History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

106 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
F. G. Williams paymaster and Zerubbabel Snow commissary
general. They had twenty wagons loaded
with arms and effects, and next day set out for Missouri,
President Smith joining them, leaving Pigdon
and Cowdery to look after matters in Ohio. They
passed through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, reaching
Missouri 60 in June, Pratt and others still continuing
50 ' They were trying times, requiring the combined wisdom of the prophet
and his head men. . .But the prophet more readily discovered the new advantages
that would ultimately accrue to his cause by a little perseverance. He
well knew that the laws could not continue to be violated in our country for
any length of time, and that he and his followers would, in the end, be the
greatest gainers by the cry of persecution which they could raise. . .A revelation
was printed in the form of a handbill. It was taken up by all their
priests and carried to all their congregations, some of which were actually sold
for one dollar per copy. Preparations immediately began to be made for a
crusade to their holy land to drive out the infidels . .Old muskets, rifles, pistols,
rusty swords, and butcher knives were soon put in a state of repair and
scoured up. Some were borrowed and some were bought, on a credit if possible,
and others were manufactured by their own mechanics. . .About the first
of May the grand army of fanatics commenced its march in small detachments
from the different places of concentration. On the 3d the prophet, with a life
guard of about 80 men, the elite of his army, left his quarters in Kirtland
with a few baggage wagons, containing their arms, ammunition, stores, etc.
. . .On arriving at Salt Creek, Illinois, they were joined by Lyman Wight
and Hyrum Smith, brother of the prophet, with a ree'nforcement of twenty
men, which they had picked up on the way. Here the grand army, which
being fully completed, encamped for the space of three days. The whole
number was now estimated at 220, rank and file. During their stay here the
troops were kept under a constant drill of manual exercise with guns and
swords, and their arms put in a state of repair; the prophet became very expert
with a sword, and felt himself equal to his prototype Coriantumr. He
had the best sword in the army; probably a true model of Laban's, if not the
identical one itself, an elegant brace of pistols, which were purchased on a
credit of six months, a rifle, and four horses. Wight was appointed second
in command, or fighting general, who, together with the prophet, had an armor-bearer
appointed, selected from among the most expert tacticians, whose
duty i: was to be in constant attendance upon their masters with their aims.'
Howe's Mormonism Unveiled, 147-59. 'Cholera broke out in his camp on
the 24th of June, and Joseph attempted to cure it by laying on of hands and
prayer. . .Joseph lost thirteen of his band by the ravages of the disease. .
He arrived in Clay co. on the 2d, and started back for Kirtland on the 9th . .
Short as was the time he stayed, he di 1 not depart without organizing and
encouraging the main body. . .and establishing the community in Clay co. on
a better footing than when he arrive.!.' Mackay's The Mormons, S3. Churches
were visited in New York, Pennsylvania, and the Xew England States, about
100 recruits obtained, and 50 more in the vicinity of Kirtland. The first detachment,
about 100 strong, left Kirtland May 5th, and by the next Sunday
about 60 more had joined, part from Ohio and part from the east. The body
was organized in companies of tens, each being furnished with camp equipage.
Messes for cooking purposes were formed, and guards mounted at night.
Deseret News, Oct. 19, 1SG9. These men w-ere well armed. A detachment of
twenty men had j:>receded them as an advanced guard. Iienv/s Journey, i.
297. They were divided into companies of 12, consisting of 2 cooks, 2 firemen,
2 tent-makers, 2 watermen, one runner or scout, one commissary, and 2
.