The march of Zion's Camp from Kirtland to Missouri: This group of Saints marches about nine hundred miles in three weeks to protect the Saints in Missouri from the other Missourians if and when Gov. Dunklin restores them to their Jackson County lands. Beginning with about 100 men, the numbers eventually swell to 204 men, 11 women, and 8 children. Joseph divides them into companies of 12 men each, and each company has 2 cooks, 2 firemen, 2 tentmen, 2 watermen, 2 wagoneers and horsemen, 1 runner, and 1 commissarian. A man marches in front of the group carrying a white flag with the red letters PEACE on it. They take whatever old weapons they can get. Joseph has the best weapons of all, including a good sword, rifle, a very aggressive bulldog, and a fine pair of silver-mounted pistols with brass barrels, which were captured in the War of 1812. Joseph travels incognito, calling himself Squire Cook. Every morning at four o'clock and every evening a trumpet blast signals for the men tokneel for their prayers.
[Source: Conkling, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology]
No comments:
Post a Comment