Page:History of Utah.djvu/180



128 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.

Meanwhile was being matured the bloodj tragedy which occurred on the 30th of October near Haun's^' mill, on Shoal creek, about twenty miles below Far West. Besides the Mormons living there, were a num- ber of emigrants awaiting the cessation of hostilities before proceeding on their journey. It had been agreed between the Mormons and Missourians of that locality that they would not molest each other, but live togetlier in peace. But the men of Caldwell and Daviess counties would not have it so. Suddenly and without warning, on the day above mentioned, mounted and to the number of two hundred and forty, they fell upon the fated settlement. While the men were at their work out of doors, the women in the house, and the children playing about the yards, the crack of a hundred rifles was heard, and before the firing ceased, eighteen of these unoffending people were stretched dead upon the ground, while many more were wounded. I will not enter upon the sick- ening details, which are copious and fully proven; suffice it to say, that never in savage or other w^ar- fare was there' perpetrated an act more dastardly and brutal.^^ Indeed, it was openly avowed by the men of Missouri that it was no worse to shoot a Mormon than to shoot an Indian, and killing Indians was no worse than killing wild beasts.

A somewhat singular turn affairs take at this junc- ture. It appears that Boggs, governor, and sworn enemy of the saints, does not like the way the war is going on. Here are his own soldiers fighting his own voters, the state forces killing the men who have put

^^ Spelled also Hahn, Holm, Hawn.

3"' immediately after this, there came into the city a messenger from Hauu's mill, bringing the intelligence of an awful massacre of the people who were residing in that place, and that a force of two or three hundred, detached from the main body of the army, under the superior command of Cul. Ashley, but under the immediate command of Capt. Nchemiah Compstock, who, the day previous, had promised them peace and protection, but on re- ceiving a copy of the governor's order to exterminate or to expel, from the hands of Col. Ashley, he returned upon them the following day, and surprised and massacred the whole population, and then came on to the town of Far West, and entered into conjunction with the main body of the army.' Mackay's The Mormons, 88-9.