Docket Entry, 1–circa 6 July 1843 [Extradition of JS for Treason]
Source Note
Docket Entry, [, Hancock Co., IL, 1–ca. 6 July 1843], Extradition of JS for Treason (Nauvoo, IL, Municipal Court 1843); Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 55–87, 116–150; handwriting of and ; CHL.
instead of going to , had returned to , followed his example & ordered his troops back to & thus were the citizens of & those of , who were marked out by the mob, left to defend themselves the best way they could.
What I <have> here stated in relation to General & , were conversations had between myself & them, about which I cannot be mistaken, unless my memory has betrayed me.
The militia of the county of , were now all under requisition, armed & equipped according to law. The mob after all the authorities of the had been recalled, except the force of , commenced the work of destruction in earnest; shewing a determination to accomplish their object.
, where I resided, which was the Shire town of , was placed under the charge of a Captain by the name of , who made my house his head quarters; other portions of the troops were distributed in different places in the , wherever danger was apprehended. In consequence of ’s making my house his head quarters, I was put in possession of all that was going on, as all intelligence in relation to the operations of the mob was communicated to him. Intelligence was received daily of depredations being committed not only against the property of the citizens, but other <their> persons; many of whom when attending to their business, would be Surprised, & taken by marauding parties, tied up & whipped in a most desperate manner. Such outrages were common during the progress of these extraordinary Scenes & all kinds of depredations were committed. Men driving their teams to & from mills where they got grinding done, would be surprised & taken, their persons abused, & their teams, wagons, & loading all taken as booty by the plunderers. Fields were thrown open & all within them exposed to the destructions of Such animals as chose to enter. Cattle, horses, hogs & sheep, were driven off & general system of plunder & destruction of of all kinds of property, carried on to the great annoyance of the citizens of & that portions of the citizens of marked as victims by the mob. One afternoon a messenger arrived at calling for help, saying that a banditti, had crossed the south line of & were engaged in threatening the citizens with death, if they did not leave their homes & go out of the , within a very short time; the time not precisly recollected; but I think it was the next day by ten O,Clock but of this I am not certain. He said they were setting fire to the prairies, in view of burning houses & desolating farms, that they had set fire to a wagon, loaded with goods & they were all consumed, that they had [p. 140]