[ Full-text transcription of: Letter from Governor Boggs, Jefferson City, MO to General John B. Clark, 1st Division of Missouri Militia ]
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Executive Department
To City
of
Major Genl 6. Nov 1838
Jno B. Clark
Commanding the forces)
against the Mormons )
Sir,
I have the
honour to acknowledge, the receipt of your communi=
cation under the date of the 3d Inst dated at
by the Express Mr. G. D. Maupin. I regret very much
to hear that Genl. Lucas has been guilty of disobedience
of orders, on the subject however I shall cause in due
time an enquiry to be made. I thought I had been so very
explicit in my orders that it was not possible to mis=
understand them, you have placed the proper construction
upon them, which was that the whole force to be employed
in this service was to be placed under your command.
General Lucas was not ordered out at all except in the
way I mentioned to you in my last communication.
he was directed to cause Four hundred men of his
division, to be raised and place them under the command
of a Brigdier Genl, with the privilege if he thought
proper to waive his rank as Major Genl and
take Brigadier General’s command.
General Atchison was not ordered out in this last
affair for two reasons, one was that I was aware as
a member of the Legislature he would have other
duties to attend to, and another was that there was much
dissatisfaction manifested towards him by the people opposed
to the Mormons, he though under no militia law has
a right within the limits of his command to order out
his his troops to quell insurrection or repel invasion,
Genl Lucas though could not exercise any command
within Genl. Atchison’s division only so far as he may
have been [“commanded” crossed out] directed by the Commander in
Chief and that only extended to the Command. of
a Brigadier in pursuance of the orders which
I forwarded by Mr. Black the Express from Daviess
County whose companion Mr. Dryden bore my first
orders to you. I therefore approve of the course you
have taken in demanding the prisoners of Genl Lucas
as well as the arms, and shall send to him instruc=
tions to deliver them over to your order in the way you
have directed him. You will see that they are
securely confined within the limits of some prison
and strongly guarded. The course you have pro=
posed taking in relation to the other prisoners, that
is to hold an
those deemed guilty to be confined and guarded
is the correct one.
You will proceed to Diamon and there disperce all
the persons you may find embodied and under
arms without authority of law, in the mean time a de=
tachment from your command can if it is deemed
necessary be employed to reinstate the people of Daviss
in their homes—It will also be necessary that
you hold a Military Court of inquiry in Daviess
County and arrest the Mormons who have been
guilty of the late outrages committed towards
the inhabitants of
to you are to settle this whole matter completely
if possible before you disband your forces, if
the Mormons are disposed voluntarily to leave the
State of course it would be advisable in you to
promote that object in any way deemed proper
The ring leaders of this rebellion though ought by
no means permitted to escape the punishment
they merit.
The troops from Colo. Gasconade and
had perhaps better return them in service and
discharge them who from fatigue or otherwise may
be disposed to return.
I should be pleased to have from you of the final
result of this matter previous to the meeting of
the Legislature. I [“should” crossed out] shall forward to Genl. Lucas by
by Express the necessary orders and instructions
to obey the order you have directed to him, under
date of the 3d inst: in relation to the arms &
prisoners [“and shall also forward to him a copy
of this letter to you” crossed out]
I have to request of you to embody all
the facts you can collect in relation to the
commencement of progress and termination of
the recent difficulties with the Mormons
in order that I may communicate the
same to the Legislature
I am respectfully
L
Com. in chief
The prisoners will of course be delivered over to the
civil authority, when you may deem it
prudent to do so
L.W B.
Copy to Genl
Nov. 6, 1838
Document No. 23
Letter
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