USA > Illinois > Hancock County > History of Hancock County, Illinois, together with an outline history of the State, and a digest of State laws > Part 32
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The peace was of short duration. About the 10th of July, some
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Mormons from Nauvoo went out to the vicinity of Pontoosue, and engaged in harvesting a field of wheat for one of the brethren. It is stated that they behaved in a very unruly manner, when some of the neighbors collecting, seized and whipped them, and sent them away. A few days after, a posse went out from Nauvoo and arrested Maj. McAuley, of Pontoosne, and James W. Brattle, of Carthage, who happened to be at his house. In return, several other Mormons were captured and held as hostages, and this led to other arrests, till there were of McAuley's party some ten or fifteen held in the city in custody. They were held for over a week, and denied the privilege of an examination or giving bail. At length a writ of habeas corpus was obtained from Adams county, and served on Clifford and Furness, who had the prisoners in custody, and they and their prisoners were taken to Quincy, examined and released on bail.
The new citizens of Nauvoo were generally an orderly and well- disposed people; but they had a few ruffians among them, who, by their violence and intemperate conduct made themselves generally obnoxious. Of these, the most conspicuous and disorderly was William Piekett. Clifford and Furness, above named, were very vindictive toward the Anti-Mormons.
About the first of April the Hancock Eagle appeared at Nauvoo. It was ably conducted by Dr. William E. Matlack, a stranger in the county. It claimed to be a " Democratic" sheet, but was in fact the organ and mouthpiece of Backenstos and what was known as the "Jack- Mormon" influence. Its course no doubt greatly weak- ened the Mormon efforts to get away, and increased the animosity existing between them and their enemies. It continued under Dr. Matlack's management until his death, which occurred about the last of August.
WAR IMPENDING.
During the first week in August writs were issued by John Banks, Esq., of Rocky Run township, for Clifford, Furness and Pickett, of Nauvoo, charged with false imprisonment and robbery, during the troubles heretofore mentioned. These writs were placed in the hands of John Carlin, of Carthage, a Deputy Sheriff. On the 7th, the officer went to Nauvoo and arrested Clifford and Furness, but was resisted and defied by Piekett. He took Furness before the Magistrate (Clifford having taken siek and left), where he gave bail for his appearance at Court, and was set at liberty. Carlin resolved that Pickett should be arrested. On the 17th he therefore issued a proclamation, calling out the posse comitatus to assemble at Carthage on Monday the 24th, to aid in the arrests.
On the 12th a meeting was held in Nauvoo, of the Mormons and their adherents, at which it was resolved that Carlin's writs should not be executed; they also took measures to organize for military resistance.
On the 21st, Gov. Ford, at Springfield, issued an order to Maj. James R. Parker, of the 32d Reg. Ill. Militia, saying:
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SIR :- I have received information that another effort is to be made on Monday next to drive out the inhabitants of Nauvoo, new and old, and to destroy the city. Maj. P. was authorized to take command of such persons as would volunteer free of cost to the State, and repel any attack and defend the city. He was also authorized to assist any peace officer in making arrests. This order of the Gov- ernor's placed Parker and Carlin in antagonism. Carlin's proclamation was dated the 17th; on the 25th, Parker issued a counter proclamation, calling on all armed bodies of men in the county to disperse, and stating that he held himself in readiness " to aid any officer in any part of the county in executing any lawful writs in his hands." Carlin replied by letter, that he was a legally constituted officer, with writs in his hands to execute, that he had been resisted, and had called out the posse to aid him, that he did not acknowledge the authority of the military to interfere, that a large force was collecting, and he should proceed. To this Parker rejoined, that he was sent by the Governor, that the force under Carlin was a mob, whose aim was to set the Mormons over the river, that his position compelled him to regard the posse as a mob, and he must treat them as such. This brought another letter from Carlin, who reiterated his former state- ments, and concluded : "The posse will proceed to perform its duty, and as you have cautioned me, that if it does not soon disperse you will treat it as a mob and as one good turn deserves another, I will caution you, that if you attempt to inter- fere with this posse while acting under the law, I shall regard you and your com- mand as a mob, and 'treat them as such.'" Hereupon Parker fell back upon proclamations. On the 28th he issued a second, and on the 3d of September, a third, defining his position, and warning " the mob " to desist.
