[Hosea Stout Diary] Tuesday February 2nd 1847. Cold windy morning but clear[.] I was in doors untill noon[.] I have just procured the field notes of the commanding officer of Nauvoo at the time of the Battles last June, and for the satisfaction of the reader will give them an insersion
June 10th A large body of the mob with five pieces of artillery marched toward Nauvoo, from Carthage, & made a show of entering Nauvoo at the Point called the Carthage road but being resolutely met when within two miles of the City, they returned and encamped for the night, having fired several canon shott without effect.
11th Earley in the morning, the mob abandoned their Camping ground and moved their whole forces about one and a half miles further North, to what is called the New Laharp road
They were here met by a little band of thirty men, in ambush, commanded by by Capt William Anderson & was called the "Spartan Band being mostly armed with 15 shooters, who fired upon them and retreated a short distance & fired again thus retreating & firing, holding them at bay.
They were coming in with flying colors appearantly without any obstructions except from the 30 men when suddently, when only one & a quarter miles from the Temple, our home made cannon (of steam boat shafts) opened upon them under the command of Captain Hiram Gates, manned by William I Green & William Summerville.
The effect was electric. They halted in their tracks and after exchanging a few shots, retreted over the brow of a commanding emenence, and camped for the night
12th After negotiations had passed at about 12 oclock the mob commenced deploying to the left taking advantage of cornfields to mask their movements, with 4 pieces of artillery and about 800 men â€" and showed a determination to take the City by storm at all hazzards.
We had to oppose them about 200 men, 130 of whom were in line â€" the rest were stationed elsewhere and 5 pieces of steam boat shafts â€" only 3 of which were in the action and one of them disabled after the third shot.
The mob came up to within rifle shot of our little band of men when a sharp action commenced, which lasted one hour & forty minutes, when the mob retreated on a full run, then rallied for 15 minutes; but retreated again, to their former camping ground. Hundreds of shots had been fired on both sides â€" our loss was three killed and two wounded on this day & but one more wounded in all the days fighting. Thus were the mob repulsed for the third time
13th This evening about eight oclock all four of our field pieces went down & approached their camp and opened upon them â€" after firing a few rounds without recieving any answer from them, we returned to the City â€" This day the "Spartan Band" and some sharp shooters from Captain Gaits Company harassed their wings and watering places
14th A few cannon shott were exchanged. The "Spartan Band" & sharp shooters continued as the day before â€" with some loss to the enemy every day.
15th As on the fourteenth
16th The enemy deployed as on the 12th and were met by the "Spartan Band" and 3rd Company of infantry commanded by Captain Gaits & his two pieces of cannon. Rifles & Musket shots flew thick â€" and the cannon shots were rapidly exchanged â€" and the mob retreated for the fourth time; finding our fortifications, which we had been constantly throwing up, were too strong for them. A committee of 100 citizens of Quincy now interfered a truce was proclaimed and finally a treaty entered into.
17th Mob entered and Mormons commenced leaving.
The above was the field note of Col Clifford as taken by Cimon C. Bolton who is one of the brethren
I regulated the guard as usual & went out in the evening with the intention of staying on guard but not being well I came home & went earley to bed.
[source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
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