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Martyr for God VideoMurder of Joseph and Hyrum SmithUnknown, unknown
"We announce the
martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the
Patriarch" (D&C 135:1).
Mob at Carthage JailWilliam L. Maughan, 1986
John Taylor said:
"Immediately there was a little rustling at the outer door
of the jail. . . . [Willard Richards] glanced an eye by the
curtain of the window, and saw about a hundred armed men
around the door" (History of the Church, 6:617).
Martyrdom of Joseph and HyrumGary Smith, 1976
"We announce the
martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the
Patriarch. They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of
June, 1844, about five o'clock p.m" (D&C 135:1).
Joseph Smith Collection, 27 June 1844Willard Richards and John Taylor were two apostolic witnesses at Carthage Jail during the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith by a mob.
their muzzles with a
stick: while they continued to reach their guns into the
room, probably left handed, and aimed their discharge so far
around as almost to reach us in the corner of the room to
where we retreated and dodged, and then I recommenced the
attack with my stick. Joseph attempted as the last resort,
to leap the same window from whence Mr. Taylor fell, where
two balls pierced him from the door, and one entered his
right breast from without, and he fell outward exclaiming O
Lord my God!' As his feet went out of the window my head
went in, the balls whistling all around. He fell on his left
side a dead man. At this instant the cry was raised, He's
leaped the window,' and the mob on the stairs and in the
entry ran out. I withdrew from the window, thinking it of no
use to leap out on a hundred bayonets, then around Gen.
Smith's body. Not satisfied with this I again reached my
head out of the window and watched some seconds to see if
there were any signs of life, regardless of my own,
determined to see the end of him I loved; being fully
satisfied that he was dead, with a hundred men near the body
and more coming round the corner of the jail, and expecting
a return to our room I rushed towards the prison door, as
the head of the stairs, and through the entry from whence
the firing had proceeded, to learn if the doors into the
prison were open. When near the entry, Mr. Taylor called
out, "Take me;" I pressed my way till I found all doors
unbarred, returning instantly caught Mr. Taylor under my
arm, and rushed by the stairs into the dungeon, a nicer?
prison, stretched him on the floor and covered him with a
bed in such a manner as not likely to be perceived,
expecting an immediate return of the mob. I said to Mr.
Taylor, this is a hard case? to lay you on the floor, but if
your wounds are not fatal I want you live to tell the story.
I expected to be shot the next moment, and stood before the
door awaiting the onset.
Willard Richards
While Willard Richards
and John Taylor were in the cell, a company of the mob again
rushed up stairs, but finding only the dead body of Hyrum,
they were again descending the stairs, when a loud cry was
heard "The Mormons are coming!" which caused the whole band
of murderers to flee precipitately to the woods.
The following
communication was written and sent to Nauvoo:
Carthage Jail, 8
o'clock 5 min P.M.
June 27th 1844
"Joseph and Hyrum are
dead. Taylor wounded, not very badly I am well. Our guard
was forced, as we believe, of a band of Missourians from 1
to 200. The job was done in an instant, and the party fled
towards Nauvoo instantly. This is as I believe it. The
citizens here are afraid of the Mormons attacking them; I
promise them No!"
W Richards
Joseph Smith Collection, 27 June 1844Willard Richards and John Taylor were two apostolic witnesses at Carthage Jail during the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith by a mob.
Possibly the
following events occupied near three minutes, but I think
only about two, and have penned them for the gratification
of many friends.
Cartage, June
27th 1844
?
A shower of
musket balls were thrown up the stair way against the door
of the prison in the second story, followed by many
rapid footsteps. While Generals Joseph and Hyrum
Smith, Mr. Taylor, and myself, who were in the front
chamber, closed the door of our room against the entry at
the head of the stairs, and placed ourselves against
it, there being no lock on the door and no catch that
was usable. The door is a common panel, and as soon as
we heard the feet at the stairs head, a ball was sent
through the door, which passed between us, and showed
that our enemies were desperadoes, and, and we must
change our position. Gen. Joseph Smith, Mr. Taylor,
and myself sprang back to the front part of the room, and
Gen. Hyrum Smith retreated two thirds across the
chamber directly in front of and facing the door. A
ball was sent through the door which hit Hyrum on the
side of his nose when he fell backwards extended at length
without moving his feet. From his holes in his vest,
(the day was warm and no one had their coats on but
myself,) pantaloons, drawers and shirt, it appears
evident that a ball must have been thrown from without,
through the window, which entered his back on the
right side and passing through lodged against his
watch, which was in his right vest pocket completely
pulverizing the cyrstal and face, tearing off the hands and
smashing the whole body of the watch, at the same
instant the ball from the door entered his nose. As he
struck the floor he exclaimed emphatically; "I'm a
dead man." Joseph looked towards him, and responded "O
dear! Brother Hyrum!" and opened the door two or three
inches with his left hand, discharged one barrel of a
six shooter (pistol) at random in the entry from
whence a ball grazed Hyrum's breast, and entering his
throat, passed into his head, while other muskets were aimed
at him, and some balls hit him. Joseph continued
snapping his revolver, round the casing of the door
into the space as before, three barrels of which
missed fire, while Mr. Taylor with a walking stick stood by
his side and knocked down the bayonets and muskets
which were constantly discharging through the door
way, while I stood by him, ready to lend any assistance,
with another stick, but could not come within striking
distance, without going directly before the muzzle of
the guns. When the revolver failed, we had no more
fire arms, and expected an immediate rush of the mob, and
the door way full of muskets half way in the room, and no
hope but instant death from within. Mr. Taylor rushed
into the window which is some fifteen or twenty feet
from the ground. When his body was nearly on a
balance, a ball from the door within entered his leg and a
ball from without struck his watch, a patent lever, in
his vest pocked near the left breast, and smashed it
into pi' leaving the hands standing at 5 o'clock 16
minutes, and 26 seconds the force of which ball threw him
back on the floor, and he rolled under the bed which
stood by his side, where he lay motionless, the mob
from the door continuing to fire upon him, cutting
away a piece of flesh from his left hip as large as a man's
hand, and were hindered only by my knocking down
Taking the Martyrs to NauvooGary Smith, 1971"The testators are now dead, and their testament is in force" (D&C 135:5).Joseph Smith Jr. and Hyrum SmithFrederick Piercy, 1850s
"They lived for glory;
they died for glory; and glory is their eternal reward. From
age to age shall their names go down to posterity as gems
for the sanctified" (D&C 135:6).
Exterior of Carthage JailC.C.A. Christensen, 1865
"I shall die innocent,
and it shall yet be said of me—he was murdered in
cold blood" (D&C 135:4).
Joseph and Hyrum Smith's Death MasksVal Brinkerhoff, 2004
"In life they were not
divided, and in death they were not separated!" (D&C
135:3).
