| OCR Text |
Show Into Troubled Missouri into one 93 of them I crawled and remained there until the militia had gone. I found my way to the home of Miner's where I remained over and wandered about the next day, concealing myself as best I could and reached home about eight o'clock in the evening. night, My father was struck over the head with a gun and taken prisoner, but the blood streaming from the wound gave him such a horrifying appearance, that his captors evidently had no relish for his company, and turned him loose to make his way home the best he could. His condition, not unlike that of many, did not create the same hor rifying impression that it would have done had it been an iso lated case. On reaching home, thankful that his life was spared, his family cared for his wounds and nursed him until he completely recovered. 23 There are a number of versions of this story, some of them indicating that John was held a prisoner by the mob for a few days. Nathan tells the story as follows: Captain O'dell struck my father over the head with a rifle and cut a gash seven inches long to the bone, and he was released to help carry a Brother Gary to his family that they had struck and nearly killed and he lay in an open wagon and-died. I was Captain of the guard that nite and when I let my father through the guard I did not know him only by his voice as he was so covered with blood." It is not stated whether John offered any resistence, and one wonders on what pretex these men could have beaten up a sixty year old farmer on his way home from the gristmill. The mob spirit and attacks on the Saints reached a crescendo around Far West in the late fall of 1838. Lilburn W. Boggs, governor of Missouri, had issued the infamous "Exterminating Order" which provided that the Saints were to be driven from the state or exterm inated. There earring who lack in members of the militia anxious to assist in With the connivance of George M. Hinckle, in command of the Mormon militia at Far-West, arrange was no out the order. was were made with General Samuel D. Lucas, a bitter anti Mormon who commanded the Missouri forces, to surrender the mil itary arms of the Saints and turns over to Lucas and his forces the ments leading brethern of the church. Through this bit of treachery on |
