Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-04-06

evil. Wnlle IN lnht SITUATION COUNSELOR v,
Hopkins, friend Of mine, came TO me and
said: Brother Lee, come, get up and don't
draw of from the priesthood. You are only
endangering your own life by standing out;
you can't help H. II this Is wrong the blame
won't rest on YOU | said: "Charley, this
is the worst move this people ever made.
feel IT," He said: Come, 20 back and let
them have their way" l went back, weep
ing like a child, and took my place and tried
10 he SILENT and was until Higbee said they
(thc omigrants) must be docoyed out through
pretended friends help. / could no longer
hold my peace, and said |: "Joseph Smith
said that God hated traitor, and SO do l.
Before | would be traitor | would rather
take ten men and 90 10 that camp and tell
them they must die, and give them show
for their lives. That would be more hOnora-
bic than TO betray them like Judas" Here
got another reprocf, and was ordered to hold
my peace.
The plan agreed upon then was TO meet
them with flag Of truce, tell them that the
Indians were determined on their destruc-
ton; that we dare not oppose the Indians,
for VIC were at their mercy. That the best
we could do for them (thc emigrauts) was 10
get them and what few traps we could take
In wagon out; TO lay their arms in the bot
tom OF the wagon and cover them up with
bcd.clothcs and start for the settlement as
soon as possible, and trust themselves in our
hands. The small children and wounded
were TO go with the two wagons. The women
To follow the wagons, and the men next.
The troops to stand In readiness on the cast
side OF the road ready to receive them.
Shurtz and Neph. johnson were TO conceal
the Indians in The brush and rocks till the
company was strung out on the road to
certain point, and at the watchword Halt !
do your duty" each man was TO cover his
action and fire. johnson and Shurtz were to
rally the Indians and rush upon and dis
mol nh a,sH oh 1ArnTt
was further told the men that President
Haight said that IL VIC were united In carry
ing out the instructions VIC would receive
celestial reward" / said | was willing to
put up with n less reward IL l could be ex'
cused. How can you do this without
shedding innocent bloOdg" Here | got an
other lampoonine for my stubbornness and
disobedence TO the priesthood.
| was told there was not drop OF inno-
cent blood In the whole company of emf
grants. They also referred to the GENTLE
nations who refused the children Of Israel
passage through their country when Moses
led them out Of Egypt; that the Lord held
that crime against them, and when Israel
waXed strong the Lord commanded Joshua
TO slay the whole nation, men, women and
children. Have not these people done worse
than that to us? Have they not threatened
to murder our leaders and prophets, and
have they not boastcd of numbering our pa
triarchs and prophets, Joseph and Hyrum
Now talk about shedding innocent blood
They said was good, liberal, free hearted
man, but too much OF this sympathy would
be always in the way; that every man now
had to show his cOlors; that it was not safe
to have Judas in camp. Then 1t was pro-
posed that every man express himself; that
if there was q man who would not keep a
close mouth they wanted to know it then.
This gave me to understand what might
expect II | continued TO oppose. Mai. Hig.
bee said: Brother Lee is right; let him take
an expression of the people," knew that
/ dare not refuse so had every man speak
and express himself All said they were
willing to carry out the counsel OF their
leaders; that the leaders had the spirit of
God, and knew better what was right than
they did. They then wanted to know my
feelings. replied; "I have already ex.
pressed them.h Every eye was upon me as
paused. But" said |, you can do as
you please, | will not oppose you any
longer" "Will you keep close mouth "
was the question. "I will try" was my
answer l will here say that the fear of of
Tending Brigham Young and George A. Smith
had saved my life. | was near being blood
atoned in PaTowan," under j. g. l.. Smith, in
1854; but of this have spoken in my auto
biography.
Saturday morning all was ready and every
man was assigned to his post of duty. Dur
ing the night, or rather just before daylight,
johnson aud Shurtz ambushed their Indians,
the better to deceive the cmigrants. About
eleven o'clock a. IN. the troops under Maj.
Higbec took their position on the road. The
white flag was still kept up in the corral.
Higbee called VIM. Batcman from the ranks
to take a flag of truce to the corral. He was
met about half way with another white flag
from the cmigrants' camp. They had talk.
The emigrant was told VIC had come to rescue
them If they would trust us. Both men with
the flags returned to their respective places
and reported, and were to meet again and
bring word. Higbcc called me out to go and
inform them of the condition of things, and il
accepted Dan Mcfarland, brother of Jim
Mcfarland, lawyer, who acted as aid dc
camp, would bring back word, and then two
wagons would be sent for the firearms, chill
/ dren's clothing, etc. | obcycd and the terms
proposed were accepted, but not without dis
trust. | had as little to say as possible; in
fact my tongue refused to perform its Office
/ sat down on the ground in the corral neal
where some young men were paying their
last respects to some person who had just
died OF a wound. A large, feshy old woman
came to INC twice and talked while | sat
there. She related their troubles; said that
four of their number were killed and forty
seven wounded on the first attack That
several had died since. She asked me If
was an Indian agent. said: "In one sense
| am. The Government has appointed me
farmer to the Indians" ] told her this to
satisfy her. | heard afterward that the same
question was asked and answered in tht
same manner by Mcfarland, who had been
sent by Higbee to the corral to hurry me uI
for fear that the Indians would come back
and be upon them.
When all was ready Samuel McMurty
counselor to Bishop p. X. Smith (Klingen
SMITH, drove out. His wagon had the seven
teen children, clothing and arms. Samuel
Knight drove the other team with five
wounded men and one boy, about fifteen
years old. | walked behind the front wagon
to direct the course and shun being in the
slaughter, but this kept to myself. When
we got turned fairly to the east motioned tc
McMurty to steer north across the valley.
at the same time told the women, who were
next to the wagon, to follow the road up Il
the troops, which they did. Instead of say.
ing to McMurty not to drive SO fast, as he
swOre to on my trial, said to the contrary
to drive on, as my aim was 10 get out OF
sight before the firing commenced, which We
did. We were about half mile ahead oi
the company when we heard the first firing.
We had driven over a ridge of rolling ground
and down on low fiat. The firing was
simultaneous along the whole line.
The moment the firing commenced Nc
Murty halted and tied his lines across the
rod OF his wagon-box, stepped down coolly
with a double -barreled shotgun, walked
back to Knights wagon, which had the
wounded men, and was about twenty feet in
the rear. AS he raised his piece he said
Lord, my God, receive their spirits, for II
is for the Kingdom of heavens sake that we
do this" fired, and killed two men. Samuel
Knight had a muzzle loading rifle, aud he
shot and killed the three men and then struck
and wounded the boy on the head, who fell
dead. In the meantime drew a five.shoote
from my belt, which accidentally went of
cutting across McMurty's buckskin pants in
front, below the crotch. McMurty said
Brother Lee, you are excited; take things
cool; you was near killing ME; look where
the ball cut" pointing TO the place in his
pants. At this moment heard the scream
OF child, aud looked up and saw an Indian
have a little boy by the hair OF his head
dragging him out of the hind.end OF a wagon
with knife in his hand, gettingIeady to cut
his throat. sprang for the Indian, with my
revolver in my hand, and shouted at the tor
Of my voice: stop, you fool!" The child
was terror-stricken. His chin was bleeding
| supposed II was the cut of knife, but aft
erward learned thatit was done by the wagon
box as the Indian yanked the boy down by
the hair Of the head. / had no sooner res
cued this child than another Indian seized a
Ii tie girl by the hair rescued her as soon
as could speak. told the Indians they
must not hurt the children, that would die
before they should be hurt, that we would