The mobbers have been burning the houses of the saints up to this time.
They have burned out and drove all south of us, and they have sent us word that
they would visit us today. They have permitted the brethren to take their
things out of their houses before they set them afire. The Twelve Apostles have
counseled the Saints not to resist them up to the present time, although
Sheriff Backnistas has done all in his power to quell them. He is friendly to
the saints and the mobbers hate him. They call him a Jack Mormon.
We fully expected the mob would burn our houses today, and I began to
prepare for it, by taking some of the things out of my house. Mother was not
able to sit up but little, while I was busy in carrying out all the things, she
said “Warren be sure to take out the soap barrel.” She seemed to think more of
the soap than anything else.
The mobbers did not come, and in the afternoon we got orders to give
them cold lead if they came to molest us. The sheriff called out a posse from
Nauvoo today and went down towards Warsaw, to head the mobbers, which they did,
which was the cause of their not coming to burn us out. There has been five or
six of the mobbers killed.
One was killed 1 mile and a quarter from here on the main road from
Nauvoo to Warsaw by O.P. Rockwell. It happened on the wise. The sheriff was
going to Warsaw; and meeting the mobbers, or rather before he met them seeing
their hostile intentions he wheeled his horse and fled towards Nauvoo. A few of
the mobbers gave chase. On arriving at the top of the hill south of China
Creek, Sheriff espied a man at the foot of the hill and demanded his
assistance. It proved to be O. Porter Rockwell who happened to be passing. The
Sheriff quickly made known the situation and they taking shelter in a thicket
of hazel brush, awaited the mobbers. They soon made their appearance on the
brow of the hill, and a fellow by the name of Worrell being the foremost one
fell mortally wounded. When the others came up and saw their comrade weltering
in his blood they were seized with fear and taking Worrell up they fled with
all possible speed for Warsaw. Rockwell thus saved the life of Sheriff
Backenstos. (Warren Foote, Journal, September 17, 1845, in Saints, Stories,
and Sources: Warren Foote, vol. 1 [Aspen Grove Books, 2016], 93-94)
