THE MORMON WAR.
From the St. Louis New Era, Sept. 22.
More Bloodshed.
If we are to believe the current accounts from the seat of the Mormon War, things at last dates appear to be drawing to a close. The steamer Die Vernon arrived yesterday, bringing down a number of passengers, many of whom are said to be Anti-Mormons fleeing from the wrath to come. The most authentic statement now is, that the Mormons, headed by the redoubtable Backenstos, High Sheriff of Hancock county and keeper of the peace in general, have got the upper hand and are about to have all the sport of slaying the Antis to themselves.
It is said that he has issued another Proclamation, No. 3, which has struck such consternation into the Anti-Mormon Army of Gen. Williams, and so completely hor-rified the inhabitants of Warsaw, that the largest propor-tion of the Army has deserted, and the citizens of War-saw fled in all directions. The following piece of war news we found attached to the manifest of the Die Ver-non; it sounds a good deal like a great deal we have heard before; what reliance is to be placed in it, those who read it can best determine:
"Two companies of Mormons, one under Mr. Wil-liams and the other under Mr. Miller, were encamped on Friday about eight miles from Warsaw, and avowed their determination to visit Warsaw next day. The whole Mormon force was about live hundred, and Back-enstos, the Sheriff, had made a requisition on Nauvoo for six hundred more, who were to be down on Saturday. On Friday the Sheriff sent a communication to Colonel Williams requiring him and the other leaders of the mob to surrender themselves to be dealt with according to the law, and give up the State arms, in which event he (the Sheriff) would not proceed farther, but upon their refusal he would put every one to the sword; they were allow-ed till twelve o'clock on Saturday to answer. Most of the citizens of Warsaw and Col. Williams's men had crossed to the other side of the river to wait for assist-ance. The house-burning and other depredations upon the Mormons had ceased."
There will be bloody work, in marching 500 men into Warsaw, and upon their refusing to surrender he would put every one to the sword; but if the army of the anti-Mormons have nearly all deserted, and all the inhabi-tants of Warsaw fled, who will this second Nero find to wreak his vengeance upon? Certainly, he will not turn about and slay innocent persons; nor is it probable that he will cross over into Missouri after the Antis. We never had much confidence in these Bombastes Furioso accounts of Mormon wars, but there are a great many persons who are fond of war, and by their partiality for the horrible are led astray. We suppose that when Sheriff Backenstos marches into Warsaw and finds none of the rioters there, that he will march out again with-out producing a civil war.
Correspondence of the St. Louis Republican.
WARSAW, Saturday Eve, 9 o'clock, Sept. 20,1845.
According to promise, I hasten to lay before you all that has transpired since you left Hancock, last even-ing. You will recollect that at the time the Sheriff, with his "Mormon posse," had encamped some twelve miles from this place, and sent an express for those who had been engaged in the late disturbance to surrender them-selves, together with the State arms. That proposition, of course, was rejected, and the Sheriff was left to take his own course. After despatching his messengers to Warsaw, he started for Carthage with some three hun-dred men, where they arrived about sunset, and ordered supper at one of the hotels, on the credit of the county, which they at length succeeded in getting. This, pro-bably, is the strongest evidence which you have had that the credit of Hancock was sufficiently good to buy even one man's supper. However, they succeeded in arresting two men, and put them under guard. But some others, of whom they were more particularly in pursuit, succeeded in getting out of the way. The two per-sons arrested, I understand, have had nothing to do with the destruction of property, for which they are seeking redress. That, however, I am inclined to think, matters very little with the Sheriff and his posse, from some remarks which were made in this town to-day. From Carthage, they marched to this place, in two detached parties, coming in by different routes. One of the parties, numbering about three hundred and fifty, on horseback and in wagons, arrived about five o'clock this evening, headed by the Sheriff. They came to a halt for a short time, hut did not dismount, with the exception of the Sheriff. He made some inquiries for certain indi-viduals who have rendered themselves somewhat ob-noxious to the Mormons and for some Stale arms, be-longing to the Warsaw rifle company. But being told that they were all at Fort Refuge, across the river, orders were given to march, which were obeyed, to the very great satisfaction of what few woman and, children there are left in town. For never did a party who have been, on a three years, "cruise to the mountains," look more like savages than did this "law and order" party of Saints. Orders were given to march back towards the prairie until they came to water, and there encamp.—After this party had been gone about an hour, another party of horsemen, of about one hundred and thirty, rode into town headed by one of the Brethren and E. A. Be-dell. (who, you will recollect, was recently very politely invited to leave town.") This party drove to the river, watered their horses, and left town immediately, to join their comrades in camp. Thus has ended another day in Mormon war No. 7.
Correspondence of the Republican.
WARSAW, Sept. 21st, 1845.
Last evening I wrote you that we had been highly honored during the day, by a visit from several distin-guished individuals, among whom were J. B. Backenstos, Brother Miller, and divers and sundry other Mormons, forming in all a posse of some five hundred men. Find-ing that the gentlemen whom they desired to see had suddenly been called to attend to important business across the river, in Missouri, they soon left. Since they left, I have not been able to learn their whereabouts. Our citizens are beginning to return, and I hope that peace and quietness may again prevail. Many, how-ever, of the citizens have long since determened, if they could not get rid of their troublesome neigbors, to leave the country permanently. The recent difficulties must operate unfavorably upon the old citizens, as they will suffer from public sentiment, if in no other way, for the imprudence of a few reckless men and boys among them. What the immediate result will be, it is impossi-ble to say.
The commercial and agricultural interests of the coun-try are, meanwhile, paralyzed, and have been, indeed, for two years past. Of this, you are, doubtless, aware.
PROCLAMATION FROM Gov. FORD OF ILLI-NOIS.—GOV. FORD seems to have abandoned his first intention to let the Mormons and anti Mormons fight it out. indifferent which whipped, and has issued two Pro-clamations, which are published in the Gazette of last evening. Exaggerated statements, received at Springfield, probably produced this change of purpose, and induced him to make a call for five hundred men from the citizens of Sangamon, Menard, Cass, Scott, Pike, Morgan, and Greene counties. He also calls upon Gen. HARDIN Cols. BAKER, WEATHERFORD, MERRIMAN and BOYCE, to aid in raising this force. He says, in one of these pa-pers, that "this time, there is no mistake but that an insurrection does exist;" he appoints Beardstown as the place of rendezvous, and this day, (25th) as the time, for the gallant militia to make their appearance.
In the second proclamation, issued last Sunday, having received information of a battle, in which eighteen anti-Mormons, and three Mormons were killed, and a number of anti-Mormons were taken prisoners, he calls "upon all the young men of Sangamon county to come to Springfield at three o'clock of the afternoon of Tuesday next, [last,] ready for service." "The state of things now existing in Hancock (he says) must not con-tinue; the law must be magnified and restored to its supremacy, or otherwise our government is at an end." We don’t know how many volunteers answered this call, but we guess not many. There is no truth, at all events, in the battle which is made the foundation of this proclamation. Our intelligence from Warsaw is later than the date of the document itself, and no such affair was known to have occurred at that time. The prairie skrimmage and race between Backenstoss and a portion of the Anti-Mormons, doubtless gave rise to the story. [St. Louis Republican, Sept 25.
