USA > Missouri > Livingston County > History of Caldwell and Livingston counties, Missouri, written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Caldwell and Livingston counties--their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens; general and local statistics of great value; incidents and reminiscences > Part 14
USA > Missouri > Caldwell County > History of Caldwell and Livingston counties, Missouri, written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Caldwell and Livingston counties--their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens; general and local statistics of great value; incidents and reminiscences > Part 14
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In this engagement the Mormons lost Capt. Patton and two men named Patrick O'Banion and Gideon Carter killed, and James Hol- brook and another man wounded. In the dark the latter fought by mistake, and cut up one another with their corn knives, or " swords," as they called them, very severely. Capt. Bogart's Gentiles lost Moses Rowland killed and Thos. H. Loyd, Edwin Odell, James Lockard, Martin Dunnaway, Samuel Tarwater, and Wyatt Craven wounded.
Two Mormons attacked Tarwater with corn knives and nearly cut him to pieces. He received a terrible gash in the skull, through which his brain was plainly visible, one terrible blow across the face severed the jaw bone and destroyed all the upper teeth, and there was an ugly gash made in his neck. He kept his bed six months and his wounds considerably affected his speech and his memory, Mr. Tarwater is yet alive, and resides near Orrick, Ray county. Since 1840 he has
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drawn a pension from the State of Missouri of $100 per year, for the wounds and disability he received in the Crooked river fight. Wyatt Craven lives near Crab Orchard, Ray county. He was taken prisoner early in the fight, and the Mormons started with him to Far West, but after traveling some distance they released him and told him to go home. He started off and was walking away pretty briskly, when Parley P. Pratt, a very prominent and noted Mormon and one of the " Twelve Apostles," laid his gun against a tree, took deliberate aim, fired and shot him down. Then, believing he was dead, the Mor- mons went off and left him.1
The Danites carried Capt. Patton back to Far West with them the day of the fight. That night he died. His death cast a gloom over the entire community. It robbed many of the fond belief that the Saints were invincible and supernaturally protected. " If Capt. Fear Not can be killed," asked some in consternation, " who can claim im- munity from the Gentile weapons of death ? " Joseph Smith explained it all. He preached the funeral sermon of Patton in the hall of Far West, and told his people, to the astonishment of many, that the Mormons fell by the missiles of death the same as other men ! He also declared that the Lord was angry with the people, for they had been unbelieving and faithless, and had denied his servants the free use of their earthly treasures .? That is the people had not contrib- uted freely of their substance to the support of the Prophet and his as- sociates, and therefore, the Lord had permitted Patton, Carter and O'Banion to be killed !
The news of the fight on Crooked river spread rapidly and caused the most intense excitement. All the Gentiles in the northern part of the county abandoned their homes and fled southward near Richmond and elsewhere for safety, believing that a general raid upon them y the " Saints " was imminent .. The Mormons had fired the first gun, and were to be considered the aggressors, and wherever the news was received there was a general and vehement demand that they be at once " put down," severely punished for what they had done, and effectually disposed of.
Gov. Lilburn W. Boggs, whose residence was at Independence, Jackson county, and who shared the general hatred and distrust of the Mormons, in response to numerously signed petitions, and perhaps in
1 In his " Life and Confessions," p. 73, John D. Lee says it was Tarwater whom Pratt shot; but he is mistaken. Both Tarwater and Craven are yet living.
2 John D. Lee, p. 75.
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obedience to what he considered to be his duty, ordered that the Mor- mon regiment of militia in Caldwell county should be disarmed and disbanded; that certain of their leading men, including the Prophet, who were alleged offenders against the law, should be arrested and turned over to the civil authorities; and that the remainder of the Mormons, every man, woman, and child, should be expelled from the State.
Maj .- Gens. D. R. Atchison and Saml. D. Lucas, commanding respec- tively the third and fourth divisions of the Missouri militia, were or- dered to take the field at once and proceed to Far West. They at once called out their divisions. Gen. Atchison, at the time, resided at Lib- erty, and the first subordinate he put into the service was his fellow- townsman, Brig .- Gen. A. W. Doniphan, commanding the first brigade, composed of the militia from Clay, Clinton, and the counties in the Platte Purchase. Doniphan started at once with but, two companies from Clay, ordering the remainder of his brigade to join him en route to Far West or at that point as soon as possible. The first day out from Liberty he was joined by Capt. Nehemiah Odell's company, of 100 men, from Ray. This latter company belonged in Gen. H. G. Parks' brigade district, but the captain said the men had no confidence in their brigade commander, and would not fight under him. Odell's company was known as " The Fishing River Tigers."
