field fence and a guard placed around us. When the
mob
troops came up, most of their faces blackened, tied their horses to trees or
any-thing else at
hand, broke through the guard, placed around us for our protection, and
commenced abusing
us in a shameful manner. Some would put the muzzle of their guns to our breasts
and with
the most vulgar and blasphemous language threatened to blow a hole through our
hearts.
Others would club their guns and swear they would beat our brains out. We were
subjected to this treatment for several hours, and all this after our arms had
been
taken from us, and we were unable to offer the least resistance. When they had
abused
us to their hearts content, we were allowed to disperse to our homes.”
“Then the troops were allowed all the next day to prowl around the town, and
take
anything and everything they could carry away. We were obliged to hide many
things
away in the rocks along the banks of Grand River and other places in order to
save our
wearing apparel and anything else of any value to us. There was no restraint put
on the troops. They wandered at will and did as they pleased.”
James Leithead
Families gathered in small houses, trying to keep warm and alive. The Mormons
lived on frozen
potatoes and boiled corn while the Missourians burned their house logs for
fires, shot cattle and hogs
at random claiming the animals were, “Mormons running away on all fours!” Night
raids by the
Missourians would find the Mormons in bed staring at men with “cocked guns”
while the Missourians
did as they pleased. In Missouri during the months of November, December and
January, very little
compassion was shown the Mormons. Isolated incidents of beatings, whippings,
muggings, even rape
took place. Though the violence against the Mormons seemed unrestrained, it
wasn’t officially
condoned either and not every Missourian militiaman participated in it. But the
idea that they would
have to move on became firmly entrenched in their minds.
“At times I feared to lay my babe down lest they would slay me and
leave it to suffer worse than immediate death.”
Mercy Thompson
LeSueur said the Mormons claimed that several women were raped by the Missouri
soldiers. The
Missourians denied accusations of raping the Mormon women and the charge was
hard to verify.
LeSueur said he was able to find evidence of two attempted rapes. Personally, I
believe that rape did
take place. I believe LeSueur could not find actual evidence of rape because of
two reasons.
One: How does a victim of a rape report the crime against her, ...when the
authority she has to
report it to ...is the suspect of the crime? Think about it. I bet there were
not many
reported rapes in Jewish concentration camps either.
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