Essentials in Church History: A History of the Church from the Birth of Joseph Smith to the Present Time (1922), with Introductory Chapters on the Antiquity of the Gospel and the "Falling Away"Smith, Joseph Fielding
History
Essentials in Church History: A History of the Church from the Birth of Joseph Smith to the Present Time (1922), with Introductory Chapters on the Antiquity of the Gospel and the "Falling Away"
Smith, Joseph Fielding
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- History
Thursday morning, November 1, 1838, Hyrum Smith and Amasa Lyman were
brought by Col. Hinkle into the camp. That night a court martial was
held, at which, besides the commanding officers of the mob-militia,
Col. Hinkle, Judge Austin A. King, District Attorney Birch, and the
Reverends Sashiel Woods, Bogart and several other priests, played a
part. The prisoners were sentenced to be shot on the public square in
Far West, Friday morning at 9 o'clock. This was, let it be said to
their honor, over the protest of Generals Doniphan and Graham, and
perhaps a few others. General Doniphan was given the order to carry out
the execution. It was a most fortunate thing that he was selected, for
he refused to obey the command. The order given him was as follows:
"Brigadier General Doniphan:
"_Sir_: You will take Joseph Smith and the other prisoners into the
public square of Far West, and shoot them at 9 o'clock tomorrow
morning."
"Samuel D. Lucas," "Major General Commanding."
General Doniphan replied to this order by saying to his superior:
"It is cold blooded murder. I will not obey your order. My brigade
shall march for Liberty tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock; and if you
execute these men, I will hold you responsible before an earthly
tribunal, so help me God."
"A. W. Doniphan," "Brigadier General."
Although this was an act of insubordination, it frightened the criminal
general and his willing aids. No charge was ever made against Doniphan,
for they dared not make one.
Plundering of the Militia
Col. Hinkle, according to his agreement, marched the militia companies
at Far West out of the city and grounded their arms, which were the
private property of the men who held them. Then the mob force was
let loose. They entered the city without restraint, on pretext of
searching the homes for additional arms. They tore up floors; ruined
furniture; destroyed property; whipped the men and forced them to sign
deeds to their property at the point of the bayonet; and violated the
chastity of women, until their victims died. About eighty men were
taken prisoners and the people were ordered to leave the state, and
were forbidden, under threat of death, to assemble more than three in a
place. Notwithstanding all this, General Lucas reported to the governor
how orderly and decorous were his troops.
Prisoners Taken to Independence
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