About 6 o’clock in the afternoon the guard was surprised by an armed mob of from 150 to 250 painted red and black and yellow, which surrounded the jail, forced in—poured a shower of bullets into the room where these unfortunate men were held in “durance vile,” to answer the laws of Illinois; under the solemn pledge of the faith of the State, by Governor Ford, that they should be protected—but the mob ruled!! They fell as martyrs amid the tornado of lead, each receiving four bullets! John Taylor was wounded by four bullets in his limbs, but not seriously. Thus perishes the hope of the law; thus vanishes the plighted faith of the State; thus the blood of innocence stains the constituted authorities of the United States, and thus have two among the most noble martyrs, since the slaughter of Abel, sealed the truth of their divine mission by being shot by a mob for their religion, &c., &c., &c.

The reception of the bodies at Nauvoo is thus described:

The Legion in Nauvoo was called out at 10, A.M. , and addressed by Judge Phelps, Colonel Buckmaster, of Alton, the Governor’s Aid, and others, and all excitement and fury allayed, and preparations were made to receive the bodies of the noble martyrs.