History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of and ; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war at , Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1. ’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and , assisted by , resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, , and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1, and chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death, , , , and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—, Ohio, and northwest —during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.
<October 27th.> acquainted with his business in that section, and wherever he has been called upon to act, he has done so, and with good management he has accomplished and effected, a close, of a very large amount of business for said Society, and as I believe to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. — Geauga County Ohio Octr. 27. 1838” [HC 3:174]
was buried this day at — and <Addenda Note Z. p— 10>
< exterminating Order> exterminating Order was issued from
“Head Quarters, Militia Octor. 27, 1838— Sir— Since the order of the morning to you, directing you to cause four hundred mounted men to be raised within your division, I have received by Esqre. and Wiley E. Williams Esqre. one of my aids, information of the most appalling character, which changes the whole face of things, and places the Mormons in the attitude of open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of having made open War upon the people of this . Your orders are, therefore, to hasten your operations and endeavour to reach , in with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the , if necessary, for the public good. Their outrages are beyond all description. If you can increase your force, you are authorised to do so, to any extent you may think necessary. I have just issued orders to Maj. Gen. Wallock, of Marion County, to raise 500 men, and to march them to the northern part of , and there unite with of who has been ordered with 500 men to proceed to the same point, for the purpose of intercepting the retreat of the Mormons to the North. They have been directed to communicate with you by express. You can also communicate with them if you find it necessary. Instead therefore of proceeding, as at first directed, to re-instate the Citizens of in their homes, you will proceed immediately to and there operate against the Mormons. of has been ordered to have four hundred men of his brigade in readiness to join you at . The whole force will be placed under your Command. , Govr. and Commander in Chief” To ”
<28th.> Great excitement now prevailed, and mobs were heard [HC 3:175] of in every direction who seemed determined on our destruction. They burned the houses in the Country and took off all the Cattle they could find. They destroyed Cornfields, took many prisoners, and threatned death to all the Mormons.
“Head Quarters of the 3rd. and 4th. Div. Mi. Octr. 28. 1838.— To the Commander in Chief Mi. Sir:— From late outrages committed by the Mormons, civil War is inevitable. They have set the laws of the Country at defiance, and are in open rebellion. We have about two thousand men under arms to keep them in check. The presence of the Commander in Chief is deemed absolutely necessary, and we most respectfully urge that your Excellency be at the seat of war, as soon as possible. Your most obdt. servt. M. G. 3rd. Div. M. G. 4th. Div. [HC 3:176]
<29> had become so hardened by mobbing the Saints in , and his conscience so “seared with a hot iron” that he was <probably> considered a fit subject for the Gubernatorial Chair, and it was <probably> his hatred to truth and the “Mormons”, and his blood thirsty murderous disposition, that raised him to the Station he occupied His exterminating order of the twenty seventh, aroused every Spirit in the , of the like stamp of his own, and the Mobocrats were flocking to the Standard of from almost every quarter. , although not the ranking officer, was selected by as the most fit instrument to carry out his murderous designs; for bad as they were in very few commanding officers were yet sufficiently hardened to go all length with in this contemplated inhuman butchery, and expulsion from one of the, should be free and independant [p. 842]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
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Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [684]
Lilburn W. Boggs, Jefferson City, MO, to John B. Clark, 27 Oct. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 61.
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; and the Evidence Given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes against the State. Fayette, MO: Boon’s Lick Democrat, 1841.
- [685]
See 28 Oct. 1838 entry in History Draft.
- [686]
David R. Atchison and Samuel D. Lucas, Richmond, MO, to Lilburn W. Boggs, 28 Oct. 1838, in Document Containing the Correspondence, 76.
Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders, &c., in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; and the Evidence Given before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes against the State. Fayette, MO: Boon’s Lick Democrat, 1841.
- [687]
See 29 Oct. 1838 entry in History Draft.
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