In the meantime the force was concentrating at Carthage. On the 25th, Col. John B. Chittenden, of Adams county, was placed in temporary command, with the understanding that Col. James W. Singleton, of Brown, was to supersede him on his arrival. Col. S. arrived on the 28th and took command, with Col. Brock- man, of Brown, in command of the First Regiment, and Col. Thomas Geddes, of Hancock, in command of the Second. The camp was fixed about five miles from Carthage, on the Nauvoo road, the force numbering from 600 to 800 men. Here negotiations for a compromise began between the two commanders in secret. This was concluded and ratified by Col. Singleton, but unanimously rejected by his officers and men, amid great excitement. The con- ditions of this agreement were. in short: that the Mormon popula- tion of Nauvoo shall all leave in 60 days; that a force of 25 men be left as a guard, the expense to be equally borne by both parties; that an attorney be selected to take charge of all writs; that the Mormons shall deliver up the State arms, and that all hostilities shall at once cease. The reasons given for the rejection were, that no confidence could be placed in the Mormon's professions of sin- cerity, and that no provision was made for the execution of the writs in Carlin's hands.
On the rejection of the treaty, Col. Singleton withdrew from the command, and Carlin appointed Col. Brockman to the place. He immediately gave orders for an advance, and on the 10th, the whole force, numbering about 700 men, marched toward Nauvoo and encamped about three miles from the temple. Here a committee, consisting of Hon. John Wood, Major Flood and Joel Rice, of Quincy, appeared and proposed a compromise. Terms were named to them, and by them taken to the city; but no answer was received. The posse was put in motion towards the city, and for
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two days considerable skirmishing was carried on between picket guards, and some firing of artillery, of which both parties had a few pieces. On the 12th, a flag of truce was sent in by Brockman and Carlin, demanding a surrender. It was repled to by Maj. Ben- jamin Clifford, in command (but what became of Parker does not appear), refusing to comply. Preparations for battle were there- upon immediately made. As this was the concluding and only military battle of the war, we deem a report of it in full, copied from the Warsaw Signal of the 13th October, worthy of a place here.
THE BATTLE AND RESULT.
"After the reception of this letter (Clifford's) the army was drawn up in column on a piece of high ground lying between the camp and the city. While in this position a few shots were fired from a breastwork the Mormons had erected during the night, and the fire was returned from our artillery. So soon as all was ready, the Warsaw Riflemen were divided into two sections and deployed on the right and left as flankers. Capt. Newton's Lima Gnards, with Capt. Walker's gun, were ordered to take position a quarter of a mile in front of the camp, and employ the attention of the Mormons at their breastwork, and from which they kept a constant fire, while the main body of the army wheeled to the left, passed down across the La Harpe road, through a cornfield, thence across Mulholland street, then bore to the right through an orchard and on to the city. So soon as the army was fairly under way, Capt. Newton's company and the piece of artillery with it, were brought up in the rear. This march was made directly across and in the face of the enemy's fire, and within good cannon range, yet not a man was injured.
" Arriving on the verge of the city, the army, all except the artillery and flankers, was halted, while the latter advanced and commenced an attack on the Mormon works, from which they had been firing during the whole time of the march. A hot fire was kept up by the artillery from both sides for fifteen or twenty minutes. During this time the Mormons did no execution on our ranks, while the balls from our cannon rattled most terrifically through the houses in the city.
" At length the fire of small arms was heard from some Mor- mons who had taken position on the extreme left in a cornfield. Immediately Col. Smith's regiment was ordered up and drove the assailants before them. The Second Regiment was in the mean- time ordered up to the support of the artillery. By this time the action became general.
"The Mormons were in squads in their houses and poured in their shots with the greatest rapidity. Our men were also divided off into squads, took shelter where they could best find it, and returned the fire with great energy. The greater part of the First Regiment had no better shelter than a cornfield and a worm fence ;
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the Second Regiment was on open ground, having but two or three small houses to cover the whole body; while our artillery was entirely exposed.
