Docket Entry, 1–circa 6 July 1843 [Extradition of JS for Treason]
Source Note
Docket Entry, [, Hancock Co., IL, 1–ca. 6 July 1843], Extradition of JS for Treason (Nauvoo, IL, Municipal Court 1843); Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 55–87, 116–150; handwriting of and ; CHL.
men. They had a cannon. I could distinctly hear the guns at <as> the locks were sprung, which appeared from the sound to be in every part of the army. came riding up where we were & swore by his maker, that he would hew the first man down that cocked a gun, one or two other officers on horseback also rode up, ordering those who had cocked their guns to uncock them or they would be hewn down with their swords, we were conducted into their camp & made to lay on the ground through the night.
This was late in October— we were kept here for two days & two nights It commenced raining & snowing, until we were completely drenched & being compelled to lay on the ground, which had become very wet & the water was running round us & under us,— what consultation the officers & others had in relation to the disposition which was to be mad of us. I am entirely indebted to the report made to me by , as none of us were put on any trial. gave an account of which the following is the substance, as far as my memory serves me: “That they held a Court martial & sentenced us to shot at 8 o’clock the next morning after the Court Martial was holden, in the public square in the presence of our families— that this court martial was composed of seventeen preachrs & some of the principal officers of the army— presided— arose & said that neither himself nor brigade, should have any hand in the shooting, that it was nothing short of cold blooded murder & left the Court martial & ordered his brigade to prepare & march off the ground.
This was probably the reason why they did not carry the decision of the court martial into effect. It was finally agreed that we should be carried into , accordingly on the third day after our arrest, the army was all paraded, we were put into wagons & paraded <taken> into the — our families having heard that we were to be brought to that morning to be shot. When we arrived a Scene ensued, such as might be expected, under the circumstances, I was permitted to go alone with my family into the house, there I found my family so completely plundered of all kinds of food that they had nothing to eat but parched corn which they ground with a hand mill, & thus were they Sustaining life. I soon pacified my family & allayed their feelings assuring them that the ruffians dare not kill me. I gave them strong assurances that they dared not do it & that I would return to them again. After this interview, I took my leave of them & returned to the Wagon, got in & we all started off for . Before we reached the , a man came riding along the line, apparently in great haste [p. 143]