TO EMMA SMITH
1834 MAY 19

AL[S]. Joseph Smith, Richmond, Indiana, to Emma Smith, Kirtland, Ohio, 18 May 1834, 1 p., RLDS Church Archives, Independence, Missouri.

In a letter dated 4 February 1834, Governor Dunklin wrote Mormon leaders in Missouri, "I am very sensible indeed of the injuries your people complain of, and should consider myself very remiss in the discharge of my duties were I not to do everything in my power consistent with the legal exercise of them, to afford your society the redress to which they seem entitled. One of your requests needs no evidence to support the right to have it granted; it is that your people be put in possession of their homes from which they have been expelled. But what may be the duty of the Executive after that, will depend upon contingencies." The governor informed his correspondents that a military guard would protect the witnesses and officials of the impending court of inquiry to be held in Jackson County to investigate the Mormon expulsion. He added, "Under the protection of this guard, your people can, if they think proper, return to their homes in Jackson County, and be protected in them during the progress of the trial in question."495 But nothing was said about protection for the Saints after the trial was over. To provide this protection, Joseph Smith organized Zion's Camp. Originally intended to consist of five hundred men, only 130 with twenty baggage wagons left Kirtland for Missouri in the first week of May 1834.

Two letters written by Joseph Smith to Emma survive from his march to Missouri. The first, dated 18 May is postmarked from Richmond, Indiana, just after the camp crossed the Ohio border; the other was written 4 June as they arrived at the Mississippi River.

18th May Camp of Israel in Indiana State <town of Richmond>

My Dear Wife

meeting being over I sit down in my tent to write a few lines to you to let you know that you are on my mind and that I am sensible of the dutes of a Husband and Father and that I am well and I pray God to let his blessings to rest upon you and the children and all that are a round you untill I return to your society the few lines you roa wrote and sent by the ha[n]d of Brother Lyman gave me satisfaction and comfort and I hope you will continue to communicate to me by your own hand for this is a consolation to me that to convirse <with> you in this way in my lonely moments which is not easily discribed I will indeavour to write every Su[n]day if I can and let you know how I am <and> Brother Fredrick496 will write to Oliver497 and give him the names of the places we pass through and a history of our jou[rn]ey from time to time so that it <will> not be nessary for me to endevou[r] to write it but feel a satisfaction to write a few lines with my own hand in this way I can have the privelege to communicate some of my feelings that I should not dare to reveal as you know that <my> situation is a very critacal one Brother Jinkins and William Jese and Jeorge are all well498 and are humble are detirmined to be faithful and finally all the Kirtland Broth[r]en are well and cannot fail I must close for I cannot write on my knees sitting on the ground to edification O may the blessings of God rest upon you is the prayre of your Husband until death

[Joseph Smith, Jr.],

Emma Smith [p. 1]

/499Mrs. Emma Smith
Kirtland Mills Geauga County Ohio [p. 2]