Gen. Lucas' division district lay south of the river, and he resided at Independence. He put the troops under Brig .- Gen. James Graham, of Lafayette county, in motion, crossed the river and proceeded to Richmond, near which place he was joined by Gen. Atchison in person.
On Monday, October 29th, the troops, except Doniphan's brigade, ordered out by Gens. Atchison and Lucas (as per their report to Gov. Boggs of that date) took up their line. of march from the camp near Richmond for Far West. The same night they encamped on Lin- ville's creek, a short distance from the road, about 16 miles south of Far West. Here they received an express from Gen. Doniphan, informing them that he was then encamped on Log creek, with a force of 500 men, and that he would join them at the crossing of that creek, on the road from Richmond to Far West, by 10 o'clock the next morning.
On the 30th the commands formed a junction at the last named point, the total force then amounting to about 1,800 men. While here, Gens. Lucas and Atchison received Gov. Boggs' orders, dated October 26th, and Gen. Lucas an order of the 27th, and a letter of
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the same date. Gen. Doniphan states to the writer hereof that at this time he also received an order and a letter from Gov. Boggs. The order, Gen. Doniphan says, commanded him to obey the orders of Gen. John B. Clark, when he should arrive and assume command, as he had been ordered to do, and the letter was very denunciatory of the Mormons, and declared, among other things, that " they must all be driven from the State or exterminated."
It is asserted that Gen. Atchison's orders or directions from the Gov- ernor were to the same purport as Doniphan's letter from the Gov- ernor, and that thereupon Gen. Atchison withdrew from the military force, declaring that he would be no party to the enforcement of such inhuman commands. On the other hand, it is asserted that the Gov- ernor's orders to Atchison relieved him from command, directing him to turn over his command to Gen. Lucas.1 At any rate, Gen. Atchison left the militia at Log creek on receipt of the Governor's orders and returned to his home at Liberty, and Gen. Lucas was left in sole command.
Gen. Lucas then moved forward for Goose creek, one mile south of Far West, taking the old Richmond and Far West road, which ran a mile or more east of the present road from Mirabile to Far West, and may still be seen. Arriving at Goose creek " an hour by sun," the troops were directed to go into camp, but just as they were en- camping Gen. Lucas received word from Gen. Doniphan, from the latter's position, on the right of the line, that he had discovered a party of mounted Mormons approaching Far West from the east, and requesting permission to intercept them if possible. Leave was granted and a considerable detachment of Doniphan's brigade, mounted, started off at full speed to accomplish the order, but the Mormons succeeded in reaching Far West, and the protection of the line of earthworks which had been thrown up about the place on re- ceipt of the news of the advance of Gen. Lucas and his troops.
Gen. Doniphan approached within 200 yards of the Mormon breast- works with his force of 250 or 300 men, when the Mormons advanced and displayed a force which the militia estimated was composed of 800 men, but which the Mormons say numbered but 150. At this juncture Gen. Lucas ordered forward Gen. Graham's brigade, from Lafayette and Jackson (holding Gen. Parks' and a portion of Gen. Robert Wilson's, mounted, in reserve ), to the relief of Gen. Doniphan, but after making these dispositions, the commanders deemed it pru-
1 Repeated letters to Gen. Atchison on this subject have received no answers.
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dent not to attack the Mormons that night, but to withdraw the troops and march against them in the morning, which was done, and all the troops, except the detachment from Wilson's brigade, returned to camp as dark set in. Gen. Wilson's detachment did not return till 9 p. m.
The next morning, October 31st, Gen. Lucas received a message from Col. Geo. W. Hinkle, commanding the forces under arms at Far West, the Caldwell county militia, requesting an interview with him on an eminence near Far West; which he would designate by hoisting a white flag. Gen. Lucas, whose headquarters were on Goose creek, during the entire expedition against the Mormons, replied to Hinkle that he would meet him at 2 p. m. that day. The General at this time was very busily engaged in receiving and disposing of fresh troops or re-enforcements that were pouring in hourly by hundreds.
