History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of and ; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war at , Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1. ’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and , assisted by , resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, , and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1, and chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death, , , , and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—, Ohio, and northwest —during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.
<October 31—> Wednesday 31. The Militia of guarded the city the past night and threw up a temporary fortification of waggons, timber &c on the South. The Sisters many of them were engaged in gathering up their most valuable effects, fearing a terrible battle in the morning, and that the houses might be fired and they obliged to flee. the enemy being five to one against us. About eight o’clock a flag was sent which was met by several of our people, and it was hoped that matters would be satisfactorily arranged after the officers had heard a true statement of all the <’s treachery> circumstances. went to meet the flag and secretly made an engagement
“1st. To give up their -[the Church]- leaders to be tried and punished. 2nd. To make an appropriation of their property, all who had taken up arms, to the payment of their debts, and indemnify for damage done by them. 3rd. That the balance should leave the , and be protected out by the Militia, but to be permitted to remain under protection until further orders were received from the Commander in Chief. 4th. to give up the arms of every description to be receipted for.”
The Enemy was re-inforced by about one thousand five hundred men to day and news of the destruction of property by the Mob, reached us from every quarter. Towards evening I was waited upon by who stated that the Officers of the Militia desired to have an interview with me, and some others, hoping that the difficulties might be settled without having occasion to carry into effect the exterminating orders, which they had received from the . I immediately complied with the request, <Joseph enters the Camp & is taken Prisoner> and in [HC 3:188] company with Elders and , and went into the Camp of the Militia. But judge of my surprise, when instead of being treated with that respect which is due from one Citizen to another, we were taken as Prisoners of War, and were treated with the utmost contempt. The officers would not converse with us, and the soldiers, almost to a man, insulted us as much as they felt disposed, breathing out threats against me and my companions. I [HC 3:189] cannot begin to tell the scene which I there witnessed. The Loud cries and yells of more than one thousand voices, which rent the air and could be heard for miles; and the horrid and blasphemous threats and curses which were poured upon us in torrents, were enough to appal the stoutest heart. in the evening we had to lie down on the cold ground surrounded by a strong guard, who were only kept back by the power of God from depriving us of life. We petitioned the officers to know why we were thus treated, but they utterly refused to give us any answer or to converse with us. After we arrived in the Camp Brother and eleven other brethren who were prisoners, volunteered, with permission of the Officers to carry Brother Carey into the city to his family having lain exposed to the Weather, for a show to the inhuman wretches, without having his wounds dressed, or nourished in any manner. He died soon after he reached home.
<November 1 Joseph sentenced to be Shot.> Thursday November 1. Brother and were brought prisoners into Camp They held a Court Martial and sentenced us to be shot, on Friday morning, on the public square, as an ensample to the Mormons. However notwithstanding their sentence, and determination, they were [HC 3:190] not permitted to carry their murderous sentence into . Having an opportunity of speaking to General Wilson, I inquired of him the cause why I was thus treated, I told him I was not sensible of having done any thing worthy of such treatment that I had always been a supporter of the Constitution and of Democracy. His answer was “I know it, and that is the reason why I want to kill you, or have you killed.” The militia then went into the and without any restraint whatever, plundered the houses, and abused the innocent and unoffending inhabitants. They went to my house and drove my family out of doors. They carried away most of my property and left many destitute— declared he would have nothing to do with such cold blooded murder, and that he would withdraw his brigade in the morning. [p. 848]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [693]
See 31 Oct. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [694]
Rockwood, Journal, 31 Oct. 1838.
Rockwood, Albert Perry. Journal Entries, Oct. 1838–Jan. 1839. Photocopy. CHL. MS 2606.
- [695]
Bill of Damages, 4 June 1839; Samuel D. Lucas, “Camp near Far West,” MO, to Lilburn W. Boggs, 2 Nov. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 73.
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; and the Evidence Given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes against the State. Fayette, MO: Boon’s Lick Democrat, 1841.
- [696]
See 1 Nov. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [697]
Lilburn W. Boggs, Jefferson City, MO, to John B. Clark, 1 Nov. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 76–77.
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; and the Evidence Given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes against the State. Fayette, MO: Boon’s Lick Democrat, 1841.
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