of the designs of last summer and fall I am not aware. I have seen the Warsaw signal which again preaches expulsion but beyond this I have seen nothing and know nothing of their designs. I have on Saturday last dispatched a bold and trusty man to demand the arms and Cannon at and . These events may for ought I know point to a new war against you. If they do you cannot be organized as a part of the militia too soon. I am aware that under such an organization there must be many persons exempt from military duty. But in case of danger no doubt they will voluntarily enrol themselves. There is no law to forbid their service. Their exemption is not a disqualification to serve but a privilege [p. [340]]
Shortly after the threats were made against Backenstos, Governor Ford received word “that some villainous anti-Mormon forged an order . . . for a piece of artillery in Mc Donough county, and that the same has been conveyed, on the authority of this forgery, to the ‘Carthage Greys.’” Faced with this additional threat, Ford sent an agent to Carthage to recover the cannon and collect the state arms in possession of the Carthage Greys, as had been earlier proposed by the Illinois State Register. According to the Nauvoo Neighbor, the Greys refused to obey the order for over a week before finally complying on 19 April. (“Latest from Hancock,” Illinois State Register [Springfield], 11 Apr. 1845, [2]; Editorial, Illinois State Register, 4 Apr. 1845, [4]; “State Arms,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 23 Apr. 1845, [2].)
Illinois State Register. Springfield, IL. 1839–1861.