History of the Prophet Joseph, by His MotherSmith, Lucy
History
History of the Prophet Joseph, by His Mother
Smith, Lucy
Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
and said, "If the people must be destroyed, and the city burned to
ashes, we will remain in the city and die with them." The officers
immediately returned, and the army retreated, and encamped about
a mile and a half from the city. A messenger was immediately
despatched with a white flag, from the colonel of the militia of
Far West, requesting an interview with General Atchinson, and
General Doniphan; but, as the messenger approached the camp, he
was shot at by Bogard, the Methodist preacher. The name of the
messenger was Charles C. Rich, who is now Brigadier-General in
the Nauvoo Legion. However, he gained permission to see General
Doniphan. He also requested an interview with General Atchison.
General Doniphan said, that General Atchison had been dismounted
by a special order of the Governor, a few miles back, and had been
sent back to Liberty, Clay county. He also stated, that the reason
was, that he (Atchison), was too merciful unto the "Mormons;" and
Boggs would not let him have the command, but had given it to
General Lucas, who was from Jackson county, and whose heart had
become hardened by his former acts of rapine and bloodshed, he
being one of the leaders in murdering, driving, plundering, and
burning some two or three hundred houses belonging to the "Mormon"
people in that county, in the years 1833 and 1834.
Mr. Rich requested General Doniphan to spare the people, and not
suffer them to be massacred until the next morning, it then being
evening. He coolly agreed that he would not, and also said, that
"he had not as yet received the Governor's order, but expected
it every hour, and should not make any further move until he had
received it; but he would not make any promises so far as regards
Neil Gillum's army," (he having arrived a few minutes previously,
and joined the main body of the army, he knowing well at what hour
to form a junction with the main body). Mr. Rich then returned
to the city, giving this information. The colonel immediately
despatched a second messenger with a white flag, to request another
interview with General Doniphan, in order to touch his sympathy
and compassion, and if it were possible for him to use his best
endeavors to preserve the lives of the people. On the return of
this messenger, we learned that several persons had been killed
by some of the soldiers, who were under the command of General
Lucas. One Mr. Carey had his brains knocked out by the breech of
a gun, and he lay bleeding several hours, but his family were not
permitted to approach him, nor any one else allowed to administer
relief to him whilst he lay upon the ground in the agonies of
death. Mr. Carey had just arrived in the country, from the state
of Ohio, only a few hours previous to the arrival of the army. He
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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