The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-04-16
COUNCIL 6

inanded by their inspired prophets to follow
the standard of the Church far into the viii.
derness; they had delayed their march, and
the superstitious began to fancy that tho
frown OF Omnipotence should continue to
rest upon them US long as they remained in
a land devoted to destruction by an offended
Deity. Their prophets had forewarned them
that Nauvoo and the adjacent country
would be destroyed by storm of divine
wrath, which would sweep the wicked and
blasphemous gentiles into eternity, and that
if any portion of the saints should disobedi-
emily remain behind they would be visited by
the same destroying vengeance, and misera-
bly, perish by the same omnipotent displeas-
ure.
At the time Gen. Brockman assumed the
command, the army was occupying the nook
Of timber to which they had been lea by
Gen. Singleton, about fifteen miles east Of
Nauvoo. Animated by the hopes of bril-
liant victory, Gen. Brockman, two days af-
ter his appointment, placed himself at the
| head of his troops and gave them their final
orders to march. The march was commenced
early in the morning, and a halt was neve er
called until the column was within cannon
shot of the city. They brought with them
their artillery, their military stores, and
an amply supply of provisions to las, them
for weeks should the campaign continue SO
long.
Long before the invading troops had COM
pleted half the distance to Nauvoo, they
encountered the Mormon pickets, who DASH
ed before them like the wind, to convey the
intelligence to Nauvoo. On their arrival,
signal guns were fred and the drums beat to
quarters. The troops were instantly para
ded and formed on the temple green, and
marched in quick time to meet the gentiles.
They took up their position about one mile
east of the, ,city, in the ravines which ianked
the Carthage road. The contest to the
Mormons was indeed a desperate one. BY
the desertion of the cowardly and supersti-
tious, who had fled on the march of their
enemy, their numbers were reduced to less
than two hundred. These men, however,
were nerved by despair, and were we'll pro
vlded with the most approved arms, and
possessed the skill to use them with the most
deadly effect. Their position too was for
midabie; it protec ed them from the fire Of
the enemy's artillery, and with the invinci-
BILE courage and the stern determination of
men resolved to die rather than WELD, they
would have been much superior to the over
whelming AntiMormon force. Besides
their infantry and artillery, which were
promptly placed in position to flank the
road, Ma or Parker had under his command
about thirty horsemen, which he Immediate
ly dispatched to make a reconnaissance of
the enemy and report his movements. This
detachment had proceeded but short dis
tance through lane shaded on each side by
luxuriant corn fields, when they were sud
denly startled by II fire of musketry from an
ambuscade to the right. 1t would be sup
posed, from the position occupied by
the enemy, that they had every
facility to take the most deliberate and
deadly aim that every shot might have
proved effective; but on the contrary, not
one of the sanity troopers received the
slightest scratch. The whizzing Of the balls
terrified both men and horses, and drove
them with lightning speed into camp, where
they reported the enemy were on the march
to attack them. This report, which by the
way was wholly false, induced the Mormon
leaders to remove their whole force from
the shelter of the rlvlnes where they were
posted, and place them in ambuscHde in
the same cornfeds from which the enemy's
fire had Just been delivered, on IL level with
the Anti Mormon batteries, which were in
position only half mile distant: a single
shot from which might have rakeu with the
dIrest effect the whole column, and put 4
summary termination to the "Mnrmon war
The Anti Mormons were aware of the advan.
tagc which had accrued to them by this
foolish act Of the enemy, and fired two ol
three shots in very direct range, but or
account Of their want Of skill were entirely
too high to accomplish anything beyont
the terror which the demonstration inspir'
cd.
In the meantime through the influence oI
the Mayor of Quincy, who had visited thu
belligerents with the intention Of ctfectin.
an accommodation between the parties, ant
if possible prevent the barbarous scenes
which were daily trauspiring, Gen. Brock.
man concluded to suspend hostiiities unit
the following morning, aud ii possible in.
duce the Mormons to capitulate. He nc.
cordingIy, through Mr.. Wood, the gentleman
before alluded TO, sent in proposition tC
the Mormons granting them five days in
which to abandon the city. provided they
should cease from their hostillties, and sur
render their arms in his keeping. TO this
proposition the Mormons refused to acccde
r
their arrangement for renewed hostilities
on the following morning.
Immediately after the firing had ceased
Ma or Parker turned the head Of his wGr,
horse from the enemy, and marched his III mer
to their head quarters at the temple; fatigued
and worn down by his unusual e1ertions,
and deeply disgusted with the scenes through
which he had passed. In fact, the gallant
70 lrs -, =.
soldiers, and his preparations for defense
The cannon which the interchangeable Nor
mons had ingenlously manufactured would
in no way compare with the highly finished
and effective brass pieces in possession of
the enemy. The Anti.Mormons were conf
dent of victory; they had brought fifteen
hundred men into the field, and their force
was daily augmented by new recruits to
their standard, whilst his own force had
dwindled to insignifcance, and was every
day growing "beautifully less" Besides
these acknowledgements, Major Parker did
not like to come into collision with his
clerical rival. They were both blacksmiths,
and if their rivalry consisted in making
horse shoes or furnishing ploughshares,
Major Parker would have been the last man
to have declined the contest. lie delighted
In the clear ana mCslcal ringing Oh inc anvil:
but the roar of hostile artillery grated
harshly on his ear. His competitor was a
lean, lank, wiry old fellow as you would like
to meet, whilst he was a huge mountain of
flesh, and the weather was insufferably hot,
and the wind dry and sutry. Whilst Gen
eral Brockman was mounted on Il spirited
Arab courser, feet as the wind. he was
compelled to jog along on a jaded hack
ney, recently taken from the plough tail,
which boasted nett. er wind nor bottom, nor
any more illustrious descent than that of a
common scrub; and what kind of head could
he be expected to make on his Wheeling,
jaded charger, when pursued with lightning
speed by the avengins Arab He might as
well attempt to resist or fly from Death on
pale horse. These considerations induced
the gallant Major to tender his resignation,
in which he spoke of the disparity between
the forces; and although it was confidently
expected that the following morning would
witnesses the general conflict between the
parties, which would be decisive in its con-
sequences, he promised to return to his
home and raise a force Of six or seven hun