" The firing of small arms was continued for half an hour, during which time our men steadily advanced, driving the enemy in many instances from their shelter. For a time their fire was almost entirely silenced; but unfortunately at this juncture our cannon balls were exhausted; and our commander deeming it imprudent to risk a further advance without these necessary instruments, he ordered the men to be drawn off. This was done in good order, and in slow time the whole force returned to the camp.
" In this action we had about 500 men engaged, and four pieces of artillery; 200 men and one piece of artillery having been left at the camp for its protection. Our loss in this engagement, as well as in the subsequent skirmishes, will be found in the report of the surgeons hereto appended. Most of our men throughout the action displayed remarkable coolness and determination; and we have no doubt did great execution. We believe if our cannon balls had held out ten minutes longer, we should have taken the city; but when the action commenced we had but 61 balls. The battle lasted from the time the first feint was made until our men were drawn off-an hour and a quarter. Probably there is not on record an instance of a longer continued militia fight. (?)
" The Mormons stood their ground manfully ; but from the little execution done by them, we infer that they were not very cool or deliberate. Their loss is uncertain-as they have taken especial pains to conceal the number of their dead and wounded. They acknowledge but three dead and ten wounded. Amongst the killed is their master spirit, Capt. Anderson, of the 15-shooter rifle com- pany. Their force in the fight was from three to four hundred. They had all the advantage, having selected their own positions ; and we were obliged to take such as we could get. Sometimes our men could get no cover, and the artillery was all the time exposed, while theirs was under cover.
" On Saturday after the battle, the Anties commenced entrench- ing their camp, and on Sunday made it secure against the shots of the enemy's cannon, which frequently reached or passed over it. On Sunday the Anties cut part of the corn from the field on the left of the La Harpe road, to prevent the Mormons from taking cover in it. While thus engaged the Mormons fired on the guard which was protecting the corn-cutters. The fire was returned by the guard, and kept up at long distance for two or three hours. In this skirmish one of our men was badly wounded. The loss of the enemy is not known. On Monday a party of Mormons crept up through the weeds to a piece of high ground, and fired at our camp -wounding three men, none seriously. Their balls were nearly spent when they struck. On Sunday morning after the battle a powder plot was dug up in the La Harpe road, which the army was expected to pass. On Wednesday another was dug up on the
Going Matter
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same road nearer the city. Several of these plots were discovered - near the temple and in other parts of the city."
But the fighting was over and the war was ended. On Tuesday morning, the 15th, a deputation from 100 citizens of Quincy arrived in camp with proposals for mediation. The sub-committee
was headed by Andrew Johnston, Esq., as chairman. A similar sub-committee was sent to Nauvoo to confer with B. Clifford, the Commander there. A truce was agreed on, and after a long and voluminous correspondence, a treaty was concluded, which we can give best in its own words:
1. The City of Nauvoo will surrender. The force of Col. Brockman to enter and take possession of the city to-morrow, the 17th of September, at 3 o'clock P. M. 2. The arms to be delivered to the Quincy Committee, to be returned on the crossing of the river.
3. The Quincy Committee pledge themselves to use their influence for the protection of persons and property from all violence; and the officers of the camp and the men pledge themselves to protect all persons and property from violence.
4. The sick and helpless to be protected and treated with humanity.
5. The Mormon population of the city to leave the State, or disperse, as soon as they can eross the river.
6. Five men, including the trustees of the Church, and five clerks, with their families (William Pickett not one of the number) to be permitted to remain in the city for the disposition of property, free from all molestation and personal violence.
7. Hostilities to cease immediately, and ten men of the Quincy Committee to enter the city in the execution of their duty as soon as they think proper.
We, the undersigned, subscribe to, ratify and confirm the foregoing articles of accommodation, treaty and agreement, the day and year first above written.
Signed by : Almon W. Babbitt, Joseph L. Heywood, John S. Fullmer, Trustees in Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Andrew Johnson, Chairman of the Com. of Quincy; Thos. S. Brockman, commanding posse; John Carlin, Special Constable.