Among the companies was one commanded by Cornelius Gilliam, a former sheriff' of Clay county, and an ex-State Senator. Gilliam's company was from the Platte Purchase, and the men were painted and feathered and otherwise rigged out as Indians. Gilliam himself wore a full Indian costume, had his war paint on, and called himself " the Delaware Chief," and his men " the Delaware amarnjans." They would whoop and yell, and otherwise comport themselves as savages.
When Capt. Bogart's company, which was in the fight at Crooked river, came up the men were regarded as heroes, although en route they had burned every Mormon cabin they came upon, and had wan- tonly shot down much live stock and destroyed other property. The outlying Mormon settlements had by this time nearly all been aban- doned, the occupants fleeing to Far West for safety. The militia for- aged upon the county, and much property was taken, and much destroyed without cause. One man shot a cow, and finding she was too poor to make good beef he skinned a strip of hide from her back and this strip he tied about a tree to fasten his horse's halter into. Some militia over in the edge of Clinton drove a dozen sheep into a vacated dwelling-house and burned the whole up together. Gilliam's " Indians " had been stationed at Hunter's Mills a few days pre- viously and committed many excesses.
At 2 p. m. of the 31st, Gen. Lucas, accompanied by his staff offi- cers and Brig .- Gens. Doniphan, Wilson and Graham - Gen. Parks being left in command of the camps - started for the interview with Hinkle. The Mormon leader was met at the point agreed on. He stated that his object in asking Gen. Lucas for the interview was to learn if there could not be some compromise or settlement of the diffi-
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culty other than a resort to arms. The general replied by reading to Hinkle the orders and instructions of the Governor, and giving him a copy of them, and by submitting to him in writing the following prop- ositions, a compliance with which alone would prevent a battle : -
1. The Mormons to give up Joseph Smith and other leaders of the church to be tried and punished.
2. To make an appropriation of the property of all who had taken up arms to the payment of their debts and to make indemnity for the damages they had done or occasioned, which latter clause was held to mean that the Mormons should pay all the expenses of the war against them.
3. To give up their arms of every description, to be receipted for.
4. All those not held for trial or under legal process to leave the State and be protected out by the militia; but to be permitted to remain where they were under protection until further orders were received from the commander-in-chief.
Col. Hinkle very readily agreed to the propositions, but wished to postpone the matter until the following morning. Gen. Lucas then informed him that he would require to be delivered to him Joseph Smith, Jr. (the Prophet ), Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Parley P. Pratt, and George W. Robinson, as hostages for the faithful compli- ance with the terms. Gen. Lucas further said he would pledge him- self and every one of his officers present that in case he (Hinkle), after reflecting and consulting upon the propositions during the night, declined acceding to them, the hostages should be returned to him in the morning at the same point where they had been received ; but it was understood, so Gen. Lucas says, that in case there was a com- pliance with the propositions, the hostages were to be held for trial as part of the leaders called for by the first stipulation. Hinkle was then given until " an hour by sun in the evening," to produce the host- ages, and Gen. Lucas and his party returned to their camp on Goose creek.
Hinkle returned to Far West. Doubtless, this officer was actuated by the noble motive of desiring to save the lives of scores if not hun- dreds of his brethren in his action, but he concealed the real state of affairs from the leaders of the church, and his conduct was marked with something of diplomacy - the Mormons called it duplicity and treachery. He visited the parties designated by Gen. Lucas, and informed them that they were wanted, not for hostages, but to confer with Gen. Lucas and the other military authorities in arranging a compromise or truce. Doubtless he feared that if he disclosed the
4
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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.
real purpose for which they were wanted, they would refuse to sur- render themselves, and the most direful results would follow. He knew that the militia against him numbered about 3,000, or about five to one of his own force, that a fight could result but one way, and under the Governor's orders the consequences would be most frightful and terrible - practically wholesale slaughter. "Gen." Hinkle was a Kentuckian, and personally brave and fearless. He did not fear danger for himself, but for his brethren, and his course, it must be admitted, was certainly for the best. Yet the Mormons ever afterwards regarded him as a traitor, and he was cut off from the church, and spent his last days in Iowa, and died aloof from his former brethren.
Joseph Smith and the others readily agreed to accompany Hinkle to meet Gen. Lucas, and accordingly accompanied him to the place of meeting agreed upon.
When Gen. Lucas reached his camp, he at once issued orders directing his troops to make preparations to march on Far West " by an hour and a half by sun," with a determination that in case the hostages were not produced to make an attack forthwith.
