A MARTIAL PARADE. 317 



body towards the town, with the intentioii of 

 sacking and burning it I had often heard 

 the cry of "Indians!" announcing the ap- 

 proach of hostile savages, but I do not re- 

 member ever to have witnessed so much 

 consternation as prevailed at Independence 

 on this memorable occasion. The note of 

 alarm was sounded far and near, and armed 

 men, eager for the fray, were rushing in from 

 every quarter. Officers were summarily se- 

 lected without deference to rank or station : 

 the 'spirit-stirring drum' and the * ear-pierc- 

 ing fife' made the air resound with music, 

 and a httle army of as brave and resolute a 

 set of fellows as ever trod a field of battle, 

 w^as, in a very short time, peiraded through 

 the streets. After a few preliminary exercises, 

 they started for a certain point on the road 

 where they intended to await the approach 

 of the Mormons. The latter very soon made 

 their appearance, but, surprised at meeting 

 ■with so formidable a reception, they never 

 even attempted to pull a trigger, but at once 

 surrendered at discretion. They were imme- 

 diately disarmed, and subsequently released 

 upon condition of their leaving the country 



without delay. 



It was very soon after this affair that the 

 much talked of phenomenon of the meteoric 

 shower (on the night of November 12th) oc- 

 curred. This extraordinary visitation did not 

 fail to produce its effects upon the supersti- 

 tious minds of a few ignorant people, who 

 began to wonder whether, after all, the Mor 



27 