The remarkable feature of this treaty is, that it contained not a word about the arrest of the persons named in the writs held by Carlin, and for the service of which the expedition was undertaken.
Soon after the agreement was signed and exchanged, Major Clif- ford gave orders for the withdrawal of the forces under his com- mand. By three o'clock the next day, nearly the whole Mormon population had crossed the river. At three, Brockman's force was put in motion, marched through the city, and encamped near the south end of town. On Friday all except 100 men were disbanded, and to co-operate with these the new citizens organized a company of 100 men as guards to the city.
The surgeons in Col. Brockman's camp, Drs. Berry and Charles of Warsaw, reported twelve men wounded, as follows: John Kennedy, of Augusta, in the shoulder; Jefferson Welsh, of McDonongh Co., in the thigh ; Mr. Rogers, of Adams Co., thigh and hip ; Uriah Thompson, of Fountain Green, in arm; Mr. Hum- phreys, of Hancock Co., in the thigh severely, and died ten hours afterward; George Wier, Warsaw, in the neck; Capt. Robert F. Smith, who commanded the First Regiment, slightly in the neck; Mr. Crooks, of Chili, in the head slightly; Mr. Winsor, of Nauvoo, in the back, while loading; Mr. Denny, of Green Plains, at camp-
22
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guard; Dr. Geiger, of Nauvoo, in camp; and Mr. Stinson, of Brown Co., in the thigh. Of the loss on the other side we have no reliable data.
But, although the war was over, the troubles were not yet to end. The force left in the city, not satisfied with the withdrawal of the Mormons, dealt pretty roughly with the ring-leaders of the obnox- ious new citizens. A few of them were ordered to leave. They did so, but made their appeals to the public and to Gov. Ford at Springfield, in a tissue of most exaggerated statements. Maj. Bray- man, who had been commissioned by the Governor to investigate, made reports also to his Excellency, which, taken together, decided him to again order a force into the county. He recruited about 100 men, with which he entered the county, and after a day or two at Carthage, proceeded to Nauvoo, where he arrived on the 28th of October. He was waited on by numbers of the respectable new citizens, who endeavored to disabuse his mind as to the state of affairs in the city. The Governor encamped his force about the temple, where he remained until the 14th of November, when he left for Springfield, leaving a part of his force under Major Weber, at Nauvoo. Before reaching the county, the Governor became con- vinced that he had undertaken a useless expedition, as the result proved, for during his whole two weeks' presence nothing trans- pired requiring military or executive interference. The force left, remained in the county inactive, until withdrawn by Gov. French. Gov. F., having been elected to succeed Ford, was inaugurated December Sth, and on the 12th he withdrew the force, and ad- dressed a short note to the people of Hancock county, announcing their withdrawal, and exhorting to peace and quietness.
NAUVOO CHARTER AND ORDINANCES.
A history of Mormonism in Hancock county would be incom- plete that failed to recite the Charter granted that people by the State Legislature, and to give a few samples of the Ordinances passed by the City Council. The following is a verbatim copy of the Charter:
AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE CITY OF NAUVOO.
SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the Gen- eral Assembly, That all that district of country embraced within the following boundaries, to-wit: [omit long description of boundaries.]
SEC. 2. Whenever any tract of land adjoining the city of Nauvoo shall have been laid out into town lots, and duly recorded according to law, the same shall form a part of the city of Nauvoo.
SEC. 3. The inhabitants of said city, by the name and style aforesaid, shall have power to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, defend and be defended, in all courts of law and equity, and in all actions whatsoever ; to purchase, receive and hold property, real and personal, in said city; to purchase, receive and hold real property beyond the city for burying ground, or for other public purposes, for the use of the inhabitants of said city; to sell, lease, convey or dispose of property, real and personal, for the benefit of the city; to improve and protect such property, and to do all other things in relation thereto as natural persons.
