[William Clayton Journal] I learned today that the mob had made it known that they were coming to drive the Mormons. The Governor sent an officer to raise volunteers to disperse the mob, but the mob learning this they came sooner than they had calculated. The brethren being apprised of the intentions of the mob prepared to meet them as well as their circumstances would permit. Some of the new citizens also made preparations to join the brethren. They made five cannon shot of an old steam Boat Shaft. They also filled some barrels with powder, old Iron &c. which were buried in the passes to the City which could be fired by a slow match but this was of no avail as some traitors informed the mob of it, hence they did not come into the settled part of the city. On Saturday the 12 inst. the mob made their appearance being about 1200 in number. The brethren and some of the new citizens in the whole about one hundred and sixty, went to give them battle, but many of the new citizens and some of the brethren when they saw the numbers of the mob fled and left about 100 nearly all brethren to fight the enemy. The mob had pieces of cannon. They met near Boscow's store on Winchester Street. The cannon of the mob were two blocks from the brethren and the other part or rifle men one block from them. The mob fired a number of times into Barlows old barn expecting many of the brethren were concealed there but in this they were disappointed, the brethren chiefly lay down on the ground behind some shelter and fired in that position. They fought one hour and twenty minutes, when the mob offered terms of compromise which were these, that all the Mormons should leave the City within five days leaving ten families to finish the unsettled business. The brethren consented to this inasmuch as they had been well informed that 1500 more were coming to join the mob and they had nothing to expect from the authorities of the state. Lyman [E.] Johnson, one of the old Twelve, headed a party of the mob from Keokuk, Iowa territory. Three of the brethren were killed, viz. W[illiam] Anderson, his son, and [] Norris, a blacksmith. 3 others wounded. The mob would not own to any of their party being killed but one person saw them put 16 men into one wagon and handled them more like dead Persons than wounded. The ground where they stood was pretty much Covered with blood, so that there is no doubt they had many slain or wounded. They had 150 baggage wagons. Esquire [Daniel] Wells took command of the brethren and rode to and fro during the whole battle without receiving injury, altho the balls whistled by him on every side. Amos Davis fought bravely. While running across a plowed field, he stumbled and fell on his left arm which formed a triangle with his head. As he fell a cannon ball passed through the angie of his arm between that and his head. Hiram Kimball [received] a slight wound with a musket ball on the forehead. The mob fired 62 shots with the cannon and 10 rounds with the muskets making 12,000 musket balls only killing 3 and wounding 3.
The brethren did not fire so much in proportion but did much more execution. Truly the Lord fights the battles of his saints. The cannon of the brethren was not of much service, they would not carry more than a quarter of a mile, whereas those of the mob would hold well a half a mile. They shot 9 balls through a small smiths shop, one through Esquire Wells barn and one at his house but the ball struck the ground in front of his house and glanced through the well curb. The mayor of Quincy watched the battle from the tower of the Temple and owned that history never afforded a parallel. The brethren then began to get their families and effects over the river where they remain in a suffering and destitute condition til wagons and means are sent from the Saints to their relief.
On the Thursday following the mob 1200 strong entered the City. Tis said from good authority that such is the distress and sufferings of the saints as actually to draw tears from this mob.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
[source: George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
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