The company moved on to Andover, where the sheriff of Lee county requested lodgings for the night for all the company. I was put up into a room and locked up with Captain Grover. It was reported to me that some of the brethren had been drinking whisky that day in violation of the Word of Wisdom.
Conover's Account of the First Division of the Expedition to Relieve the Prophet.
I called the brethren in and investigated the case, and was satisfied that no evil had been done.
Peter W. Conover gave me the following relation of the travels of the brethren from Nauvoo to the place where I met them:—
I started with General Wilson Law, William Law, and about 175 men, on Sunday, the 25th of June, at eight p.m., in the direction of Peoria: traveled part of the night. About one o'clock next morning General Charles C. Rich took 35 of the company and continued towards Peoria. The two Laws, with their company, started up the river road in the direction of Monmouth. We traveled till daylight on Monday morning, crossed Honey Creek, ate a cold breakfast, and fed the horses; then continued on till noon, when a consultation was held, and ten of the best mounted men—viz., Thomas Grover, Peter W. Conover, Zebedee Coltrin, Graham Coltrin, Philemon C. Merrill, Philander Colton, Henry Hoyt, William L. Cutler, Daniel F. Cahoon, and John L. Butler were selected to take the nearest road to Dixon, with instructions to continue until we found you.
We took the middle road between Oquaka and Monmouth, and continued on until Tuesday at two a.m., when we rested for one hour, then passed through Hendersonville on to the prairie, about nine a.m., at which time we met Colonel Stephen Markham with your letter of instructions to General Wilson Law. We read the letter. Philander Colton was sent with the despatch to Wilson Law. We then made a halt at Andover, where the inhabitants refused to sell us food.
Here we held a council, and sent Daniel Cahoon and Henry Hoyt back to Monmouth, with instructions to the brethren to wait there until they got further orders. We then traveled ten miles and obtained some corn at a farm-house. One p.m., left there and traveled on to the prairies until we met you.
Here Conover exchanged with me one of Allen's four-inch barrel six-shooter revolvers for the single shooter which Markham had slipped into my pocket at Dixon.
Reynolds and Wilson's Design of Kidnapping.
About eight p.m., Reynolds, Wilson, and the landlord consulted about sending out to raise a company to take me by force, and run with me to the mouth of Rock River on the Mississippi, as there was a company of men ready to kidnap me over the river. Markham overheard the conversation, and notified the sheriff of Lee county, who immediately ordered a guard placed, so that no one might pass in or out of the house during the night.
Markham started at daybreak, and went about twenty miles, passing through Andover at eight a.m.; and about nine he met Captain Thomas Grover and a company of ten men, to whom he delivered my message. Held a council and forwarded it on to General Law by Philander Colton. Markham turned back with the company.
My wife and children arrived in Nauvoo this evening, having burned off one arm of the carriage going home.