A week and a half earlier, on 25 April 1845, a company of Sidney Rigdon’s followers arrived in Nauvoo. William Clayton recorded hearing reports that their object was “to seize the church property, or institute suits against the brethren so as to get up an excitement before Court time.” Oliver B. Huntington stated that there was “some talk of whistling & whittling them out but Brigham said wait, enough for the present.” Individual followers of Rigdon were likewise coming to the city on occasion throughout early May to transact business. Young publicly warned that “the Sidneyites have come here to fan the flame, to cause the mob to come here & burn this place.” (Clayton, Journal, 26 Apr. 1845; Huntington, History, 105–106; Iowa, 11 May 1845, Letter to the Editor, Messenger and Advocate, of the Church of Christ [Pittsburgh], 1 June 1845, 224; “Look Out!,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 7 May 1845, [2]; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 4 May 1845.)

Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

Huntington, Oliver B. History, 1845–1846. Oliver Boardman Huntington, Papers, 1843– 1932. BYU.

Messenger and Advocate of the Church of Christ. Pittsburgh. Apr. 1845–Sept. 1846.

Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

Historian’s Office. General Church Minutes, 1839–1877. CHL

Sharp, the editor of the Warsaw Signal, and Williams, a colonel in the Hancock County militia, were longtime opponents of the church. They were also two of the men facing trial for the murders of JS and Hyrum Smith.