Some evidence suggests that one reason Dunham and other Mormons undertook missions to American Indians in the early 1840s was to attempt to secure allies against the Missourians. For example, following some of Dunham’s earliest missions to Indian Territory in 1840, James Blakeslee stated that Dunham “brings pleasing news from the west Concerning the Lamanites many of them are Believeing the Gospel. the Missouri mob is Beginning to tremble.” While few American Indians had joined the church, rumors circulated among Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo in early 1845 that many Indians had been baptized and would help protect the Saints from further mob violence. In a letter to her family members, Sally Randall wrote from Nauvoo in January 1845 that “mob characters and desenters threaten of something in the spring, but we don’t fear them much for we never shall be drove from here. We are too strong for them ourselfs and beside that thare is all ready ten hundred thousand of the lamanites baptized into the Church and thay are waiting verry impatient to avenge the blood of Joseph and Hirum. We have to keep men among them to keep them back or thay would ben here before this. time.” (James Blakeslee, Douglas, Isle of Man, to George A. Smith, Burslem, England, 27 Nov. 1840, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL; Sally Randall, Nauvoo, IL, to “Dear Parents and Brothers and Sisters,” 15 Jan. 1845, typescript, Sally Randall, Letters, CHL.)

Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.

Randall, Sally. Letters, 1843–1852. Typescript. CHL.