Ep 208 – A Fateful Crossing of the Mississippi

On this episode, tensions are REALLY high between the Mormons and anti-Mormons in Nauvoo and Carthage respectively. We begin with John Taylor telling us about his meeting with Governor Thomas Ford about the Mormon side of the conflict. Because Ford was surrounded by enemies of the church as Taylor was telling the story, with affidavits included, the men scarcely let Taylor get a word out without calling what he said a “God damned lie”. Taylor returns to Nauvoo carrying Ford’s letter to Joseph Smith, which told Jo to surrender to arrest or the militia would be in Nauvoo before nightfall. Jo resolves to run away with his brother, Hyrum, and his closest advisor, Willard Richards, along with his hitman, Porter Rockwell. They cross the Mississippi under the cover of night and reach the home of a Mormon outside Nauvoo where they make camp for their journey to the “Great Basin” beyond the “Rocky Mountains”. The arresting posse of 30 men arrive in Nauvoo that morning to arrest Joseph and Hyrum, only to return to Carthage empty-handed, forcing Governor Ford’s hand to call the militia into Nauvoo to search for the fugitives.

History of Illinois by Governor Thomas Ford
https://archive.org/details/ahistoryillinoi00shiegoog/page/n354/mode/2up/search/messengers

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