USA > Illinois > Pike County > History of Pike County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons and biographies of representative citizens > Part 9
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
MILITARY FORCES ASSEMBLING.
William Law, one of the proprietors of the printing-press destroyed by Smith, went to Carthage, the county-seat, and obtained warrants for the arrest of Smith'and the members of the City Council, and others connected with the destruction of the press. Some of the parties having been arrested, but discharged by the authorities in Nauvoo, a convention of citizens assembled at Carthage and appointed a committee to wait upon the Governor for the purpose of. procuring military assistance to enforce the law. The Governor visited Carthage in person. Previous to his arrival the militia had been called out and armed forces commenced assem- bling in Carthage and Warsaw to enforce the service of civil process. All of them, however, signified a willingness to co-operate with the Governor in preserving order. A constable and ten men were then sent to make the arrest. In the meantime, Smith declared martial law; his followers residing in the country were summoned to his assistance; the Legion was assembled and under arms, and the entire city was one great military encampment.
THIE SMITHS ARRESTED.
The prophet, his brother Hiram, the members of the City Conn- cil and others, surrendered themselves at Carthage June 24, 1845, on the charge of riot. All entered into recognizance before a Jus- tice of the Peace to appear at court, and were discharged. A new writ, however, was immediately issued and served on the two Smiths, and both were arrested and thrown into prison. The citizens had assembled from Hancock, Schuyler and MeDonough counties, armed and ready to avenge the outrages that had been committed by the Mormons. Great excitement prevailed at Car- thage. The force assembled at that place amounted to 1,200 men, and about 500 assembled at Warsaw. Nearly all were anxious to march into Nanvoo. This measure was supposed to be necessary to search for counterfeit money and the apparatus to make it, and also to strike a salutary terror into the Mormon people by an exhi- bition of the force of the State, and thereby prevent future out- rages, murders, robberies, burnings. and the like. The 27th of June was appointed for the march; but Gov. Ford, who at the time was in Carthage, apprehended trouble if the militia should attempt to invade Nauvoo, disbanded the troops, retaining only a guard to the jail.
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
JOE SMITH AND HIS BROTHER KILLED.
Gov. Ford went to Nauvoo on the 27th. The same morning about 200 men from Warsaw, many being disguised, hastened to Carthage. On learning that one of the companies left as a guard had disbanded, and the other stationed 150 yards from the jail while eight men were left to guard the prisoners, a communication was soon established between the Warsaw troops and the guard; and it was arranged that the guard should have their guns charged with blank cartridges and fire at the assailants when they attempted to enter the jail. The conspirators came up, jumped the fence around the jail, were fired upon by the guard, which, according to arrange- ment, was overpowered, and the assailants entered the prison, to the door of the room where the two prisoners were confined. An attempt was made to break open the door; but Joe Smith, being armed with a pistol, fired several times as the door was bursted open, and three of the assailants were wounded. At the same time several shots were fired into the room, by some of which John Taylor, a friend of the Smiths, received four wounds, and Hiram Smith was instantly killed. Joe Smith, severely wounded, attempt- ed to escape by jumping out of a second-story window, but was so stunned by the fall that he was unable to rise. In this position he was dispatched by balls shot through his body. Thus fell Joe Smith, the most successful imposter of modern times. Totally ignor- ant of almost every fact in science, as well as in law, he made up in constructiveness and natural cunning whatever in him was want- ing of instruction.
CONSTERNATION AT QUINCY.
Great consternation prevailed among the anti-Mormons at Carthage, after the killing of the Smiths. They expected the Mor- mons would be so enraged on hearing of the death of their leaders that they would come down in a body, armed and equipped, to seek revenge upon the populace at Carthage. Messengers were dispatched to various places for help in case of an attack. The women and children were moved across the river for safety. A committee was sent to Quincy and early the following morning, at the ringing of the bells, a large concourse of people assembled to devise means of defense. At this meeting, it was reported that the Mormons attempted to rescue the Smiths; that a party of Mis- sourians and others had killed them to prevent their escape; that
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
the Governor and his party werc at Nauvoo at the time when intel- ligence of the fact was brought there; that they had been attacked by the Nauvoo Legion, and had retreated to a house where they were closely besieged; that the Governor had sent out word that he could maintain his position for two days, and would be certain to be massacred if assistance did not arrive by that time. It is unnecessary to say that this entire story was fabricated. It was put in circulation, as were many other stories, by the anti-Mormons, to influence the public mind and create a hatred for the Mormons. The effect of it, however, was that by 10 o'clock on the 28th, between two and three hundred men from Quincy, under command of Maj. Flood, went on board a steamboat for Nauvoo, to assist in raising the siege, as they honestly believed.
