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jured; others were severely cut and dangerously wound. ed. One man was shot dead on the wharf, and twelve were missing, either killed, or burnt and sunk with the boat. They towed the boat out in the river, and set it on fire; the flames burst forth; it drifted slowly, and its blaze shone far and wide over the water and adjacent shores. On the Canada side, at a distance above Chippewa, was burning a large light, as a signal to those engaged in the expedition. In a short time, an astounding shout came booming over the water: it was for the success and return of those who had performed this deed. The beacon was extinguished. The Caroline still moved on, and cast its lurid light far and wide, clothing the scene in gloom and horror; and just below the point of Iris island, suddenly disappeared. Many of the wrecked and charred remains were, the next morning, floating in the current and eddies below the falls."*

The disturbances continued on the frontier till near the close of the year 1838. The battle of Prescott, U. C., opposite Ogdensburg, N. Y., on the 13th and 15th of Nov., effectually put down armed resistance to the regular authorities in Canada. The insurgents, about one hundred and fifty in number, withstood a force of upward of one thousand British troops. The patriots, with the exception of two or three who escaped, were all either killed or taken prisoners. The British loss was about 150 men killed, and 20 officers; among whom was Captain Drummond. The patriots were commanded by Van Schoultz, a native of Poland. He, with Colonels Abbey and Woodruff, and others of the prisoners, were sentenced to death and executed: twenty-three were sent to England, and from thence were transported to Van Diemen's Land.

130. Account of the Mormons.

Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was born in Royalton, Vermont, and removed to Manchester, Ontario county, New York, about the year 1820, at an early age, "De Veaux's Falls of Niagara."

with his parents, who were in quite humble circumstances. He was occasionally employed in Palmyra as a laborer, and bore the reputation of a lazy and ignorant young man. According to the testimony of respectable individuals in that place, Smith and his father were persons of doubtful moral character, addicted to disreputable habits, and moreover, extremely superstitious, believing in the existence of witchcraft. They at o ime procured a mineral rod, and dug in various place. .or money. Smith testified that when digging he had seen the pot or chest containing the treasure, but never was fortunate enough to get it into his hands. He placed a singular looking stone in his hat, and pretended by the light of it to make many wonderful discoveries of gold, silver, and other treasures, deposited in the earth. He commenced his career as the founder of the new sect, when about the age of 18 or 19, and appointed a number of meetings in Palmyra, for the purpose of declaring the divine revelations which he said were made to him. He was, however, unable to produce any excitement in the village; but very few had curiosity sufficient to listen to him. Not having the means to print his revelations, he applied to Mr. Crane, of the society of Friends, declaring that he was moved by the Spirit to call upon him for assistance. This gentleman bid him to go to work, or the state-prison would end his career. Smith had better success with Martin Harris, an industrious and thrifty farmer of Palmyra, who was worth about $10,000, and who became one of his leading disciples. By his assistance, 5,000 copies of the Mormon bible (so called), were published at an expense of about $3,000. It is possible that Harris might have made the advances with the expectation of a profitable speculation, as a great sale was anticipated. This work is duodecimo volume, containing 590 pages, and is perhaps one of the weakest productions ever attempted to be palmed off as a divine revelation. It is mostly a blind mass of words, interwoven with scriptural language and quotations without much of a leading plan or design. It is, in fact, such a production as might be expected from a person of Smith's abilities and turn of mind.

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Soon after the publication of the Mormon Bible, one Parley B. Pratt, a resident of Lorrain county, Ohio, happening to pass through Palmyra, on the canal, and hearing of the new religion, called on the prophet, and was soon converted. Pratt was intimate with Sidney Rigdon, a very popular preacher of the denomination called "Reformers," or Disciples." About the time of the arral of Pratt at Manchester, the Smiths were fitting ou expedition for the western country, under the command of Cowdery, in order to convert the Indians, or Lamanites, as they termed them. In October, 1830, this mission, consisting of Cowdery, Pratt, Peterson, and Whitmer, arrived at Mentor, Ohio, the residence of Rigdon, well supplied with the new Bibles. Near this place, in Kirtland, there were a few families belonging to Rigdon's congregation, who, having become extremely fanatical, were daily looking for some wonderful event to take place in the world: 17 of these persons readily believed in Mormonism, and were all re-immersed in one night by Cowdery. By the conversion of Rigdon soon after, Mormonism received a powerful impetus, and more than 100 converts were speedily added. Rigdon visited Smith at Palmyra, where he tarried about two months, receiving revelations, preaching, &c. He then returned to Kirtland, Ohio, and was followed a few days after by the prophet Smith and his connexions. Thus, from a state of almost beggary, the family of Smith were furnished with the "fat of the land" by their disciples, many of whom were wealthy.

