Article Review: “Silence, Ye Fiends of the Infernal Pit!”: Joseph Smith’s Incarceration in Richmond, Missouri, November 1838

 “Silence, Ye Fiends of the Infernal Pit!”: Joseph Smith’s Incarceration in Richmond, Missouri, November 1838, Alexander L. Baugh, Mormon Historical Studies, pp. 134-159, Mormon Historical Studies, BYU, Provo, Utah, 2012.

This article about the incarceration of Joseph Smith and other church leaders in 1838 provides insight into the personality of the prophet.  A total of 64 Mormon men were arrested.  They were taken to Richmond Missouri for preliminary hearing.  Most stayed at the jail which was still being constructed.  There were seven of them in a make shift jail, made from a log cabin.  These were: Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight, Amasa Lyman, and George W. Robinson.  They were chained to each other at the ankle.  They were there in November of 1838.  It was during this time that the Prophet Joseph Smith rebuked his guards.  They were talking in a gross manner about atrocities they had committed against Mormon women and children.  Finally Joseph Smith reacted, as related by Parley P. Pratt, "SILENCE—Ye fiends of the infernal pit. In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and command you to be still; I will not live another minute, and hear such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die THIS MINUTE."

This chastisement had the desired effect.  Pratt continued, "He ceased to speak. He stood erect in terrible majesty. Chained, and without a weapon,—calm, unruffled and dignified as an angel, he looked down upon the quailing guards, whose weapons were lowered or dropped to the ground; whose knees smote together, and who, shrinking into a corner, or crouching at his feet, begged his pardon, and remained quiet till a change of guards."

 After the preliminary hearings were concluded, many were released due to lack of evidence but more than half were remanded for trial to various counties for such things as larceny, burglary and larceny.  For this they were able to post bail.  However a few were charged with murder in the death of Moses Towland who died in the Crooked River skirmish. They would be tried in Richmond and wait in jail until the trial would comence. Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Alexander McRae and Caleb Baldwin were charged with treason for which bail could not be posted.  They would be transferred to Liberty Jail where Joseph would spend another four months.  

Grand Tower Island Tragic Wedding Story

Grand Tower is and island in the Mississippi opposite Grand Tower, Illinois.  It is actually in the Missouri half of the river.  It is noted for having difficult currents and whirl poos which are cause by the water going around the island and meeting again.  It was such that the Lewis and Clark placed a cross on the island in 1803to fight off the "demons."

In 1839 in April a wedding was planned by a couple, residents of the Illinois town of Grand Tower.  This is close to the island.  April the river is still swollen with spring run off.  The wedding party were rowed by slaves to the island.  The wedding was performed.  It was on the return trip that the party was sucked into the river by a whirl pool.  One of the three slaves survived, but the rest of the party went down.  My best understanding is their bodies were not recovered.  Whirlpools are still seen around the island at times, especially in the spring.