The Arkansas advocate., 1833-12-25
Independence, .no. JNop. 26. 1893.

O the EditOfS or the hIiSSOUfl ftepuDlIcan.
 SIRs-The object of this communication IS to correct some erroneous publications in relation 10 myself, which discover are taking the rounds in the public papers, and also to correct other statements Tn relation to the recent difficulties which have occur red in this county, between the Mormons and ther. opponents.
 1t Is well known, that l did not, nor could not approbate the proceedings of that DOT ton of the citizens of this county who have been engaged against this sect of people and that, in consequence of my forbearing to participate in their measures, my situa- ton has been very unpleasant. have ob- served in your paper statement that the Lieutenant Governor was driven from this county. This statement is entirely untrue. Nc violence has ever been done me in any respect. l have also understood, that re- port has by some means got in circulation, that l had assumed the authority to order out the militia, and that l was compelled to i do SC by the populace :-this statement IS also without the least foundation Tn truth. 1 have observed a statement in the St. Louis Times, which Is taken from your paper, above the signature of ss0rsan Hyde,n in which MT. Hyde states, that the militia wero called out on Monday the l4th inst. and thai they participated ill the battle which was fought that evening near the boundary line. This statement of Mir. Hyde is absolutely and entirely false. The information of that battle having taken place, produced the call of the Militia. Tue battle took place about ten miles above this place, late on Monday evening, and the Militia were not paraded until 10 o'clock, A. M. on the next day 4 Tuesday, These militia were ordered into
 service by Lieut.. Col. Pitcher. (the Colonel being absent,) for the purpose of suppress ing the insurrection. l approved of the course adopted by Col. Pitcher, as the only means of saving bloodshed, and of restoring order. On Tuesday morning, before the whole of the militia that were ordered out had assembled, Eslsssitt iG966 iell had parad- |ed,) a messenger arrived in great haste, giving the information that the Mormons, numbering perhaps l50, well armed, were then within q mile or mile and half of town, coming on with view to attack and destroy the place. Col. Pitcher thought it advisable to march his men to tho western edge of our town, and there to awalt inc ar I rival of the Mormons, and, if possible, to prevent bloodshed, and get those deluded people to disperse and return to their homes. tn reaching the western edge of the town, the Colonel despatched one of the Mormons as a messenger to that portion of his breth- ren then in arms, with this information, that the militia were raised to quelI this insurrec- ton, and that they must come forward, sur render their arms, and return totheif homes. ] This, after considerable consultation back and forth, the Mormons at length complied with with. They ! hey surrendered their arms and returned to their homes, with inc exception of three, who were delivered over to the civil authority as having been engaged on the preceding day in the foregoing battle over Blue. These three were subsequently discharged and returned to their homes.- The statement of Mir. Hyde, that the mili- tia acted as mob, IS altogether false--no men ever behaved better, nor was any per son whatever, molested or injured by the l militia. Immediately after the surrender, the militia returned to town and were dis, missed, with the exception of small guard intended to guard the Mormons. On the next day, or the day afterwards, the Mor- mons took fright at the threats of the popu- lace, and fled in every direction. Mir. Hyde, ,also states, that MT. Hicks was killed. This was a mistake: Mr. Hicks was not within fifty miles of the place of action he was n Lafayette county, attending the Cir cult Court. It Is true, that the dwellings.of the Mormonsswere, to tlie number perhaps which Mir. Hyde mentions, torn down by the populace, under cover Of the night l The persons engaged in this matter arc not known. The information which reached here about s o'clock on Monday night, the 4th inst. by an express, giving intelligence of the aforesaid battle, stated that the Mcr- mons, to the number perhaps of sixty, well armed, attacked party of the citizens, num- bering about 20; that he left them fighting, and bore of the body of q small boy, who was shot in the back; that he could not tell the extent of bloodshed that had taken place. II has turned cut, he.eser, that that s,7sr o of the citizens were killed on the ground, and se- yeral wounded; the Mormons lost one man killed and several wounded. Asit regards the particulars of this aforesaid battle and which IS the only one which has taken place. Thavc taken measures to procure acorrect statement as soon as 1t is obtained it will