VARIOUS DEPREDATIONS.
It was thought by many, and indeed the circumstances seem to war- rant the conclusion, that the assassins of Smith had arranged that the murder should occur while the Governor was in Nauvoo; that the Mormons would naturally suppose he planned it, and in the first out- pouring of their indignation put him to death, as a means of retalia- tion. They thought that if they could have the Governor of the State assassinated by Mormons, the public excitement would be greatly increased against that people, and would cause their extermination, or at least their expulsion from the State. That it was a brutal and premeditated murder cannot be and is not denied at this day; but the desired effect of the murder was not attained, as the Mormons did not evacuate Nauvoo for two years afterward. In the meantime, the excitement and prejudice against this people were not allowed to die out. Horse-stealing was quite common, and every case that occurred was charged to the Mormons. That they were guilty of such thefts cannot be denied, but a great deal of this work done at that time was by organized bands of thieves, who knew they could carry on their nefarious business with more safety, as long as sus- picion could be placed upon the Mormons. In the summer and fall of 1845 were several occurrences of a nature to increase the irritation existing between the Mormons and their neighbors. A suit was instituted in the United States Circuit Court against one of the apostles, to recover a note, and a marshal sent to summons
18/TOW TAPE
ILLINOIS CHARITABLE EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY, CHICAGO-FOUNDED 1858-DESTROYED 1871-REBUILT 1814.
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS ..
the defendant, who refused to be served with the process. Indig- nation meetings were held by the saints, and the marshal threat- ened for attempting to serve the writ. About this time, General Denning, sheriff, was assaulted by an anti-Mormon, whom he killed. Denning was friendly to the Mormons, and a great outburst of passion was occasioned among the friends of the dead man.
INCENDIARISM.
It was also discovered, in trying the rights of property at Lima, Adams county, that the Mormons had an institution connected with their church to secure their effects from execution. Incensed at this and other actions, the anti-Mormons of Lima and Green Plains, held a meeting to devise means for the expulsion of the Mormons from that part of the country. It was arranged that a number of their own party should fire on the building in which they were assembled, in such a manner as not to injure anyone, and then report that the Mormons had commenced the work of plunder and death. This plot was duly executed, and the startling intelligence soon called together a mob, which threatened the Mor- mons with fire and sword if they did not immediately leave. The Mormons refusing to depart, the mob at once executed their threats by burning 125 houses and forcing the inmates to flee for their lives. The sheriff of Hancock county, a prominent Mormon armed several hundred Mormons and scoured the country, in search of the incendiaries, but they had fled to neighboring counties, and he was unable either to bring them to battle or make any arrests. One man, however, was killed without provocation; another attempting to escape was shot and afterwards hacked and mnti- lated; and Franklin A. Worrell, who had charge of the jail when the Smiths were killed, was shot by some unknown person con- cealed in a thicket. The anti-Mormons committed one murder. A party of them set fire to a pile of straw, near the barn of an old Mormon, nearly ninety years of age, and when he appeared to ex- tinguish the flames, he was shot and killed.
The anti-Mormons left their property exposed in their hurried retreat, after having burned the houses of the Mormons. Those who had been burned out sallied forth from Nanvoo and plundered the whole country, taking whatever they could carry or drive away. By order of the Governor, Gen. Hardin raised a force of 350 men, checked the Mormon ravages, and recalled the fugitive anti-Mormons home.
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
MAKING PREPARATION TO LEAVE.
At this time a convention, consisting of delegates froin eight of the adjoining counties, assembled to concert measures for the expul- sion of the Mormons from the State. The Mormons seriously c n- templated emmigration westward, believing the times forboded evil for them. Accordingly, during the winter of 1845-'46, the m st stupendous preparations were made by the Mormons for removal. All the principal dwellings, and even the temple, were converted into work-shops, and before spring, 12.000 wagons were in readiness; and by the middle of February the leaders, with 2,000 of their followers, had crossed the Mississippi on the ice.
