Chapter Sixth
1844
Times began to get so that our persons were not safe. Brother Joseph's life was not safe at all. He had several lifeguards to go with him when he went anywhere; they had issued writs for him several times to try to get him into prison again, but they could not prove him guilty in any way whatever, but they ill-treated him shamefully and sometimes threatened to kill him on the spot. They took him to Carthage jail to try him over and over again, but they could not prove anything that was against the laws of the Constitution of the United States against him and would have to deliver him up again. This made them more enraged than ever, and they gathered together in places to counsel together and plan the best method of making away with him.

The Missourians were red-hot mad, their bloodthirsty souls were boiling over to get hold of him to tear him to pieces like dogs upon their prey, and so it went on. The spirit of murder was in their hearts to the overflowing; they were going to overthrow Mormonism and put it down under foot. They strove with all their might and main to get hold of the authorities to put them to death, but they could get no hold on them.

The temple was being fixed up so that the folks could get their endowments and receive their washings and anointings. The mob issued a writ for Brother Joseph and Hyrum and they were taken to Carthage jail. I and some more of his lifeguards went with him. We were all willing to live or die with them. He, Brother Joseph, spoke to us all and told us that he was like a lamb led to the slaughter. He also spoke to Brother Hyrum and wished him to return home with us. We begged him to let us stay with him and die with him, if necessary, but he said, no, we were to return to our home, and Brother Hyrum said that he would stay with Brother Joseph. For my part, I felt that something great was going to transpire. He blessed us and told us to go. We bade them farewell and started. We had twenty miles to ride, and we went the whole distance without uttering one word. All were dumb and still and all felt the spirit as I did myself. I cannot express my feelings at that time for they overpowered me. I felt like the prophets of the Lord were about to be taken from us and that they were going to await their doom, the same as the Lord did when he was here upon the earth.

We went to our homes like so many sheep that he lost their shepherd, knowing not what to do. Some of the brethren visited them in the jail. Brother John Taylor was with Brother Joseph and Brother Willard Richards was with them. Then the governor sent troops there to protect the prisoners from the mobs that came there to take the lives of the brethren; they did go and guard the jail, but it was very poorly done. The mob came and demanded the prisoners and if they would not give them up they would tear down the jail and take them; they were all blackened up so that folks should not know them, but they were known, every one of them, and the first one will not escape the punishment in wait for them. There were ministers of the gospel, there were lawyers, and the pious men of the day there, but woe unto them for they have shed the blood of innocent men, and the penalty is a heavy one.

They fired into the door and windows and burst the door open, but were repulsed by those inside, and some were knocked down. Brother Joseph was shot from a window and fell outside; they then put him up against the well in the yard and shot at him, and there was a young man who rolled up his sleeves and took a large butcher knife and went up to cut off his head, but the Lord spoke and said that it should not be done; and the earth was darkened and the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled through the heavens for they had murdered the prophets of God and their blood had cried unto the Lord for vengeance of their murderers. There was a flash of lightning that struck the fellow that held the knife and frustrated his design. They were all frightened and they ran away.

Brother Taylor was shot in the breast, but the ball struck his watch and broke it all to pieces and that saved his life. Brother Hyrum was killed and lying in his blood. Brother Richards was not hurt at all. It was only the prophets that were slain. They were led on by the devil and his army and they gloated over their bloody deeds. They were like to many demons from hell, but when their work was done they were glad enough to get away altogether, although they said they had put an end to Old Joe and that the Mormons would all be put down, but they little knew that the Lord said that it should no more be thrown down.

The Saints all felt it when Brother Joseph was killed, they could not tell the reason why it was, but their hearts seemed to melt within them and they mourned and knew not what for, and when the tidings came they were sorely distressed, and prayed that the Lord would avenge the blood of his servants the prophets, and truly he will for he has said so, and he will keep his word. But Mormonism will still roll on until it breaks in pieces all the other nations, which will have to be accomplished before a great many years, then there will be righteous judgment and the wicked will be punished for their unjust deeds.

