The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet

by George Q. Cannon

Hyrum, the Prophet's beloved brother, who was never very far away from Joseph, was one of the captives. Hyrum's young wife, Mary—for he was again a husband—was prostrated with suffering. When he was dragged before her by his armed captors he would have solaced her agony with a few words of comfort and cheer. He wanted to bid her look up and trust in God; but the mob soldiers threatened to kill him at her feet if he breathed a syllable, and to spare her tortured soul this awful pang he held his peace. Mary saw her husband carried from her, perhaps to death; she gathered the motherless little children of Jerusha about her and sought to comfort them. She did not see her noble husband again until after she had passed through the trial and pain of maternity; for her son, Joseph Fielding Smith, was born eleven days after, and while his father was still a captive in the hands of the mob.

To moan and weep over the captive Prophet came his wife and babes, and his aged father and mother. He had begged to have a moment in which to comfort his wife, for she was utterly overpowered with fear for his life. He wanted to reassure her that the sentence of death was not to be executed that morning and to promise her that they should meet again in this life. But the mob guards with their swords rudely thrust his wife and little ones away from Joseph's side, and threatened to kill him if he should speak.

Joseph gazed upon the overwhelming scene at Far West as he was being marched forth a captive. He commended the city and its people to the care of that God whose kindness had always followed them into the dark valley of tribulation, and who alone could protect them from death and defilement.

That night the Prophet with Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight, Amasa M. Lyman and George W. Robinson, were started for Independence. Under a strong guard, commanded by Generals Lucas and Wilson, they camped at night on Crooked River.

A vision of hope and security came to Joseph that night, and when he arose in the morning he spoke to his brethren in a low and cheerful tone, saying:

Be of good cheer, my brethren, the word of the Lord came to me last night that our lives should be given us, and that whatever else we might suffer during this captivity, not one of us should die.

An express from General Clark demanding the august prisoners reached Lucas at this point. This commanding general had so far achieved little, the triumphs of the cruel contest being with his subordinates. He was therefore determined that the prisoners should be dragged at his chariot wheels and that their slaughter should be under his personal direction, to show Boggs and the populace that he was worthy of the truculent enterprise entrusted to him. But Lucas was no less determined that, having won the victory, he himself should enjoy the spoils and the plaudits; and with all possible speed he hastened forward with the captives.

Leaving the Prophet and his companions advancing toward their unknown fate, we must return with their anxious thoughts to the proceedings at Far West; as General Clark was marching upon that place, and the prisoners feared for their unprotected families.

Lucas had sent several companies of the mob militia including Neal Gilliam's band of painted wretches under General Parks to Adam-ondi-Ahman with instructions to disarm the militia at that place and to take prisoners. By his orders also a large body of troops had been left to guard some eighty brethren held captive at Far West.

General Clark did not arrive at the beleaguered city until the 4th of November, 1838; but on that day he came at the head of two thousand troops. In the interval of two days the people in the town had been subjected to every possible indignity. Apostates prowled through the streets pointing out to the mob all the men of influence or station in the Church, and aiding to put them in irons. At first it had been ordered that all who were not held as prisoners should flee the city on the instant. But finally the mob concluded to keep the people within the town until General Clark's arrival.