, “Brief History,” Manuscript, ca. 6 April 1838– ca. 26 January 1839; handwriting of and an unidentified scribe; seventy pages numbered 20–90, plus three unnumbered pages; John Fletcher Darby Papers, Missouri History Museum Archives, St. Louis.
, a careful observer, had enjoyed a close association with Mormon leaders, and consequently his account provides valuable insights into the development and structure of the early church. He summarized many of the doctrines taught by JS and provided a detailed description of the conflict between the Latter-day Saints and other settlers. But his chronicle also related the story of a personal spiritual journey into and then out of the church as came to disapprove of the church’s course in 1838 in Missouri. Yet despite his estrangement from the church and his excommunication in 1839, he retained a degree of sympathy for the Saints and maintained some contact.
apparently began compiling portions of his account while serving as an officially appointed church historian in . He probably completed his narrative by 11 February 1839, when he secured a copyright with the district federal copyright office. He arranged for Thomas Watson & Son of to print A Brief History. The entire print run may have included up to twelve hundred copies.
The document presented here, ’s circa 1838–1839 rough draft of his history, is incomplete. It includes the title page, copyright notice, and preface but is missing twenty-one pages, including the nineteen pages that constitute chapters 1 through 6. The manuscript is almost entirely in Corrill’s handwriting, though some of the chapter summaries (added after he drafted the narrative) were written in a different hand, possibly that of the printer.
’s published version of A Brief History receives comprehensive treatment in volume 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers and is available on this website as part of the history series.
<Peace sought for. Miltia encamp at . Correspondence with the officers. Breast work. s order.>
<On sunday> the fourth of November we heard that Generals and with an army were encamped on . On sunday evening Smith came to me to have me accompany the next day to meet their army with a white flag in order to open correspondence an if possible and agree upon some terms of peace. We went in company <with> and about one hundred and Sixty horseman. When we got near we learned that the army had moved on to Log creek and were making their way to . We thought proper to return and it was with difficulty that we got back, for the militia had come between us and town. When we arrived we saw a line of battle drawn up between before us and town the town by the militia, and the Mormons also arrayed to meet them; but the militia for some cause withdrew to their camp on Goose creek. about dark took a white flag and went into their camp. He saw and othrs. with his troops from had joined the army, and they were about thirteen hundred strong. When returned he said that had appointed the next morning at eight Oclock to meet a committe of Mormons and [p. 73]