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SEC. 4. There shall be a City Council to consist of Mayor, four Aldermen and nine Councilors, who shall have the qualifications of electors of said city, and shall be chosen by the qualified voters thereof, and shall hold their offices for two years, and until their successors shall be elected and qualified. The City Council shall judge of the qualifications, elections and returns of their own members, and a majority of them shall form a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, under such penalties as may be prescribed by ordinance.
SEC. 5. The Mayor, Aldermen and Councilors, before entering upon the duties of their offices, shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation, that they will support the Constitution of the United States and of this State; and that they will well and truly perform the duties of their offices to the best of their skill and abilities.
SEC. 6. On the first Monday of February next, and every two years thereafter, an election shall be held for the election of one Mayor, four Aldermen, and nine Councilors; and at the first election under this act, three Judges shall be chosen viva voce by the electors present, the said Judges shall choose two clerks, and the Judges and clerks, before entering upon their duties, shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation, such as is now required by law to be taken by judges and clerks of other elections; and at all subsequent elections, the necessary number of Judges and clerks shall be appointed by the City Council. At the first election so held the polls shall be opened at nine o'clock, A. M., and closed at six o'clock, P. M .; at the close of the polls the votes shall be counted, and a statement thereof proclaimed at the front door of the house at which such election shall be held ; and the clerks shall leave with each person elected, or at his usual place of resi- dence within five days after the election, a written notice of his election, and cach person so notified, shall within ten days after the election, take the oath or affirm- ation hereinbefore mentioned, a certificate of which oath shall be deposited with the Recorder, whose appointment is hereafter provided for, and be by him pre- served; and all subsequent elections shall be held, conducted, and returns thereof made as may be provided for by the ordinances of the City Council.
SEC. 7. All free white male inhabitants, who are of the age of 21 years, who are entitled to vote for State officers, and who shall have been actual residents of said city sixty days next preceding said election, shall be entitled to vote for city officers.
SEC. 8. The City Council shall have authority to levy and collect taxes for city purposes, upon all property, real and personal, within the limits of the city, not exceeding one-half per cent. per annum upon the assessed value thereof, and may enforce the payment of the same in any manner to be provided by ordinance, not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States, or of this State.
SEC. 9. The City Council shall have power to appoint a Recorder, Treasurer, Assessor, Marshal, Supervisor of streets, and all such other officers as may be necessary, and to prescribe their duties, and remove them from office at pleasure.
SEC. 10. The City Council shall have power to require of all officers, appointed in pursuance of this act, bonds with penalty and security, for the faithful perform- ance of their respective duties, such as may be deemed expedient; and also to require all officers appointed as aforesaid, to take an oath for the faithful performance of the duties of their respective oflices.
SEO. 11. The City Council shall have power and authority to make, ordain, establish and execute all such ordinances, not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States or of this State, as they may deem necessary for the benefit, peace, good order, regulation, convenience and cleanliness of said city; for the protection of property therein from destruction by fire or otherwise, and for the health and happiness thereof ; they shall have power to fill all vacancies that may happen by death, resignation or removal, in any of the offices herein made elective; to fix and establish all the fees of the officers of said corporation not herein established; to impose such fines not exceeding one hundred dollars for each offense, as they may deem just, for refusing to accept any oflice in or under the corporation, or for misconduct therein ; to divide the city into wards; toadd to the number of Alder- men and Councilors, and apportion them among the several wards as may be most just and conducive to the interests of the city.
SEO. 12. To license, tax, and regulate auctions, merchants, retailers, grocers, hawkers, pedlars, brokers, pawn-brokers and money-changers.
SEO. 13. The City Council shall have exclusive power within the city, by ordi- nance to license, regulate and restrain the keeping of ferries; to regulate the police
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of the city . to impose fines. forfeitures and penalties for the breach of any ordinance, and provide for the recovery of such fines and forfeitures, and the enforcement of such penalties, and to pass such ordinances as may be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the powers specified in this act: Provided, Such ordi- nances are not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States or of this State; and in fine, to exercise such other legislative powers as are conferred on the City Council of the city of Springfield, by an act entitled "An act to incorporate the city of Springfield," approved February third, one thousand eight hundred and forty.
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