Docket Entry, 1–circa 6 July 1843 [Extradition of JS for Treason]
Source Note
Docket Entry, [, Hancock Co., IL, 1–ca. 6 July 1843], Extradition of JS for Treason (Nauvoo, IL, Municipal Court 1843); Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 55–87, 116–150; handwriting of and ; CHL.
in order to touch his sympathy & compassion, and if were possible, for him to use his best endeavours to preserve the lives of the people. On the return of this messenger, we learned that several persons had been killed by some of the soldiers who were under the command of . One Mr Carey had his brains knocked out by the britch<butt end> of a gun & he lay bleeding several hours, but his family were not permitted to approach him, nor any one else allowed to administer relief to him whilst he lay upon the ground in the agonies of death. Mr Carey had just arrived in the country, from the State of of only a few hours previous to the arrival of the army. He had a family consisting of a wife & several small children. He was buried by who is now the Senior Warden of the Nauvoo Lodge. Another man of the name of was knocked in the head at the same time & his skull laid bare the width of a man’s hand & he lay, to all appearance in the agonies of death for several hours; but by the permission of his friend brought him out of the camp & with good nursing he slowly recovered, & is now living. There was another man, whose name is Powell who was beat on his head with the britch <butt> of a gun until his Skull was fractured & his brains run out in two or three places. He is now alive & resides in this but has lost the use of his senses. Several persons of his family were also left for dead, but have since recovered. These acts of barbarity were also committed by the soldiers under the command of previous to having received the ’s order of extermination.
It was on the evening of the 30th of Octr according to the best of my recollection that the army arrived at , the sun about half an hour high. In a few moments afterwards, arrived with his army & formed a junction. This had been stationed at Hunters Mills for about two months previous to that time,— committing depredations upon the inhabitants, capturing men, women & children & carrying them off as prisoners lacerating their bodies with hickory withes. The army of “” were painted like Indians, some of them were more conspicuous than were others, designated by red spots, & he, also was painted in a similar manner, with red spots marked on his face & sty[l]ed the “Delaware Chief.” They would whoop & holl-a & yell as nearly like Indians as they could & continued to do so all that night. In the morning early the of Militia sent a messenger into the camp with a white flag to have another interview with — On his return he informed us that the s orders had arrived. said that “the order of the was, to exterminate the Mormons by God, but he would be damned if he obeyed that order, but might <do> what he pleased.” We immediately learned from that “the ’s order that had arrived was only a copy of the original & that the original order was in the hands of , who was on his way to [p. 67]