In the summer of 1846, hostilities were renewed against the members of the Church who still remained in Nauvoo. The great body of the Saints had left and only a remnant remained, composed of the poor, sick and afflicted, who had been unable to get away. They were all anxious to depart and were exerting all their energies to obtain means for that purpose. President Young and the apostles also were doing all in their power to aid them to depart. Notwithstanding their straitened circumstances and their inability to move—which was due mainly to mob violence they had suffered—their enemies became impatient at their delay and continued their vicious persecution. The new citizens, who had purchased property from the Saints, also came in for a share of the bitterness of the mob.
Major Warren’s Proclamation
Major W. B. Warren, who had been stationed in Hancock County with a small force, took up his quarters at Nauvoo by order of the governor and published a proclamation to the citizens of Hancock County attempting to quiet their opposition, in which, in part, he said:
“I have been in Nauvoo with my detachment a week, and can say to you with perfect assurance, that the demonstrations made by the ‘Mormon’ population, are unequivocal. They are leaving the state, and preparing to leave, with every means that God and nature has placed in their hands. Five ferry boats are running at this place night and day, and many are crossing at Nashville and Fort Madison. This ought to be satisfactory.
“The anti-‘Mormons’ desire the removal of the ‘Mormons;’ this is being effected peaceably, and with all possible dispatch. All aggressive movements, therefore, against them at this time, must be actuated by a wanton desire to shed blood, or to plunder. This course, I know, is deprecated by three-fourths of the anti-‘Mormon’ population, and must not be indulged in. I therefore exhort all good citizens to stay at home, with an assurance that they shall be duly advised of all movements which may take place, in which they feel interested.
“A man near sixty years of age, living about seven miles from this place, was taken from his house a few nights since, stripped of his clothing, and his back cut to pieces with a whip, for no other reason than because he was a ‘Mormon,’ and too old to make successful resistance. Conduct of this kind would disgrace a horde of savages.”
A proclamation of this kind, issued by one who was himself none too friendly to the “Mormon” people, was without effect. At the time he wrote, John McAuley and Levi Williams—the latter a Baptist preacher, and one of the mob who took part in the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith—with a strong force were preparing to gather under arms, contrary to the proclamation of the governor to the effect that not more than four persons with arms should assemble together, other than the state troops. Though his force was small, Major Warren notified these mobbers that he had law and moral force on his side and was able to meet successfully any mob which could assemble in that county. He advised the “Mormons” to go on with their preparations to cross the river, as speedily as they could, and leave the fighting to him; if he should be overpowered, then they could recross the river and defend themselves and property.
Kidnapping of Phineas H. Young and Others
On the 11th day of July, eight of the citizens of Nauvoo went into the country about eleven miles from Nauvoo, to harvest wheat. While engaged in their work they were surrounded by a mob who ransacked their wagons, seized their weapons, and then took them one at a time and brutally beat them with hickory goads. Several of the mobbers engaged in this were recognized, and two, John McAuley and a man named Brattle, were arrested. While they were under arrest, a second party of five “Mormons,” Phineas H. Young, Brigham H. Young, Richard Ballantyne, James Standing and James Herring, were waylaid and taken prisoners. When they asked why they were treated in that manner the answer was given that they had committed no offense, but they were “Mormons,” and were to be held as hostages for the safety of McAuley and Brattle. They were held by their persecutors for fourteen days, several times facing guns expecting to be shot, from which they were saved only by interposition of Divine power. Attempts were made to poison them, and they were most inhumanely treated. Finally they made their escape and returned to Nauvoo.
The “Resistance of Law”
When the two mobbers were arrested a gun was found in the possession of McAuley belonging to one of the harvesters. It was recognized and seized by William Pickett, a non-“Mormon.” For this action Pickett and two others were arrested by the mobbers on a “warrant” for “stealing.” Pickett had incurred the hatred of the mob, and knowing that the charge against him was only a trick to get him into their hands, he was not inclined to yield. When John Carlin came from Carthage to arrest him, Pickett asked if he would be guaranteed safety. Carlin answered no; whereupon Pickett resisted arrest. Though later he went before the magistrate at Green Plains, who issued the warrant, and was released.
The “resistance” by Pickett was the thing most desired by the mob, who only wanted a pretext to attack Nauvoo. Now there had been a defiance of law. “Nauvoo was in rebellion,” and Carlin issued a proclamation calling upon the citizens to come as a posse comitatus, and assist him in executing the law. The citizens of Nauvoo petitioned the governor for protection, for the mob forces were collecting under command of James W. Singleton, assisted by J. B. Chittenden, N. Montgomery, James King, J. H. Sherman and Thomas S. Brockman. The governor very graciously sent Major Parker with a force of ten men, and authorized him to take command of such forces as he could raise from volunteers, and defend the city against mob attacks. There were very few members of the Church in Nauvoo at the time, less than one hundred and fifty men who were available for defense.