The Second Appeal to Congress - Individual Affidavits from the National Archives
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I hereby certify that I was born in South Carolina, was raised in Kentucky and lived in Illinois about four years. I then moved into the State of Missouri and settled within about one mile of Haun's Mill Caldwell County in the fall of A.D. 1837. where I lived untill I left the State in consequence of the order of Governor Boggs and the treatment which I received from a merciless band of ruffians
In the fall of A.D. 1838 I frequently heard rumors that mobs were collecting in different parts of the Country around for the purpose of driving the people called Mormons out of the Country. I belonged to that people having joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints more than two years previous On the 30th of October A.D. 1838 I should judge about thirty five of our society were at Haun's Mill; a large portion of whom were movers who had stopt there in consequence of the threats and abuse which they had received on the road. The first intimation which we had that an Enemy was near us, was Some one cried out that an armed force was coming upon us. I looked and saw a number of armed men rushing out of the woods on Horseback at the distance of of twenty or thirty rods off Their number I judged to be between two hundred and two hundred and fifty. Two of our brethren made signs and cried for quarter, but their entreaties were not heeded The company began to fire upon us instantly, whereupon a number of us took shelter in a Blacksmith Shop which was near at hand. I staid there until six or eight had fallen around me being Shot down by balls, which came through the Cracks. Six of us left the shop about the same time and were the last that left it. we were all either killed or wounded in the attempt to make our Escape I was shot through the shoulder. There were fifteen killed who were buried the next day viz
Elias Brenner
Josiah Fuller
John Boyers
George Richards
John Lee
Thomas McBride
Levi N. Merrick
John York
Austin Hammer
_______Campbell
Warren Smith and his son Sardius Smith
William Naper
Benj Lewis
There were ten or eleven men two boys and one woman Wounded two of those who were wounded viz Hiram Abbot and Charles Merrick a boy only ten years of age have since, to my knowledge, died of their wounds While I was confined with my wound; companies of Six or Eight came to my house three or four times Enquiring for arms and threatning to take me a prisoner and carry me off. Twice they Examined my wounds to see if I were able to be moved but concluded that I was not.
Tarlton Lewis
[Sworn to before D.H. Wells, J.P. Hancock Co., IL, 3 Jan 1840.]