RLDS Church History Context

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Source: Church History Vol. 1 Chapter 12 Page: 325 (~1833)

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325 horrid threats frightened women and children into the wilderness. Such of the men as could escape fled for their lives; for very few of them had arms, neither were they embodied; and they were threatened with death if they made any resistance. Such therefore as could not escape by flight received a pelting by rocks and a beating by guns and whips.

"On Friday, the first of November, women and children sallied forth from their gloomy retreats to contemplate with heart-rending anguish the ravages of a ruthless mob, in the mangled bodies of their husbands and in the destruction of their houses and furniture. Houseless, and unprotected by the arm of civil law in Jackson County, the dreary month of November staring them in the face and loudly proclaiming more inclement season at hand, the continual threats of the mob that they would drive every Mormon from the county and the inability of many to remove because of their poverty, caused an anguish of heart indescribable.

"These outrages were committed about two miles from my residence; news reached me before daylight the same morning, and I immediately repaired to the place, and was filled with anguish at the awful sights of houses in ruins, and furniture destroyed and strewed about the streets; women in different directions were weeping and mourning, while some of the men were covered with blood from the blows they had received from the enemy; others were endeavoring to collect the fragments of their scattered furniture, beds etc.

"I endeavored to collect together as many men as possible, and after consultation we concluded to embody for defense. Accordingly we collected some sixty men, armed ourselves as well as we could, and took shelter next evening in a log house. We set a guard, and sent out spies through the different parts of the settlement to watch the movements of the mob; but sometime in the night two of the enemy advanced to our guard, being armed with guns and pistols, and while they were conversing I walked near them, and one of them struck me over the head, with all his might, with his gun. I staggered back, the blood streaming down

(page 325)

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