| 115 "The militia of the county, all or nearly all Mormons, organized and mustered, and a regiment was formed under the laws of the State, of which either 'General' George M. Hinkle or Lyman Wight was Colonel."-Page 117.
We are thus particular to mention this because careless writers often write of this regiment as the "Mormon militia," and the uninformed conclude that their only authority was from the church; when the fact is they were regularly organized and a part of the State troops. It is also true that subsequently when this regiment took an active part in putting down riots and quelling mobs, Colonel Wight acted under orders from his military superiors, as will appear from General Parks' address on October 18, 1838. 2
About this time two deaths occurred in the High Council at Far West; viz., Jesse Hitchcock and Peter Whitmer, Jr. Their places were filled by the selection of Thomas Grover and George Morey.
On August 6 a meeting was held in Far West, of which Joseph writes:-
2 "Gentlemen, I deplore your situation. I regret that transactions of this nature should have transpired in our once happy State. Your condition is certainly not an enviable one, surrounded by mobs on one side, and popular opinion and prejudice against you on the other. Gladly would I fly to your relief with my troops, but I fear it would be worse for you; most of them have relations living in this county, and will not fight against them. One of my principal captains; namely, Samuel Bogart, and his men, have already mutinized [mutinied] and have refused to obey my command. I can only say to you, gentlemen, follow the command of Colonel Wight whom I have commanded to disperse all mobs found in Daviess County, or to make them prisoners and bring them before the civil authorities forthwith. I wish to be distinctly understood that Colonel Wight is vested with power and authority from me to disperse from your midst all who may be found on the side of mobocracy in the county of Daviess. I deeply regret, gentlemen, (knowing as I do the vigilance and perseverance of Colonel Wight in the cause of freedom and rights of man,) that I could not even be a soldier under his command in quelling the hellish outrages I have witnessed. In conclusion, gentlemen, be vigilant and persevere and allay every excitement of mobocracy. I have visited your place frequently; find you to be an industrious and thriving people, willing to abide the laws of the land. And I deeply regret that you could not live in peace and enjoy the privileges of freedom. I shall now, gentlemen, return and dismiss my troops and put Captain Bogart under an arrest, leave the sole charge with Colonel Wight, whom I deem sufficiently qualified to perform according to law in all military operations necessary."-Times and Seasons, vol. 4, p. 266.
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