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.
rods, of the eastern boundary of the & demanded three persons who were in the , to be sent to their camp, after which the whole he said would be massacred. When the persons inquired for were informed they refused to go, determined to share the common fate of the citizens. One of those persons did not belong to the “Church of Latter Day Saints.” His name is , a merchant in that .
The white flag returned to the camp. To the force of , was the small force of militia, under opposed Who also marched in line of battle, to the eastern line of the . The whole force of , did not exceed three hundred men— that of perhaps three times that number. I was no way connected with the militia, being over age, neither was Joseph Smith, Senior. I went into the line formed by , though unarmed, and stood among the rest to await the result, & a full view of both forces & stood there. The armies were within rifle shot of each other. About the setting of the Sun, ordered his army, to return to the camp at the Creek; they wheeled & marched off. after they had retired it was consulted what was best to do,— by what authority the army was there no one could tell, as far as I knew— it was agreed to build through the night a sort of fortification, & if we must fight, sell our lives as dear as we could, accordingly all hands went to work, rails, house logs & wagons, were all put in requisition & the east line of the , as well secured as could be done by the men & means & the short time allowed; expecting an attack in the morning. The morning at last came & that day passed away & still nothing done; but plundering the corn fields, shooting cattle & hogs, stealing horses & robbing houses & carrying off potatoes turnips & all such things, as the army of could get, for such in the event they proved to be. The main body being commanded, by , a Deacon in the Prebyterian church. The next came & then it was ascertained, that they were there by order of the . A demand was made for Joseph Smith, Senior, . , , & myself, to go into their camp, with this demand, we instantly complied & accordingly started for <to> their camp. When we cames in sight of their camp the whole army was on parade, marching toward the , we approached & met them & were informed by that we were prisoners of war. A scene followed that would defy any mortal to describe, a howling was set up, that would put any thing, I ever heard before or since at defiance, I thought at the time it had no parallel except it might be in the perdition of ungodly men [p. 142]