| On October 24, 1838,
Thomas B. Marsh, having fled to Richmond, Ray County,
testifies that a company of Mormons under David W. Patten has burned
Gallatin; that Danites plan to burn Buncombe and perhaps Liberty and
Richmond; that Joseph believes his prophecies are superior to the laws
of the land, and so forth. Orson Hyde states that he knows most of Marsh's
statements to be true and believes the rest. The Battle of Crooked
River takes place the next day in Ray county, and on October 27, 1838,
Governor Lilliburn W. Boggs issues his infamous extermination order. |
| Danite
oath: right or wrong |
¶ |
They have among
them a company consisting of all that are considered true Mormons, called
the Danites, who have taken an oath to support the heads of the church
in all things that they say or do, whether right or wrong. |
|
HC
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by B. H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1902-1912, 1932).
3:167. |
| Many
Danites against oath |
|
Many, however, of
this band are much dissatisfied with this oath, as being against moral
and religious principles. |
|
|
| Destruction
Company to destroy Buncombe, Liberty, Richmond |
|
On Saturday last,
I am informed by the Mormons, that they had a meeting at Far West, at
which they appointed a company of twelve, by the name of the "Destruction
Company," for the purpose of burning and destroying, and that if
the people of Buncombe came to do mischief upon the people of Caldwell,
and committed depredations upon the Mormons, they were to burn Buncombe;
and if the people of Clay and Ray made any movement against them, this
destroying company were to burn Liberty and Richmond. * * * * |
|
Buncombe:
Bunkham's Strip
Asterisks in
HC
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by B. H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1902-1912, 1932).
version. |
| |
|
The Prophet inculcates
the notion, and it is bled by every true Mormon, that Smith's prophecies
are superior to the laws of the land. I heard the Prophet say that he
would yet tread down his enemies, and walk over their dead bodies; and
if he was not let alone, he would be a second Mohammed to this generation,
and that he would make it one gore of blood from the Rocky mountains to
the Atlantic ocean; that like Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace
was "the Alcoran or the Sword." |
|
Alcoran
(Alkoran): Koran. |
| Smith
plans to take the nation and the world |
|
The plan of said
Smith, the prophet, is to take this State, and he professes to his people
to intend taking the United States, and ultimately the whole world. …
|
|
Sidney Rigdon
Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess, Richard S. Van Wagoner (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1994).
,
235 provides this sentence omitted from
HC
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited by B. H. Roberts, 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1902-1912, 1932).
. |
| Superior
to laws of the land |
|
The prophet inculcates
the notion, and it is believed by every true Mormon, that Smith's prophecies
are superior to the laws of the land. < |
|
|
A
second Mohamet
Joseph or the Sword |
|
I have heard the
prophet say that he should yet tread down his enemies, and walk over their
dead bodies; that if he was not let alone he would be a second Mohamet
to this generation, and that he would make it one gore of blood from the
Rocky mountains to the Atlantic ocean that like Mohomet, whose motto,
in treating for peace, was "The Alcoran or the Sword," so should
it be eventually with us, "Joseph Smith or the Sword." These
last statements were made during the last summer. |
|
|
| 300–400
armed men at Adam-ondi-Ahman |
|
The number of armed
men at Adam-ondi-Ahman was between three and four hundred. |
|
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|
Thomas B. Marsh |
|
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Sworn to and subscribed
before me, the day herein written. |
|
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Henry Jacobs, |
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J. P. Ray county, Missouri |
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Richmond, Missouri,
October 24, 1848. |
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| Orson
Hyde affirms |
|
AFFIDAVIT OF ORSON
HYDE. |
|
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| |
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The most of the
statements in the foregoing disclosure I know to be true; the remainder
I believe to be true. |
|
Orson
Hyde deeply regretted signing this affidavit. ¶
Orson Hyde (h) . |
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Orson Hyde |
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Richmond, October
24, 1838 |
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Sworn to and subscribed
before me, on the day above written. |
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Henry Jacobs, J. P. |
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Thomas B. Marsh (h)
Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde (h)
Missouri 1838
|