Bennett was major-general of the Nauvoo Legion and on the 7th of May, 1842, a sham battle was arranged, in which the twenty-six companies of the Legion, numbering two thousand men, were to take part. Joseph was lieutenant-general and he took his place with the visitors, in such a position as to be able to overlook the battle. Bennett, the traitor, tried to get him alone into a certain position in the ranks, where, as later turned out, he could be shot by some of Bennett's friends, and, amid the noise and smoke, the real person could never be told. The Spirit of the Lord prompted Joseph not to go, and revealed to him the wickedness of his former friend, so the plot failed. Shortly after this Bennett resigned his position as mayor and was cut off the Church, but with tears in his eyes he pleaded for his standing, and mercy was shown unto him. After forgiveness had been given he went before Daniel H. Wells, who was not then a member of the Church, and stated upon his oath that Joseph had never taught him "anything contrary to the strictest principles of the Gospel, or of virtue, or of the laws of God or man, under any circumstance, or upon any occasion, either directly or indirectly in word or deed." He also made public confession of his wrongdoing and all the falsehoods he had told concerning the Prophet. It was not long, however, before he again fell into sin, and then he was cut off the Church and the world was warned against him as a wicked, impure man. He now turned his spite upon the Prophet and the Church and became the author of the most frightful lies. It was largely due to him that persecution again sprang up. John C. Bennett might have lived an honorable life, held important positions of trust and been a favored servant of God, if he had resisted temptation. He now became an enemy of the truth, was a murderer in his heart, and after a short life of crime, died a most wretched death. One day Joseph crossed the Mississippi river from Nauvoo to Montrose, on the Iowa shore, in company with a number of prominent Free Masons. He was waiting for them in the shade of the Masonic building while they finished up their business on the inside, when the subject of the Missouri persecutions came up and Joseph made a prophecy. He said that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains. Many would apostatize, others would be put to death or lose their lives through exposure and disease, but some of those present would live to go and help make settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. This prophecy was made on the 6th of August, 1842, five years before any Latter-day Saint ever saw the valley of the Great Salt Lake.