The March
Smith and his volunteers left Kirtland on May 4, 1834. By June 4, they had marched across Indiana and Illinois, reaching the Mississippi River, which they crossed, entering Missouri. They crossed most of the state by the end of June, and news of their approach caused some alarm among non-Mormons in Jackson and Clay Counties.
Attempts to negotiate a return of the Latter Day Saints to Jackson County proved fruitless, but Smith decided to disband Zion's Camp rather than attempt to "redeem Zion" by force. Many members of the camp believed they should fight and criticized Smith. Much of the camp subsequently became ill with cholera. The two-thousand-mile march failed in its objective. Fourteen participants died.
Read more about this topic: Zion's Camp
Famous quotes containing the word march:
“When all is over and you march for home,
The spoils of war are easily disposed of:”
—Robert Graves (1895–1985)
“After the brief bivouac of Sunday,
their eyes, in the forced march of Monday to Saturday,
hoist the white flag, flutter in the snow storm of paper,”
—Patricia K. Page (b. 1916)