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Military Order to Hugh McFall, 16 June 1844

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Military Order to Hugh McFall, 16 June 1844

Source Note

JS as lieutenant general, Military Order, [, Hancock Co., IL], to , [, Hancock Co., IL], 16 June 1844. Featured version copied [16 June 1844]; handwriting of ; one page; JS Office Papers, CHL. Includes docket and notations.
Single leaf measuring 9⅝ × 7⅝ inches (24 × 19 cm). Both sides of the leaf are ruled with twenty-seven printed horizontal lines (now faded). An embossed logo for a paper mill appears in the top left corner of the recto. The left side of the recto was irregularly cut, which suggests that the leaf was removed from a book or larger sheet. The document was later trifolded for filing.
The order was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865. A graphite notation reading “A.J” was added by Andrew Jenson, who began working in the Church Historian’s Office (now CHL) in 1891 and served as assistant church historian from 1897 to 1941. In 2012 the document was cataloged as part of the JS Office Papers. The document’s early docket, its notation, and its later inclusion in the JS Office Papers suggest continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  2. Jenson, Autobiography, 192, 389; Cannon, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891; Jenson, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891 and 19 Oct. 1897; Bitton and Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians, 47–52.

    Jenson, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Jenson: Assistant Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938.

    Cannon, George Q. Journals, 1855–1864, 1872–1901. CHL. CR 850 1.

    Jenson, Andrew. Journals, 1864–1941. Andrew Jenson, Autobiography and Journals, 1864–1941. CHL.

    Bitton, David, and Leonard J. Arrington. Mormons and Their Historians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1988.

  3. This collection comprises correspondence addressed to JS’s clerks, correspondence to other recipients that was forwarded to JS for his perusal, copies of miscellaneous documents created by JS’s clerks, and miscellaneous financial documents. (See “Introduction to Joseph Smith’s Office Papers.”)

Historical Introduction

As lieutenant general of the , JS issued an order on 16 June 1844 in , Hancock County, Illinois, to , the legion’s adjutant general, instructing him to travel to , Illinois, to deliver a letter from JS to Governor . By this time, JS had received reports that mobs were organizing in and threatening to exterminate the if he did not surrender himself for examination on a recent charge. Assessing these dangers, JS concluded that the “only way to prevent sheddi[n]g of blood was to get the Gove[r]nor in person. to come down with his staff.” JS therefore wrote to Governor Ford, informing him of the threats against church members and requesting that he come to Hancock County to investigate the matter and restore peace.
JS then issued his 16 June 1844 military order to directing him to deliver the letter to , the commander in chief of the state militia. The order was apparently transmitted to McFall shortly thereafter. For unidentified reasons, McFall—who was not a member of the church—“declind going.” Instead, , , and carried the letter to .
copied the order soon after JS made it. JS’s original order to has not been located. The copy made by Richards is featured here.

Footnotes

  1. Discourse, 16 June 1844−B; Historical Introduction to Letter to Thomas Ford, 16 June 1844; Historical Introduction to Proclamation, 16 June 1844.

  2. JS, Journal, 16 June 1844; Letter to Thomas Ford, 16 June 1844.

  3. See JS, Journal, 16 June 1844. According to section 55 of the revised laws of the Nauvoo Legion, the adjutant general had the duty “to distribute all orders from the Major General of the Legion.” In addition, he was charged to “attend all reviews with the Major General, to act as Drill officer at all Legion or Division officer drills, . . . to record all orders recieved or issued by the Major General, all returns and rank rolls recieved, annually, from the Cohorts or Bragades also to make out Division returns when required by the Major General, or any superior officer, also, to act as clerk at all elections ordered by the Major General; to form the Legion and call the roll of the Major General’s staff under his inspection at all Legion parades, and perform such other duties as may in anywise appertain to his office.” (“Revized Laws of the Nauvoo Legion,” 15, Nauvoo Legion Records, CHL.)

  4. JS, Journal, 16–17 June 1844.

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Head Quarters
Liut Genls office— June 16th 1844
To ,
Adjut[a]nt Gen N. Legion,
Sir— You are hereby required to proceed witho[u]t delay, to ,— and delivr <​to​> <​Gove[r]nor​>, the <​of th.​> commander in chief of the militia of , the accompanying letter, Marked, <​(A)​> and return his answer with your proceedings to me witho[u]t delay You will also make such verbal communicati[o]n <​to th[e] as th[e] nature of the case may require​>
<​Joseph Smith.—​>
Liut Gen
,
Adt. Gen N. L.
P. S. If you have not expen[se] money call for it when you can get it and it shall be f[o]rthcoming. soon [14 lines blank] [p. [1]]
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Source Note

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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Military Order to Hugh McFall, 16 June 1844
ID #
3415
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Willard Richards
  • Unidentified

Footnotes

  1. Insertion in unidentified handwriting, possibly Willard Richards. Insertion corresponds to a similar “(A)” on Letter to Thomas Ford, 16 June 1844.

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