106 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
F. G. Williams paymaster and Zerubbabel Snow com- missary general. They had twenty wagons loaded with arms and effects, and next day set out for Mis- souri, President Smith joining them, leaving Rigdon and Cowdery to look after matters in Ohio. They passed through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, reaching Missouri ^° in June, Pratt and others still continuing
^° ' They were trying times, requiring the combined wisdom of the prophet and his head men . . . Cut the prophet more readily discovered the new advan- tages that would ultimately accrue to his cause by a little perseverance. He well knew that the laws could not continue to be violated in our country for any length of time, and that he and his followers would, in the end, bo the greatest gainers Ijy the cry of pei'secution which they could raise. . .A revela- tion was printed in the form of a handbill. It was taken up by all their priests and carried to all their congregations, some of which were actually sold for one dollar per copy. Preparations immediately began to be made for a crusade to their holy land to drive out the infidels . .Old muskets, rifles, pis- tols, rusty swords, and butcher knives were soon ])ut in a state of repair and scoured up. Some were borrowed and some were bought, on a credit if possi- ble, and others were manufactured by their own mechanics. . .About the first of May the grand array of fanatics commenced its march in small dctaclmients from the different places of concentration. On the 3d the prophet, with a life guard of r.bout 80 men, the elite of his army, left his quarters in Kirtland with a few baggage wagons, containing their arms, ammunition, stores, etc. . . .On arriving at Salt Creek, Illinois, they were joined by Lyman Wight and Hyrum Smith, brother of the propliet, with a reenforcement of twenty men, which they had picked up on the way. Here the grand army, v/hich being fully completed, encamped for the space of three days. The whole number was now estimated at '220, rank and file. During their stay here the troops were kept under a constant drill of manual exercise with gu-.is and swords, and their arms put in a state of repair; the prophet became very ex- Y>cvi, wiLh a sword, and felt himself equal to his prototype Coriantumr. He had the best sword in the army; probably a true model of Laban's, if not the identical one itself, an elegant brace of pistols, which were purchased on a credit of six months, a rifle, and four hoi'scs. Wight was appointed second in command, or fighting general, who, together with the prophet, had an ar- mor-bearer appointed, selected from among the most expert tacticians, whose duty it was to be in constant attendance upon their masters with their arms.' Howe's Mormonism Unveiled, 117-39. 'Cholera broke out in his camp on the 24th of June, and Joseph attempted to cure it by laying on of hands and prayer. . .Joseph lost thirteen of his Ijand liy the ravages of the disease. . . He arrived in Clay co. on the '2d, and started back for Kirtland on the 9th. . . Short as was the time he stayed, he did not depart without organizing and encouraging the main body. . .and establishing the community in Clay co. on a better tooting than when he arrived.' MacJca-j's The i\lormon>^, 85. Churches were visited in New York, Pennsylvania, and the New England States, about 100 recruits obtained, and 50 more in the vicinity of Kirtland. The first de- tachment, about 100 strong, left Kirtland May 5th, and by ihe next Sunday about GO more had joined, part from Ohio and part from the east. The body was organized in companies of tens, each being furnished with camp equipage. Messes for cooking purposes were formed, and guards mounted at night. Deseret Hews, Oct. 19, 1800. These men were well armed. A detacliment of twenty men had preceded them as an advanced guard. liemy's Journey, i. 297. They were divided into companies of 12, consisting of 2 cooks, 2 lire- men, 2 tent-makers, 2 watermen, one runner or scout, one commissary, and 2
