| 275 night a sort of fortification, and if we must fight, sell our lives as dear as we could, accordingly all hands went to work, rails, house-logs, and waggons [wagons], were all put in requisition, and the east line of the town as well secured as could be done by the men and means, and the short time allowed; expecting an attack in the morning. The morning at length came and that day passed away and still nothing done; but plundering the cornfields, shooting cattle and hogs, stealing horses and robbing houses, and carrying off potatoes, turnips, and all such things as the army of General Lucas could get, for such in the event they proved to be. The main body being commanded, by Samuel D. Lucas, a Deacon in the Presbyterian church. The next came and then it was ascertained that they were there by order of the Governor.
A demand was made for Joseph Smith Senior, Lyman Wight, George W. Robinson, Parley P. Pratt, and myself, to go into their camp with this demand we instantly complied and accordingly started to their camp. When we came in sight of their camp the whole army was on parade, marching toward the town, we approached and met them, and were informed by Lucas that we were prisoners of war. A scene followed that would defy any mortal to describe, a howling was set up, that would put any thing I ever heard before or since at defiance, I thought at that time it had no parallel except it might be in the perdition of ungodly men. They had a cannon. I could distinctly hear the guns as the locks were sprung, which appeared from the sound to be in every part of the army. General Doniphan came riding up where we were, and swore by his maker that he would hew the first man down that cocked a gun, one or two other officers on horseback also rode up, ordering those who had cocked their guns to uncock them or they would be hewed down with their swords, we were conducted into their camp and made to lay on the ground through the night.
This was late in October-we were kept here for two days and two nights. It commenced raining and snowing until we were completely drenched and being compelled to lay on the ground which had become very wet and the water was running round us and under us-what consultation the officers and others had in relation to the disposition which was to be made of us. I am entirely indebted to the report made to me by General Doniphan as none of us were put on any trial. General Doniphan gave an account of which the following is the substance, as far as my memory serves me: "That they held a Court Martial and sentenced us to be shot at 8 o'clock the next morning after the Court Martial was holden, in the public square in the presence of our families-that this Court Martial was composed of seventeen preachers and some of the principal officers of the army-Samuel D. Lucas presided-Doniphan arose and said "that neither himself nor his brigade should have any hand in the shooting, that it was nothing short of cold blooded murder and left the Court Martial and ordered his brigade to prepare and march off the ground."
This was probably the reason why they did not carry the decision of the Court Martial into effect. It was finally agreed that we should be carried into Jackson county, accordingly on the third day after our arrest the army was all paraded, we were put into waggons [wagons] and taken into the town-our families having heard that we were to be brought to town that morning to be shot. When we arrived a scene ensued such as might be expected, under the circumstances. I was permitted to go alone with my family into the house, there I found my family so completely plundered of all kinds of food that they had nothing to eat but parched corn which they ground with a hand mill, and thus were they sustaining life. I soon pacified my family and allayed their feelings by assuring them that the ruffians dared not kill me. I gave them strong assurances that they dared not do it, and that I would return to them again. After this interview I took my leave of them, and returned to the waggon [wagon] got in and we were all started off for Jackson county. Before we reached the Missouri river a man came riding along the line apparently in great haste. I did not know his business. When we got to the river Lucas came to me and told me that he wanted us to hurry, as Jacob Stollings had arrived from Far West with a message from Gen. John C. Clark ordering him to return with us to Far West as he was there with a large army, he said he would not comply with the demand, but did not know but Clark might send an army to take us by force. We were hurried over the river as fast as possible with as many of Lucas' army as could be sent over at one time and sent hastily on, and thus we were taken to Independence the Shire town of Jackson county, and put into an old house and a strong guard placed over us. In a day or two they relaxed their severity, we were taken to the best tavern in town and there boarded, and treated with kindness-we were permitted to go and come at our pleasure without any guard. After some days Colonel Sterling G. Price arrived from Clark's army with a demand to have us taken to Richmond, Ray county. It was difficult to get a guard to go with us, indeed, we solicited them to send one with us, and finally got a few men to go and we started; after we had crossed the Missouri, on
(page 275) |