Before the spring of 1846 the majority of the Mormons had left Nauvoo, but still a large number remained.
THE BATTLE OF NAUVOO.
In September a writ was issued against several prominent Mor- mons, and placed in the hands of John Carlin, of Carthage, for execution. Carlin called out a posse to help make the arrest, which brought together quite a large force in the neighborhood of Nauvoo. Carlin, not being a military man, placed in command of the posse, first, Gen. Singleton, and afterward Col. Brockman, who proceeded to invest the city, erecting breastworks, and taking other means for defensive as well as offensive operations. What was then termed a battle next took place, resulting in the death of one Mormon and the wounding of several others, and loss to the anti-Mormons of three killed and four wounded. At last, through the intervention of an anti-Mormon committee of one hundred, from Quincy, the Mormons and their allies were induced to submit to such terms as the posse chose to dictate, which were that the Mormons should immediately give up their arms to the Quiney committee, and re- move from the State. The trustees of the church and five of their clerks were permitted to remain for the sale of Mormon property, and the posse were to march in unmolested, and leave a sufficient force to guarantee the performance of their stipulations. Accord- ingly, the constable's posse marched in with Broekman at their head. It consisted of about 800 armed men and 600 or. 700 unarmed, who had assembled from all the country around, through inotives of curiosity, to see the once proud city of Nauvoo hum- bled and delivered up to its enemies. They proceeded into the
ILLINOIS INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND DUMB, AT JACKSONVILLE.
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
city slowly and carefully, examining the way for fear of the explo- sion of a mine, many of which had been made by the Mormons, by burying kegs of powder in the ground, with a man stationed at a distance to pull a string communicating with the trigger of a percussion lock affixed to the keg. This kind of a contrivance was called by the Mormons " hell's half-acre." When the posse arrived in the city, the leaders of it erected themselves into a tri- bunal to decide who should be forced away and who remain. Parties were dispatched to hunt for fire-arms, and for Mormons, and to bring them to judgment. When brought, they received their doom from the mouth of Brockman, who sat a grim and unawed tyrant for the time. As a general rule, the Mormons were ordered to leave within an hour or two; and by rare grace some of them were allowed until next day, and in a few cases longer time was granted.
MALTREATMENT OF NEW CITIZENS.
Nothing was said in the treaty in regard to the new citizens, who had with the Mormons defended the city; but the posse no sooner had obtained possession than they commenced expelling them. Some of them were ducked in the river, and were in one or two instances actually baptized in the name of some of the leaders of the mob; others were forcibly driven into the ferry-boats to be taken over the river before the bayonets of armed ruffians. Many of these new settlers were strangers in the country from various parts of the United States, who were attracted there by the low price of property; and they knew but little of previous difficulties or the merits of the quarrel. They saw with their own eyes that the Mormons were industriously preparing to go away, and they knew "of their own knowledge " that any effort to expel them by force was gratuitous and unnecessary cruelty. They had been trained, by the States whence they came, to abhor mobs and to obey the law, and they volunteered their services under executive authority to defend their town and their property against mob violence, and, as they honestly believed, from destruction; but in this they were partly mistaken; for although the mob leaders in the exercise of unbridled power were guilty of many injuries to the persons of individuals, although much personal property was stolen, yet they abstained from materially injuring houses and buildings.
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
THE MORMONS REACH SALT LAKE.
The fugitives proceeded westward, taking the road through Mis- souri, but were forcibly ejected from that State and compelled to move indirectly through Iowa. After innumerable hardships the advance guard reached the Missouri river at Council Bluffs, when a United States officer presented a requisition for 500 men to serve in the war with Mexico. Compliance with this order so di- minished their number of effective men, that the expedition was again delayed and the remainder, consisting mostly of old men, women and children, hastily prepared habitations for winter. Their rudely constructed tents were hardly completed before winter set in with great severity, the bleak prairies being incessantly swept by piercing winds. While here cholera, fever and other diseases, aggravated by the previous hardships, the want of comfortable quarters and medical treatment, hurried many of them to prema- ture graves, yet, under the influence of religious fervor and fanati- cism, they looked death in the face with resignation and cheerful- ness, and even exhibited a gayety which manifested itself in music and dancing during the saddest hours of this sad winter.