We still went on preaching the gospel. The mob got hot again and began their persecutions against us and trying to put down Mormonism. Thus things went on until Brother Brigham sent me up to the Iowa River. We started about Christmas and wintered on the Iowa River in Emmett's company. Brother Brigham sent me up to tend to affairs up there for they were stealing and carrying on. Emmett started in September to go to the mountains and he wanted me to go in his company, but I told him that I would not go for I was going to stop and go with Brother Brigham. He returned and wanted me to go again with him, but I refused to go with him again. They were driving off cattle and stealing, and the news came to Brother Brigham and he called me and told me to go and get ready to start to Emmett's company, and said he, "There are some good people in the company, and I hate to see him carrying them to destruction, and it must not be for you must go and save them from destruction." So I went up the river to the camp and stayed with them. They had gotten pretty well along in the art of taking what did not belong to them and applying it to their own use. They would pick up a yoke and put it on their wagons and say that it would come in handy if they wanted to yoke up any more team.

There was a man in the company that had no coat, so one of the brethren lent him one and when he went to go off they took the coat from him, and he went down to Iowa City and told the officers of justice that they had been stealing cattle and had stolen this coat from him, so the officer of justice came and took several prisoners, myself among the rest.

Now when the officers had taken us prisoners there, they came up to us, some seventy-five of them, and a great many that had belonged to the company were in the crowd, so I got my pistol and buckled on and got my rifle and went and stood by the fire in front of the tent. I was standing there when the officer came and read the writ to me and said that I was his prisoner. I told him that I was not well. He said that I would have to go with him. I told him that I would, providing that he would pledge himself that no one of his party should stay behind. He said that he would not do it, so I said that I would not go. He then went to his party and told them about it. He then came back to me and told me that he would pledge himself and I was to go on condition that he would keep his pledge. Some of them had already begun to plunder further down the camp. I kept my arms to defend myself with, for it was in the heart of the Indian country.

So we started and got about ten miles and camped for the night. I had just about finished my supper when one of the fellows got up and said, "Hurrah, who will volunteer to go back and get some horses and cattle?" Several got up, so I finished my supper, put on my pistol and got my rifle and said that I would go, but the officer said that I was his prisoner. I said to the brethren, "Won't you go with me?" They all said, "Yes, but you are my prisoners." "No matter," said I, "if any man goes, I shall go with them," and I told him that he had not kept his word. He said that he could not keep them from going. "Then," said I, "you cannot keep me for I am bound to go if anyone else goes." He then told the men that they could not so, so he placed us brethren guard over them that wanted to go back for plunder, and then placed a guard over us.

Now the very ones that had had us taken were the ones that had stolen the cattle and had left the company because I had told them they had to quit it. I pointed out some of them to the officers and asked them if they could not remember when they brought in a yoke of cattle, and another when he brought in a cow, and they could not deny it. By the time that we had gotten down there the officer began to see that it was not us that had been doing the mischief. They said that we could go if we liked. I said no, that we had a writ and we wanted to appear in court to answer for what we had done, so we appeared at court and we were discharged, and they had to fit us out with provisions to return to our families.

We returned and found them all well. There was a large quantity of Indians round about us. I made a medicine dinner and their chief and a young fellow by the name of Henri, a half breed, came to dinner and swore to be friends. There was a man, a mountaineer, by the name of Brenyer. He was out hunting when this took place; he was a very handsome man, and very over-bearing. Brother Brigham sent two elders to me to tell me to come down, he wanted to see me. Brother John S. Fullmer was one of them, and he had a horse to trade and he traded it to me for a watch and forty dollars. He then traded with Brenyer for the same amount, a watch and forty dollars, and Emmett came and said that it was too little for the horse, and that he would take the horse himself.

