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> before — — — , we need only say that the exterminating order of was carried into full effect. After the above named individuals were taken Prisoners, all the Mormons in about five hundred in number surrendered up their arms to the Militia without any resistance. The Mormons now fled in every direction, Women and Children through the dead of winter marked their footsteps with blood as they fled from the State of . The orders of the were, that they should be driven from the or destroyed, About Fifteen thousand souls, between Sacking of and Spring, abandoned their homes, their property, their all, hurried by the terrors of their armed pursuers, in want of every necessary of life, with bleeding hearts sought refuge in the State of where they now reside. We cannot trespass upon your time by the relation of cases of individual suffering. They would fill a volume. we forbear, for our regard to humanity to detail the particulars of the conduct of the Militia, we could relate instances of House burnings, destruction of property, robbings, rapes, and murder, that would shame humanity. One instance as a sample of many scenes they enacted. Two hundred of the Militia came suddenly upon some Mormon families emigrating to the , and then encamped at in . The Mormon men and children, took refuge in an old log house which had been used as a Blacksmith’s shop— On seeing the Militia approach, the Mormons cried for quarter but in vain. they were instantly fired upon. Eighteen fell dead, and their murderers putting the Muzzles of their Guns between the logs, fired indiscriminately upon children, upon the dead and dying— One little boy, whose Father () had just been shot dead, cried piteously to the Militia to spare his life. The reply was “kill him, kill him (with an Oath) he is the Son of a damd Mormon”— At this, they shot his head all open, and left him [blank] dead[blank] by the side of his . About the same time an old man by the name of , A soldier of the Revolution came up to them and begged his life, but they hewed him to pieces with an old <corn cutter> They then loaded themselves with plunder and departed. Your Petitioners have thus given a brief outline of the history of the [HC 4:36] Mormon Persecutions in — all which they can prove to be true, if an opportunity be given them. It will be seen from this their brief statement, that neither the Mormons as a body, nor have individuals of that body been guilty of any offence against the laws of , or of the , but — — — — their only offence has been their religious opinion, The above statement will also shew that the Mormons on all occasions submitted to the laws of the land, and yielded to its authority in every extremity and at every hazard, at the risk of life and property— The above statement will illustrate another truth, that wherever the Mormons made [p. 985]