At length welcome spring made its appearance, and by April they were again organized for the journey; a pioncer party, con- sisting of Brigham Young and 140 others, was sent in advance to locate a home for the colonists. On the 21 of July, 1847, a day memorable in Mormon annals, the vanguard reached the valley of the Great Salt Lake, having been directed thither, according to their accounts, by the hand of the Almighty. Here in a distant wil- derness, midway between the settlements of the East and the Pacific, and at that time a thousand miles from the utmost verge of civili- zation, they commenced preparations for founding a colony, which has since grown into a mighty empire.
MEXICAN WAR.
During the month of May, 1846, the President called for four regiments of volunteers from Illinois for the Mexican war. This was no sooner known in the State than nine regiments, numbering 8,370 men, answered the call, though only four of them, amounting to 3,720 men, could be taken. These regiments, as well as their officers, were everywhere foremost in the American ranks, and dis-
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tinguished themselves by their matchless valor in the bloodiest battles of the war. Veterans never fought more nobly and effect- ively than did the volunteers from Illinois. At the bloody battle of Buena Vista they crowned their lives-many their death-with the laurels of war. Never did armies contend more bravely, determinedly and stubbornly than the American and Mexican forces at this famous battle; and as Illinois troops were ever in the van and on the blood- iest portions of the field, we believe a short sketch of the part they took in the fierce contest is due them, and will be read with no lit- tle interest.
BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA,
General Santa Anna, with his army of 20,000, poured into the valley of Aqua Nueva early on the morning of the 22d of February, hoping to surprise our army, consisting of about 5,000 men, under Gen. Taylor and which had retreated to the "Narrows." They were hotly pursued by the Mexicans who, before attacking, sent Gen. Taylor a flag of truce demanding a surrender, and assuring him that if he refused he would be cut to pieces; but the demand was promptly refused. At this the enemy opened fire, and the con- flict began. In honor of the day the watchword with our soldiers was, "The memory of Washington." An irregular fire was kept up all day, and at night both armies bivouacked on the field, resting on their arms. Santa Anna that night made a spirited address to his men, and the stirring strains of his own band till late in the night were distinctly heard by our troops; but at last silence fell over the hosts that were to contend unto death in that narrow pass on the morrow.
Early on the following morning the battle was resumed, and con- tinned without intermission until nightfall. The solid columns of the enemy were hurled against our forces all day long, but were met and held in check by the unerring fire of our musketry and ar- tillery. A portion of Gen. Lane's division was driven back by the enemy under Gen. Lombardini, who, joined by Gen. Pacheco's divis- ion, poured upon the main platean in so formidable numbers as to appear irresistible.
BRAVERY OF THE SECOND ILLINOIS.
At this time the 2d Illinois, under Col. Bissell, with a squadron of cavalry and a few pieces of artillery came handsomely into action
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
and gallantly received the concentrated fire of the enemy, which they returned with deliberate aim and terrible effect; every dis- charge of the artillery seemed to tear a bloody path through the heavy columns of enemy. Says a writer: "The rapid mus- ketry of the gallant troops from Illinois poured a storm of lead into their serried ranks, which literally strewed the ground with the dead and dying." But, notwithstanding his losses, the enemy steadily advanced until our gallant regiment received fire from three sides. Still they maintained their position for a time with unflinching firmness against that immense host. At length, per- ceiving the danger of being entirely surrounded, it was determined to fall back to a ravine. Col. Bissel, with the coolness of ordinary drill, ordered the signal "eease firing " to be made; he then with the same deliberation gave the command, " Face to the rear, Bat- talion, about face; forward march," which was executed with the regularity of veterans to a point beyond the peril of being out- flanked. Again, in obedience to command these brave men halted. faced about, and under a murderous tempest of bullets from the foe. resumed their well-directed fire. The conduct of no troops could have been more admirable; and, too, until that day they had never been under fire, when, within less than half an hour eighty of their comrades dropped by their sides. How different from the Arkansas regiment, which were ordered to the plateau, but after delivering their first volley gave way and dispersed.