One day I was riding the horse out and who should come but Brenyer. He came and caught hold of the bridle and told me to get off. I told him that I did not think that I should. He said that it was his horse and he would make me get off. I told him that it was my horse and I had bought and paid for it. He said that it was not my horse and he wanted me to get off, or he would make me. I had a cutlass with me. I drew it, and told him to let go. He did not, so I struck at him. He dodged and let go his hold. He then went to the Indian chief and told him that he wanted him and his tribe to go to work and kill all the men, women and children off and he would reward him. He said that he would do it. He then went to Henri and told him that he and his tribe were going to kill all the folks of men, women and children. Henri said, "Yes, go and kill all of them that have taught you to spin and to make cloth and to raise corn, to make sugar, and to live comfortably. Yes, go and kill them all off and then you will be always left Indian for no more will come, for they will be afraid that you will kill them all off, so that they will not come, any more of them."

Well, the old chief said that if they would tell them the ones that had offended them and he would have them put out of the way. Brenyer then told him which ones it was that he wanted killed, and the old chief came to me and told me that he did not want to kill me, but if I would give him a mare and colt that I had he would make a treaty with me. So I thought that it was better to let him have them than to endanger myself and family. So I told him that I had done nothing to hurt anyone and I could not see why it was that they wanted to kill me. But I told him that I wanted to keep good friends with him so he could have the mare and colt. He thanked me and told me he would give me a horse and saddle. He did so and they were worth all I gave him. Well, all this time a Frenchman had Henri in his house giving him whiskey to make him drunk and locked themselves in but he did not get so drunk as the Frenchman wanted him to. Brenyer was mad because the Indians had not killed me. He must have revenge on someone so he pitched his spite on Henri and killed three horses for him.

Now Henri's brother-in-law knew of it, so Indian-like he went to avenge his brother's rights and he shot nine horses and told Brenyer that he had taken three for one, but he had wasted his ammunition in killing the horses and as ammunition was very high up there and hard to get, he must kill three more horses to pay himself and Brenyer stood by and dared not say one word. So you see how the Lord punishes those who do his servants an injury. They are bound to meet with their desserts no matter in what circumstances they are placed; the punishment is bound to overtake them and the Saints of God. If they only live true to their faith and true to their God and obey the councils that are given to them from time to time by those that set over them no matter where they go, no matter in what circumstances they are placed, or what trials they have to pass through, the Lord is near them to bless them. He has truly blessed me in all my journeys and has ever been near me to help and guard me from all evil designing men; he has delivered me out of their hands, and I feel to thank him for his tender mercy toward me.

About this same time we had a wedding there. Charles Packet was a Frenchman and could not speak a word of English, when first he came there. He married Axey Sargent. He was hired to Brenyer, so he had to leave and run away and leave all he had except his clothes, after a while.

I had left there at that time to return to Nauvoo with John S. Fullmer and Brother Sherwood. We started on the 17th of October [1844] in company with two Frenchman, Piqy [?] was one and he was going to pilot us down the river to St. Joseph. There were five of us altogether in the canoe. Just before we got to St. Joseph, there was a feeling that came over me that I must not go by St. Joseph, for some purpose or other, I could not tell. So I told Brother John S. Fullmer and Brother Sherwood that they could take a steamboat and go down to St. Louis and from there to Nauvoo, and I would go across the country. I left them and started.

I was thirteen days in going across to the Mississippi River, and I had some trials to pass through. For four days I never tasted a bite of food, but the Lord was near to bless and comfort me on my journey. Well, Brother John S. Fullmer and Brother Sherwood told me that they kept on down the river and when they got near to St. Joseph there were five men armed with revolvers and bowie knives, and they asked them if that was the canoe from Fort Vermillion; they told them that it was. The men then said that they wanted them to show them John L. Butler. Brother Fullmer told them that he was not there. "Well," said they, "we know that he is here." They then told them that he was not there. "Well," they said, "that fellow had lied to them for he said that there was a canoe coming down the river and John L. Butler was in the canoe with two more Mormons." They then began to curse and swear, that if he was there they would damn soon put an end to him. They were men that had been in the general election in Daviess County and they thought that they would put an end to me, when they had a chance; they said the fellow had only told them to fool them. The brethren then took the boat and went down to St. Louis. I stayed in Nauvoo all that winter and worked in the temple, giving the Saints their endowments.