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

their homes or their religion. He deter
mined to adopt measures to effectually ar
rest the tide Of emigration, which was car
rylng every one across the river. To
accomplish purpose so necessary, the
instructions of the Governor to Parker,
under which he was acting, gave him no
powers. He had no authority to coerce
any one into his ranks, or to restrain any
one of his liberty of crossing and re-crossing
the Mississippi river whenever his inclinatin
might dictate. But powerful evils require
powerful remedies; and Major Clifford con
sidered that the emergency was such as
made it absolutely necessary to make the
military superior to the civil power; and
to back him in this rather arbitrary notion,
he had the opinion and examples of General
jackson, the great founder of democratic
absolutism in politics. With such an e1-
ample before his eyes, Major Clifford did not
hesitate to declare martial law. He brought
two his field pieces into the portico of the
temple, charged them with pos der as highly
as they could bear, and fred them at mid
night as ratification of his high resolve,
and as the annunciation of his purpose. He
Immediately detached guard and forthwith
sen, them to the river, with instructions to
fire upon every one, no matter who, that
should attempt to cross the river without a
pass from him.
During the night, whilst Major Clifford
was firing his cannon and proclsiming his
higher law doctrines, the Anti-Mormons
were removing their encampment to the
North or La 1Iarpe road, by which they
avoided the ravines which sheltered the en-
emy on the other route, and procured ground
sufficiently level to use their artillery with
effect on the Mormons. About noon of the
following day, General Brockman made an
attempt to enter the city by storm. The at
tack commenced by the Anti -Mormons can
nonading some waste building on the north
east of Nauvoo, in which it was supposed
the Mormon force was concealed. The Nor
mos returned their fire. Peal answered
peal from the deep mouthed cannon, and
for hours, balls, grape-shot, and other dead
lv missiles encountered each other, and
fiercely whizzed through the air, with deci-
dedlv less effect than the buzzing of mus
quitoes. After the parties had become
thoroughly aroused by the thunder of the
conflict, and enraged by the blood which
they anticipated would soon spout in cata-
racts, they threw aside their ponderous and
unwieldy wespons..Of death, and bold rushe
to the encounter and discharged their small
!. ms right into each others faces, but for
tunately, however, without impairing or
damaging the beauty of any hero on that
hard fought field. One Of the Mormon heroes
who had exhausted his stock of ammunition,
turned to fly, ana in the dastardly act re-
ceievcd a spent ball in his heel, which
alarming catastrophe however only seem
ed to add wings to his speed; another com.
planned of the loss of finger which he had
contrived to shoot of by means of his owr
expertness in the science of gunnery. NJ
sooner had the blood began to flow from
this unfortunate wound, than panic seized
the consecrated host, and with wild confu-
sion and shouts Of terror they fad to the
temple for protection.
General Brockman sat motionless on bis
white charger, viewing with calm philosophy
the work of havoc and blood around him
With huge satisfaction he beheld the rout
Of the enemy: but he hestated long before
be would order his troops to charge their
retrcating footsteps. lie had heard thai
subtcrranean powder plots gaped wide fol-
his destruction. a danger so formidable
and so different from the sciene of civilized
warfare he feared to encounter. He there
fore determined to follow the example Of thu
saints, and accordingly gave the order TO fal
back on the cncampment. AT the same mo
ment the casual observer might have seer
both armies flying from each other, for deal
life.
The hostile parties on the following nigh
each slept on their arms, and both dreamet
no doubt of swimming in pools of blood. Or
ha fol AIT, m,
arose with the determination Of fighting thei
way into the city, despite of all opposing oh
staclcs. The Mormons in the meantime, hay
ing in great measure recovered from thei
absurd and cowardly panic, were busil,
engaged in tho construction of temporar,
breastworks on which to mount their cannon
as well as to shelter them from the fire o
the enemy. They threw themselves bchinC
these slight fortiications and behind the sur
rounding buildings, and awaited with no liz
tie anxiety the assaults Of the enemy. The
AntiMormons coolly planted their cannon
and about noon commenced firing on tht
fortiications and buildings, which protected
the Mormons. The attack was kept up will
decidedly more spirit, and the firing wa
much better directed and told with more
destructive effect on the buildings, than tha
of the preceding day. a black smith shop
which sheltered small company of tn,
saints, was severely riddled by the incessan
discharge of cannon. One of the party,
small boy, the son of Captain Anderson was
struck by shot from the artillery which
pierced tho wall, and was shattered to atoms
a retreat from the building to safer posi-
ton was deemed advisable, in elfcctng whicl
another Of their number was struck dowI
mortally wounded by the enemy's fire.
In the mean time, the street which they
sought to enter being hotly contested, ant
several Of their number being severel,
wounded by the fire from the Mormon
breastwork, the Anti. Mormons marched
south to street which was wholly unguard
ed, with the intention Of taking possession
of that point, before the Mormons could be
rallied for its support. This movement be-
Ing discovered, Captain Anderson was dis.
about thirty men, all of whom were armed
with " fifteen shooting riIles' and revolv-
ers, to oppose progress of the enemy at that
point. Arriving at the point of destination
they commenced pouring Calling fire into
the Anti-Mormon ranks, which instantly
checked their progress. Col. Smith of CDf-
thage, who commanded the Anti Mormon
column, hastily placed his cannon in posi-
ton and blazed away at the Mormons with
out any effect. Anderson, the Mormon
leader, at this crisis rushed forward in full
view of the enemy, and called upon his men
to charge upon the enemy's battery but at
the very moment of his giving the command
he received muskct ball in his breast,
from which he instantly expired.
At the very time that Anderson was urg-
ing his men to make desperate charge Col
Smith, who is man of unquestioncd brave
~, and was The soul Of the Anti-NIormon
amy, was urging his men for the purpose
OF surrounding the handful of Mnrmons, who
were pouring a hai.-storm of ball on his ad-
vancing column, when he was severely
wounded in the neck, ard was carried as
dead from Inc field. Each party was thrown
into confusion by the loss of its leader ; and
and to add to the embarrassment Of the
Anti Mormons, it was discovered that their
supply Of ammunition was entirely exhaust.
ed. They were consequently compelled tc
fall back on their encampment, which wa.
strongly fortified, and leave the enemy il
possession Of the field. In this contest thu
Anti Mormons lost only one killed and some
seven or eight in wounded. The Mormons