The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901Linn, William Alexander
History
The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901
Linn, William Alexander
Latter Day Saints -- History; Utah -- History
2. To make an appropriation of their property, all who have taken up
arms, to the payment of their debts and indemnity for damage done by
them.
3. That the balance should leave the State, and be protected out by
the militia, but be permitted to remain under protection until further
orders were received by the commander-in-chief.
4. To give up the arms of every description, to be receipted for.
While these propositions were under consideration, General Lucas asked
that Smith, Rigdon, Lyman Wight, P. P. Pratt, and G. W. Robinson be
given up as hostages, and this was done. Contemporary Mormon accounts
imputed treachery to Colonel Hinckle in this matter, and said that Smith
and his associates were lured into the militia camp by a ruse.
General Lucas's report to the governor says that the proposition for a
conference came from Hinckle. Hyrum Smith, in an account of the trial of
the prisoners, printed some years later in the Times and Seasons,
said that all the men who surrendered were that night condemned by
a court-martial to be shot, but were saved by General Doniphan's
interference. Lee's account agrees with this, but says that Smith
surrendered voluntarily, to save the lives of his followers.
General Lucas received the surrender of Far West, on the terms named, in
advance of the arrival of General Clark, who was making forced marches.
After the surrender, General Lucas disbanded the main body of his force,
and set out with his prisoners for Independence, the original site
of Zion. General Clark, learning of this, ordered him to transfer the
prisoners to Richmond, which was done.
Hearing that the guard left by General Lucas at Far West were committing
outrages, General Clark rode to that place accompanied by his field
officers. He found no disorder,* but instituted a military court of
inquiry, which resulted in the arrest of forty-six additional Mormons,
who were sent to Richmond for trial. The facts on which these arrests
were made were obtained principally from Dr. Avard, the Danite, who was
captured by a militia officer. "No one," General Clark says, "disclosed
any useful matter until he was captured."
* "Much property was destroyed by the troops in town during their
stay there, such as burning house logs, rails, corn cribs, boards, etc.,
the using of corn and hay, the plundering of houses, the killing
of cattle, sheep, and hogs, and also the taking of horses not their
own."--"Mormon Memorial to Missouri Legislature," December 10, 1838.
After these arrests had been made, General Clark called the other
Mormons at Far West together, and addressed them, telling them that they
could now go to their fields for corn, wood, etc., but that the terms of
the surrender must be strictly lived up to. Their leading men had
been given up, their arms surrendered, and their property assigned as
stipulated, but it now remained for them to leave the state forthwith.
On that subject the general said:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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