SADDEST EVENT OF THE BATTLE.
But now we have to relate the saddest, and, for Illinois, the most mournful, event of that battle-worn day. We take the account from Colton's History of the battle of Buena Vista. "As the enemy on our left was moving in retreat along the head of the Plateau, our artillery was advanced until within range, and opened a heavy fire upon him, while Cols. Hardin, Bissell and McKee, with their Illinois and Kentucky troops, dashed gallantly forward in hot pur- suit. A powerful reserve of the Mexican army was then. just emerging from the ravine, where it had been organized, and advanced on the plateau, opposite the head of the southernmost gorge. Those who were giving way rallied quickly upon it; when the whole force, thus increased to over 12,000 men, came forward in a perfect blaze of fire. It was a single column, composed of the best soldiers of the republic, having for its advanced battalions the
SCENE ON FOX RIVER.
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IHISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
veteran regiments. The Kentucky and Illinois troops were soon obliged to give ground before it and seek the shelter of the second gorge. The enemy pressed on, arriving opposite the head of the second gorge. One-half of the column suddenly enveloped it, while the other half pressed on across the plateau, having for the moment nothing to resist them but the three guns in their front. The por- tion that was immediately opposed to the Kentucky and Illinois troops, ran down along each side of the gorge, in which they had sought shelter, and also eireled around its head, leaving no possible way of escape for them except by its mouth, which opened upon the road. Its sides, which were steep,-at least an angle of 45 degrees,-were covered with loose pebbles and stones, and con- verged to a point at the bottom. Down there were our poor fel- lows, nearly three regiments of them (1st and 2d Illinois and 2d Kentucky), with but little opportunity to load or fire a gun, being hardly able to keep their feet. Above the whole edge of the gorge, all the way around, was darkened by the serried masses of the ene:ny, and was bristling with muskets directed on the crowd beneath. It was no time to pause. Those who were not immedi- ately shot down rushed on toward the road, their number growing less and less as they went, Kentuckians and Illinoisans, officers and men, all mixed up in confusion, and all pressing on over the loose pebbles and rolling stones of those shelving, precipitous banks, and having lines and lines of the enemy firing down from each side and rear as they went. Just then the enemy's cavalry, which had gone to the left of the reserve, had come over the spur that divides the month of the second gorge from that of the third, and were now closing up the only door through which there was the least shadow of a chance for their lives. Many of those ahead endeavored to force their way out, but few succeeded. The lancers were fully six to one, and their long weapons were already reeking with blood. It was at this time that those who were still back in that dreadful gorge heard, above the din of the musketry and the shouts of the enemy around them, the roar of Washington's Bat- tery. No music could have been more grateful to their ears. A moment only, and the whole opening, where the lancers were busy, rang with the repeated explosions of spherical-case shot. They gave way. The gate, as it were, was clear, and out upon the road a stream of our poor fellows issued. They ran panting down
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toward the battery, and directly under the fight of iron then pas. sing over their heads, into the retreating cavalry. Hardin, MeKee, Clay, Willis, Zabriskie, Houghton-but why go on? It would be a sad task indeed to name over all who fell during this twenty minutes' slaughter. The whole gorge, from the plateau to its mouth, was strewed with our dead. All dead! No wounded there -not a man; for the infantry had rushed down the sides and com- pleted the work with the bayonet."
VICTORY FOR OUR ARMY.
The artillery on the plateau stubbornly maintained its position, The remnants of the 1st and 2d Illinois regiments, after issuing from the fated gorge, were formed and again brought into action, the former, after the fall of the noble Hardin, under Lieut. Col. Weatherford, the latter under Bissell. The enemy brought forth reinforcements and a brisk artillery duel was kept up; but gradually, as the shades of night began to cover the earth, the rattle of mus- ketry slackened, and when the pall of night was thrown over that bloody field it ceased altogether. Each army, after the fieree and long struggle, occupied much the same position as it did in the morning. However, early on the following morning, the glad tidings were heralded amidst our army that the enemy had retreated. thus again crowning the American banners with victory.
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