Petition to United States Congress, circa 29 November 1839, Draft
Source Note
JS, , and , Petition Draft, , to United States Congress, Washington DC, ca. 29 Nov. 1839; handwriting of ; 35 pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes dockets.
the requesting an interview in their camp with five of the principal Citizens among the , pledging their faith for their safe return on their following <morning at 8 oclock>
Thus invited as they supposed <was> to propose <day><morning at 8 oclock> and receive terms of peace and the under the pledge of a safe conduct , Joseph Smith jr and went to<wards> the Camp of the Militia Instead of beingThey had no sooner <before we arr before we> arrived at the Camp them <they> were surrounded <by the whole army and> by the orders of <put under guard and marchd to the camp as prisoners of war> and were soon told that they were prisoners of war. A Court Martial was held that night whi and they without being heard and in the abscence of all proof condemned to be shot next morning. The of this bloody order was prevented by the manly protest of . He denounced the act as cold blooded murder and threatenedto wthidraw his Brigade— This noble stance taken by prevented the murder of the Prisoners. It is here worthy of note that seventeen preachers of the Gospel were on this Court Martial and were in favor of the sentence [p. 27]