Some anxiety at Nauvoo about so many strangers and suspicious characters being in the city.
The Neighbor of this day has the following:—
Fourth of July Celebration Appointed for Nauvoo.
By the counsel and advice of President Hyrum Smith, Messrs. O. Hyde and G. J. Adams, who have been appointed to go on a mission to Russia, will deliver two addresses on the 4th July, upon the subject of our holy religion, for the benefit and edification not only of our own citizens, but also for strangers who may be pleased to visit our town on that day. The morning's address by Mr. Hyde, at half past ten o'clock; and the afternoon by Mr. Adams, at two o'clock.
From the circumstances under which we are placed, this course is thought far more advisable for all who wish to be considered Saints to assemble for religious worship and collectively offer up our prayers to Almighty God for peace and prosperity to attend us as a people.
The giddy and unthinking will, no doubt, resort to public dinners, festivals, and perhaps to the ball chamber, to spend their time and money to gratify their appetite and vanity; but no true-hearted Saint at this peculiar moment will do it.
At the close of each address a collection will be taken for the especial purpose of assisting to complete Elder Hyde's house, that he may be the sooner liberated to proceed on his important mission to St. Petersburg.
He who has money to spend on that day can spend it more to the glory of God in the above manner than after the custom and practice of the corrupt age in which we live.
It is hoped that the band and choir will favor us on that occasion.
The lectures will be delivered in the Grove near the Temple where seats are provided.
The Prophet Protects Reynolds Against Flack.
Thursday, 29.—Continued our journey this morning, leaving Monmouth on our left, and Oquaka five miles on our right; and after passing Monmouth about three miles, William Empy, Gilbert Rolfe, James Flack, and three others met us.
I called Flack to my side and told him not to injure Reynolds, whatever provocation he had previously received from him, as I had pledged myself to protect him, and requested Flack to bury his feelings against Reynolds.
Reynolds then got out of the stage, exchanged seats with one of the horsemen, and Flack and Reynolds rode by themselves about a quarter-of-a-mile, when they again joined the company and rode together. The company continued to Henderson River, and took dinner at a farmhouse owned by Mr. Alanson Hagerman.
While staying at this farmhouse, General Wilson Law, and William Law, and about sixty men came up in several little squads. I walked out several rods to meet the company. William and Wilson Law jumped from their horses, and unitedly hugged and kissed me, when many tears of joy were shed.
I extract from the journal of Albert P. Rockwood, the acting adjutant of the company, some of the movements of the company:—
Rockwood's Account of the Second Division of the Expedition to Relieve the Prophet.
After breakfast at the tavern, on Thursday, 29th, had a few minutes deliberation. It was determined that those who had animals which were able to continue the pursuit, with a reasonable prospect of catching up, should follow at the full speed of their animals. Having heard that the posse had taken a westerly direction, as we believed, designing to cross the Mississippi at Oquaka Ferry, and so through Iowa to Missouri, raised an excitement, and most of us thought we were good for twelve miles an hour.
Several brethren swapped their worn-out animals for fresh ones; others bought; so that, in a few minutes, about two-thirds of the detachment were in swift pursuit.
On arriving near the farmhouse where the posse stayed last night, we learned that they had been gone about two hours. Then General Law said, "Now, boys, comes the tug of war: every man and horse try your best;" and away we went with our blood at fighting heat.
By frequent enquiries we learned that we were gaining upon them. As we approached the river, we quickened our pace, which left some far in the rear.
At a watering-place, about three miles from the river, General Wilson Law and William Law, Elisha Everett, Albert P. Rockwood, and two others took passage in a wagon. Having fresh animals, we left most of the detachment in the rear: yet Brother Follet and from five to ten others were up with us, positively charged with fight.
While in the wagon, Wilson Law remarked, "We must overhaul them before they can get on the ferry-boat to cross the river, and we must take the stand that Joseph should not be taken over the river: therefore prepare yourselves for your best licks; for if Joseph goes into Missouri, they will kill him, and that will break us up, as our property in Nauvoo will become useless or of no value," etc., etc.
During the conversation we emerged from the timber and saw a small village on the bank of the river. We put our animals at their full speed and charged in with drawn swords, our guns and pistols cocked and primed, ready for attack.
Our sudden appearance and hostile movements caused much excitement in the village. General Law forced the contents of a bottle of spirits down his horse. Some of our horses fell to the ground as soon as we halted. All were foaming with sweat and nearly exhausted.
Some of the citizens refused to give us any information. Others declared, "I have done nothing," and expressed their fears and anxieties in various ways. I ran down to the river and down the beach, while William Law ran up, each in search of the ferry-boat, which happened to be on the other side. No tracks or other evidence could be found by us that any persons had passed the river this morning. Wilson Law was at this time making enquiries of the citizens.
Some of the horsemen rode on full speed through the village of Oquaka in search of the Prophet, while others left their exhausted horses standing or lying in the streets, and ran on foot.
As soon as William Law and myself returned to the wagon, we concluded that the posse, knowing that we were near by to rescue, had taken to the woods to secrete themselves or evade us; therefore Brother Follet and such others as they came in were ordered to search the timbers. In a short time a wayfaring man reported he had seen a company passing down the river road below the village, whereupon all hands were ordered to the pursuit, and soon the village was clear of "the destroying angels" (as they called us), and they were left to their own reflections and meditations on the strange scene. My opinion is that we were in the village from thirty to forty minutes, until we were all again on the trail.
Those who were in the rear of our detachment saw the posse who had Joseph traveling down the road. They crossed the prairie and arrived nearly one hour before the advance, who missed the trail about half-a-mile from the village, at the junction of the Monmouth and River Road. On their arrival Joseph sent a messenger back to notify us where he was, who met us about a mile from the place where he was stopping.