Gen. Parks' brigade was directed to be mounted, and to form on the right of the division, to act as flankers if necessary, and if re- quired to pass entirely around the town and form on the north side, with instructions to make the attack . at the report of the cannon, which was to be the signal for the general attack. Gen. Graham's brigade was mounted and formed on the extreme left to act as flankers, and if required to move around and form a line on the west side of town, with the same instructions as Gen. Parks as to the sig- nal for attack. Gen. Doniphan's brigade was ordered to parade on foot, and to form on the left of Parks' brigade, with instructions to form in line of battle on the south side, and with the general instruc- tions as to the commencement of attack. The artillery company, with one cannon, was placed at the head of Doniphan's and Gen. Wil- son's brigades, with instructions to occupy an eminence within 300 yards of the town.
His army being thus disposed, at the appointed time Gen. Lucas took up the line of march in the direction of Far West. When the troops had reached a position within six hundred yards of the town, the general discovered the white flag and the hostages advancing. He immediately halted the army and rode forward and met them, re- ceived the hostages and placed a guard over them, and ordered his forces back to the encampment on Goose creek.
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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.
That night while the prisoners were in Gen. Doniphan's camp, nu- merous militia officers exclaimed in their hearing that they ought to be killed. It is said that a council of the principal field officers de- clared that they should be shot the next morning. Of these threats the prisoners had full knowledge, and were not a little uneasy ; indeed some of them were much alarmed. The threats were in earnest, too. The militia officers were not trifling ; they really wished and intended to kill Smith and his companions in cold blood, and there were many threats and symptoms, that if they were not formally executed they would be assassinated.
Yielding to the pressure upon him, it is alleged that Gen. Lucas, at about midnight, issued the following order to Gen. Doniphan, in whose keeping the hostages were : -
Brigadier-General Doniphan. - SIR : You will take Joseph Smith and the other prisoners into the public square of Far West, and shoot them at 9 o'clock to-morrow morning.
SAMUEL D. LUCAS, Major-General Commanding.
But Gen. Doniphan, in great and righteous indignation, promptly returned the following reply to his superior : -
It is cold-blooded murder. I will not obey your order. My brigade shall march for Liberty to-morrow morning, at 8 o'clock; and if you execute those men, I will hold you responsible before an earthly tribunal, so help me God !
A. W. DONIPHAN, Brigadier-General.
The prisoners somehow heard of the order, and kneeled in prayer, and prayed fervently that it might not be executed. And it was not. Flagrantly insubordinate as was Gen. Doniphan's refusal, he was never called to account for it. The Mormons have always remembered Gen. Doniphan's humanity on this occasion, as well as on others, and when, in 1874, he went to Salt Lake City, he was received with much feeling, and shown every regard and attention by Brigham Young and the other authorities of the church and city, and by even the masses of the people.
It did not take long to convince Smith and his fellow-prisoners that it was best they should surrender to Gen. Lucas, and it is said that they consented at last and sent word to their brethren in Far West to lay down their arms and submit to the demands upon them. This was far better than to have exposed themselves and their followers to
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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.
the cruel mercies of Bogart's and Odell's " Tigers," Neil Gilliam's " Delaware amarujans," and the Jackson county " Rangers."
On the morning of November 1st Gen. Lucas ordered his whole force of from 2,500 to 3,000 men to parade at 9 o'clock, and to again take up the line of march for Far West half an hour later. It was understood at this time that the Mormon forces were to sur- render without a fight, but preparations were made as if a conflict were certain, and only the superior officers knew the true situation.
The troops marched out and formed in the prairie about 300 yards southeast of the town. The Mormons were confronted on three sides. Gen. Wilson's brigade formed the west line, Gen. Doniphan's the east line, Gen. Graham's and Gen. Parks' the south line, with the artil- lery company and the cannon in the center of the two latter, leaving the north side of town open and unguarded.
Many of the commands, especially the Jackson county regiment, were eager for the fight to begin, not knowing that there was to be a surrender, or at least that one had been promised. Soon there came a stillness and a hush upon the line, followed by a period of intense but quiet excitement and great uneasiness and impatience. Presently the head-logs on the Mormon breastworks were seen to tumble out- ward, a white flag went up, and in obedience to the commands of their officers, the"Mormon companies were observed to be forming into a regiment, which presently came out 600 strong, "Gen. " Hinkle at . the head, and forming into a hollow square, " grounded arms." Col. Hinkle then rode forward, and after a graceful salute, delivered up his sword and pistols to Gen. Lucas,1 then turned away to his men and, with tears upon his cheeks, and in a voice broken with emotion, said to them, "'Boys, it's all over; it had to be done."
