History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

NAME ADOPTED.
their efforts en route as recruiting officers. It was
an army of the Lord; they would not be known as
Mormons, which was a name they hated; moreover,
they would be incognito ; and the better to accomplish
all these purposes, three days before they started,
Sidney Rigdon proposed in conference that the name
by which hereafter they would call themselves should
be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
which proposal was adopted. 51 On the way the breth-
wagoners. 20 wagons accompanied them, and they had fire-arms and all sorts
of munitions of war of the most portable kind for self-defence. Smucker's Hist.
Mor., 95; Times and Seasons, vi. 1074. On June 3d, when in camp on the
Illinois Paver, Smith had a mound opened and took out a skeleton, between
whose ribs an arrow was sticking. A revelation followed, in which the prophet
was informed that the bones were those of a white Lamanite, a warrior named
Zclph, who served under the great prophet Omandagus. Times and Seasons,
vi. 107G; Smucker's Hist. Mor., 95-G; Bemy's Journey, i. 297; Ferris' Utah
and the Mormons, 83-4. June 4th to Gth was occupied in crossing the Mississippi,
there being but one boat. The company now consisted of 205 men
and 25 wagons, with 2 or 3 horses each. The company camped on Rush
Creek, Clay co., on June 23d, and on the night of the 24th the cholera broke
out among them, causing several deaths. On the 25th Smith broke up hi3
command, and the men were scattered among their neighbors. Times and
Seasons, vi. 1076, 1088, 1 105-6; Deseret News, Oct. 19, 1864. Up to June 225,
Smith had travelled incognito, apparently fearing assassination. Times and
Seasons, vi. 1 104. A list of the members of Zion's camp will be found in Deseret
News, Oct. 19, 1864, and those living in 1876 in Id., Apr. 26, 1876. Smith
disbanded his forces in obedience to a revelation. Doctrine and Covenants,
345-9. As the prophet approached Missouri he selected a body-guard of 20
men, appointing his brother Hyrum as then captain, and another brother,
George, his armor-bearer. He also appointed a general, who daily inspected the
army and drilled them. Smucker's Hist. Mor. , 99. On April 10, 1834, the president
was again petitioned from Liberty, Mo. (a petition had been sent on in
October 1833) ; the persecutions were recounted, it was related that an unavailing
appeal had been made to the state executive, and it was asked that they
be restored to the lauds in Jackson co. they had purchased from the U. S.
For text of correspondence, etc., see Times and Seasons, vi. 1041-2, 1056-9,
1071-8, 10S8-92, 1103, 1107-9, 1120-4. On the march Pratt still acted as
recruiting officer, and visited the churches in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and
Missourirobtaining men and money which he forwarded to the main body
from time to time. Pratt's Autobio'j. , 122-3. The band finally numbered 205
in all. Utah Pioneers, 33d Anniversary, 17. The march to Clay co., Mo.,
occupied 46 days, 9 of which were spent in camp. During the existence of
the body 2 deserted because they could not fight the mob, and one left without
a discharge; the rest remained faithful. Deseret News, Oct. 19, 1864.
Further details of the march will be found in Mackay's Mormons, 80-5;
Kidder's Mormonism, 111-16; Howe's Mormonism Unveiled, 156-63. Campbell
and others who threatened to attack Smith were drowned by the upsetting
of a boat whilst attempting to cross the Missouri. Campbell's vow,
and what became of it. Smucker's Hist. Mor., 100. When the prophet returned
to Kirtland, in August, the council met and proceeded to investigate
charges against Smith and others on this march. Deseret News, Nov. 15 and
29, 1851.
51 The society never styled themselves Mormons; it is a name popularly attached
to them. The true name is Latter-day Saints. Pratt's Persecution, 21.
107