Description

“I Want You To Kill Me” – Shooter from Haun’s Mill

Willard Gilbert Smith was born 9 May 1827, at Amherst Township, Lorain County, Ohio, the son of Warren and Amanda Barnes Smith. On October 30, 1838, Willard and his family were at Hawn’s Mill Missouri when an angry mob attacked the settlement and massacred 17 men and boys. Among those killed was Willard’s father and younger brother Sardius. Willard described
those first moments when he entered the blacksmith shop where they lay.

“As soon as I was sure [the mob] had gone, I started for the shop and was the first person to enter this holocaust, stepping over the dead body of my Father in doing so. I looked around and found my brother Sardis dead with the entire top of his head shot away, and my brother Alma almost lifeless lying among a pile of dead where he had been thrown by the mobsters who, evidently, thought him dead.”

Willard goes on to describe the terrible ordeal his family endured ministering to the wounded Alma and then fleeing the state. Willard was only eleven years old at the time. His mother moved the family to Nauvoo and then on July 1, 1846, when President Brigham Young called for volunteers to join the United States army, Willard was standing in the crowd listening.

According to Henry Jackson’s account:

“President Brigham Young and Captain Allen addressed the brethren. It was voted unanimously to comply with the requisition from the government. Then President Young stepped upon a wagon tongue and called out, “Is there a drummer boy present?” Willard Gilbert Smith stepped forward, saying, “Yes sir. I am one.” President Young replied, “All right, Willard, you drum for recruits.” Willard did and became the first volunteer.”

Willard became the drummer for Company D and Henry Jackson became the fifer. Together and as members of the Battalion they marched through to California. Both Smith and Jackson family records share the following interesting account. (There are three separate accounts of this story. Two of the accounts come from Willard’s daughters, Cordelia and Estella. The third account is from Henry Jackson’s family history. There is a striking consistency in the accounts.)

On March 19, 1847, the Battalion left Mission San Luis Rey marching to Los Angeles, where they arrived on March 22. According to Willard’s family history,

“While the Company were standing at ease in the street, there came a ragged, dejected man, in clothes much too small for him. He was dirty, a regular derelict vagabond. He accosted Captain [Levi] Hancock, saying, “Gentlemen, I am glad to see you. I have been waiting here days for you, for I heard there was a company of Mormons coming.”

“Well,” said Brother Hancock, “What can we do for you?”

The man replied, “I hoped there would be someone in the company who had friends killed in the Haun’s Mill massacre, who would kill me, because I was there. I was the man who shot that little boy’s brains out in the blacksmith shop. His cries and pitiful pleadings have ever been from before my eyes and I want to die.”

Brother Hancock took him to father, where he repeated his story. He said, “I shot that boy with a double-barreled shotgun. His pleadings still ring in my ears. I hope you will grant my request.” He wore an old army shirt, buttoned over shoulder and down the right side. Tearing this open, he threw himself down on his knees, saying, “I want to die; I want you to kill me.”

My father stepped back from him, saying, “There is a just God in heaven who will avenge that crime. I will not stain my hands with your blood.” This man loitered around camp for days until the officers had him taken away.

Sources:

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/31035314/ch-12-henry-and-the-mormon-battalion-samuel
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KW8F-XNR
http://www.newrevelations.net/willardsmithsurviveshaunsmill.html