JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of , , Jonathan Grimshaw, and ; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “’s forces” at , Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop at , Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.
Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author. , , , and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.
The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in by the and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to ; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch ; the establishment of the city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo ; the expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.
<November 28 Petition to Congress> directed the Mormons to raise a company to protect themselves, telling them that one was raising a mob to destroy their Town, and also advising them to place out Guards to watch the motions of the Mob. He also directed them to raise a Company and send them to to aid their brethren there against the Mob, which was marching down upon them from Carrol, This the Mormons did, they mustered a Company of about sixty men, who proceeded to . When arrived at — — — as aforesaid and learned that had disbanded his men, he expressed great dissatisfaction The same evening on which disbanded his company as aforesaid he proceeded to in order to learn what the Mob were doing there and if possible to protect the Mormons, When had arrived in he found that the Mob had commenced its operations there, which was on the 20th. of October 1838. [HC 4:32] They commenced by burning the house of a man who had gone to Tennessee on business and left his wife at home with two small children, When the house was burned down, the Wife and the two small Children were left out in the snow and she had to walk three miles before she could find shelter, — — — carrying her two children all that distance and had to wade which was three feet deep. The Mob on the same evening burned seven other houses, burning and destroying all the property that they thought proper. The next morning Colonel an Officer in the Militia, enquired of what was to be done, as he now saw the course the Mob was determined to pursue, replied, that he, , should take a company of men and give the Mob battle and that he would be responsible for the act, saying that they could have no peace with the Mob, until they had given them a scourging— On the next morning in obedience to his order, was despatched with one hundred men under his command, to meet the mob as they were advancing from Carrol, with directions to protect the Citizens from the Mob, and collect and bring into
such of the Mormons as were scattered through the and unprotected, and — — — — if the Mob interfered he <must>— fight them. The company under the command of was the same, in part, that had gone from — — — by the order of to protect the Citizens of . As went in the direction of the Mob, they fled before him, leaving their Cannon which took possession of. The mob dispersed. with his men then returned to . in a few days after returned to . It was now supposed that the difficulties were at an end.
But contrary to — — — expectation, on the evening of the 23rd. October, Messengers arrived at , and informed the citizens that a body of armed men, had made their appearance in the South part of the ; and that they were burning houses, destroying property, and threatening the Mormon Citizens with death, unless they left the the next morning by ten o’clock, or renounced their religion. About midnight another Messenger arrived with news of the like tenor. collected about sixty men and proceeded to the scene of the disturbance. to protect if possible the lives and property of the Mormon Citizens. On his arrival at the neighborhood [p. 982]