About 630 guns, consisting of hunting rifles, shot-guns and a few muskets, and some rude swords, home-made, and a few pistols, were given up and hauled off by the State authorities, but it can not be stated here what disposition was made of them. No compensation was ever allowed the Mormons for their property, which was taken or destroyed, and of course no return was made for their arms. These, as has been stated, with the exception of those belonging to the Danites, were indifferent for the most part. The Danites had good guns and pistols.
1 Vide Gen. Lucas' report. A sword in possession of a Masonic lodge at Carrollton is said to be Hinkle's old sword; but as this is claimed to have been taken from the Mormon leader by Col. Sarshel Woods, it is certainly not the sword given up by Hinkle to Gen. Lucas.
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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.
Some of the Mormon officers had good swords. These officers all hore commissions, signed by Gov. Boggs, in the 53d regiment of Mis- souri militia, of which George W. Hinkle was colonel; Lyman Wight, lieutenant-colonel ; and Jefferson Hunt, major. The regiment was regularly made up, according to the State law, from Caldwell county. Some of the other officers were Amasa Lyman and Seymour Brownson (called Brunson ), who were captains ; Geo. P. Dykes was a lieuten- ant; Jacob Gates was an ensign. The Mormons under arms were all militiamen, regularly enrolled and mustered.
After the Mormons had laid down their arms and become prisoners, Gen. Lucas directed a company from the respective brigades to form a front, rear, right flank and left flank guard, and to march the pris- oners back to Far West, and take charge of them until the next morn- ing. A company from Doniphan's brigade was placed in charge of the arms. Then, " in order to gratify the army," as Gen. Lucas" says, the troops were marched around and through the town, and there were many disorderly scenes. A great deal of plundering was done. Some whisky had been obtained in some way, and many of the men were drunk. Some hard stories of their conduct were afterward told by the Mormons.
Considering the " war " at an end in this quarter, Gen. Lucas issued orders for Gen. Doniphan's brigade, with the exception of one com- pany, and Gen. Graham's brigade to take up the line of march"for their respective headquarters, and on arrival thereat to be dismissed from service. Gen. Robert Wilson was directed to take charge of the prisoners selected for trial and the arms ; to march the prisoners to Gen. Lucas' headquarters at Independence, to await further orders, and to dismiss all of his troops except a guard for the prisoners and arms.
November 2 Gen. Lucas relieved the guard placed over the prisoners at Far West by four companies of Gen. Parks' brigade, and placed them under the command of Col. B. M. Thompson, of Ray county, 2d brigade, 3d division, with instructions to report to Maj. Gen. John B. Clark on his'arrival. The remainder of Gen. Parks' brigade, with Capt. Neil Gilliam's company of Gen. Doniphan's brigade, under the command of Gen. Parks, was ordered to Adam-ondi-Ahman (com- monly called Adam-on-Diamon, or Diamon), in Daviess county, with instructions to disarm the Mormons at that place.
In the meantime Gov. Boggs had ordered Gen. John B. Clark, of Howard county, major-general commanding the 1st division of mil- itia, to proceed to Far West with his division, and assume command of
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the forces operating against the Mormons and direct operations. On the 4th of November Gen. Clark with about 1,600 men, and 500 more eight miles off, arrived at Far West, and relieved Col. Thompson. The next day he took 56 of the men of the town prisoners and had them strictly guarded. He acted " vigorously," as he had been di- rected, and proceeded to make the Mormons feel the helplessness of their situation. Guards were stationed all about Far West, and none of the inhabitants were allowed to go out on any errand whatever. There was considerable suffering among them on account of the scarcity of wood, corn, and provisions. Many who had abandoned their farms and homes and fled to Far West when the troubles began were in a sad plight. The militia were foraging liberally upon their crops and likewise upon their flocks and herds, and destroying their property, while they themselves were suffering with hunger and cold. The De Witt refugees had arrived, to the number of some hundreds, and as they were nearly all in want they had to be cared for by their brethren.
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