An unsuc

A Mormon temple was erected at Kirtland, at an expense of about $50,000. In this building there was a sacred apartment, a kind of holy of holies, in which none but the priests were allowed to enter. cessful application was made to the Legislature for the charter of a bank. Upon the refusal, they established an unchartered institution, commenced their banking operations, issued their notes, and made extensive loans. The society now rapidly increased in wealth and numbers, of whom many were doubtless drawn thither by mercenary motives. But the bubble at last burst. The

bank being an unchartered institution, the debts due were not legally collectable. With the failure of this institution, the society rapidly declined, and Smith was obliged to leave the state to avoid the sheriff. Most of the sect, with their leader, removed to Missouri, where many outrages were perpetrated against them. The Mormons raised an armed force to "drive off the infidels," but were finally obliged to leave the state.

The last stand taken by the Mormons was at Nauvoo, Illinois, a beautiful location on the Mississippi river. Here they erected a splendid temple, 120 feet in length by 80 in width, around which they built their city, which at one time contained about 10,000 inhabitants. Being determined to have their own laws and regulations, the difficulties which attended their sojourn in other places followed them here, and there was constant collision between them and the surrounding inhabitants. By some process of law, Joseph Smith (the Prophet) and his brother Hyram were confined in the debtor's apartment in the jail at Carthage, in the vicinity of Nauvoo, and a guard of 8 or 10 men were stationed at the jail for their protection. While here, it appears that a mob of about 60 men, in disguise, broke through the guard, and firing into the prison, killed both Joseph Smith and his brother Hyram, June 27, 1844. Their difficulties still continued, and they determined to remove once more. At this time (November, 1846) nearly all the Mormons have left Nauvoo, and are now on their way to California.

131. War with Black Hawk.

In the spring of 1832, the Winnebagoes, Sacs, and Foxes, inhabiting the northwestern frontier, on the Upper Mississippi, commenced a warfare, by which many settlements were broken up and destroyed, and many of the defenceless inhabitants were killed. The war appears to have been occasioned by driving the Indians

from the lands on the eastern side of the Mississippi. These lands had been sold to the United States in 1830, by Keokuk, at that time the principal chief of the Sacs. A part of the tribe were dissatisfied with the treaty, which conveyed away the territory on which their village was situated, at the point of land formed by the confluence of Rock river with the Mississippi. This party, headed by a chief named Black Hawk, was determined not to remove. Difficulties having arisen, Gen eral Atkinson, about the 1st of April, 1832, set out for the Upper Mississippi, at the head of the sixth Regiment U. S. Infantry. On his approach, Black Hawk and his party abandoned their camp on the Mississippi and ascended Rock river.

Black Hawk, with a small party, having put to rout a party of 270 men under Major Stillman, created a great alarm in this region. Governor Reynolds, of Illinois, ordered out 2,000 militia, to drive the hostile Indian from that state. By the beginning of June, there were so many troops spread over the Indian country, that Black Hawk found but few opportunities to murder the inhabitants on the frontiers. And although there were about 3,000 men in arms to combat 500 Indians, yet Congress ordered 600 mounted Rangers to be raised for the defence of the frontiers.

General Scott was ordered from the seaboard with nine companies of artillery, and their cannon were to be drawn from the coast; nine companies of infantry were ordered from the lakes, and two companies from Baton Rouge, to put an end to the war. Such was the promptness with which these orders were executed, that all except one of the six companies of artillery ordered from Fort Monroe, on the Chesapeake, arrived in 18 days at Chicago, Illinois, 1,800 miles distant in the interior of the country. This detachment was attacked on the route by the Cholera, and the whole of them were rendered unfit to take the field before they arrived at the scene of action. Several companies were broken up. "Of a corps of 208 men under Colonel Twiggs, but 9 were left alive."

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