Joseph Smith’s Counsel Disregarded. It will be recalled that prior to the Battle of Crooked River, Joseph Smith had advised all of the Saints in smaller communities to gather to the larger population centers Apparently Jacob Haun was unwilling to abandon his property as advised, particularly in view of that had happened in Daviess County a few weeks before. Haun went to Far West to consult with the Mormon Prophet about the matter. The following is an account of their meeting:

The morning after the Battle of Crooked River, Haughn [sic] came to Far West to consult with the Prophet concerning the policy of the removal of the settlers on Log Creek to the fortified camps. Col. White [i.e., Wight] and myself were standing by when the Prophet said to him: “Move in, by all means, if you wish to save your lives.” Haughn [sic] replied that if the settlers left their homes, all of their property would be lost and the Tentiles would burn their houses and other buildings. The Prophet said: “You had better lose your property than your lives; one can be replaced, the other cannot be restored; only do as you are commanded.” Haughn [sic] said that he considered the best plan was for all the settlers to move in and around the mill, and use the blacksmith’s shop and other buildings as a fort in case of attack; in this way he thought they would be perfectly safe. “You are at liberty to do so if you think best,” said the Prophet. Haughn [sic] then departed,, well satisfied that he had carried his point.

The Prophet turned to Col. White [sic] and said: “That man did not come for counsel, but to induce me to tell him to do as he pleased; which I did. Had I commanded them to move in here and leave their property, they would have called me a tyrant. I wish they were here for their own safety. I am confident that we will soon learn that they have been butchered in a fearful manner.

Jacob Haun returned to the mill and reported his conversation with the Mormon Prophet. He said that Joseph’s counsel was for the residents at the mill to remain where they were and to defend their homes if they thought they could; if they thought they could not, they were to come to Far West. David Lewis, a resident at the mill, wrote:

We, being deceived by our messenger whose name and Jacob Hawn [sic], the owner of the mill, . . . we thought from the way the thing was represented that it would be like cowards [for us] to leave and not try to maintain it. . . . We did not know that it was Joseph’s decided council [sic] for us to do so . . .

To protect against the actualization of mob threats, the Mormon men at Haun’s Mill took turns standing guard through the night. This duty was performed several times prior to the actual attack. Some of the older men, however, doubted the wisdom of trying to defend the mill. The matter was agitated for some time. The following describes their deliberation:

Some of the older men urged that no resistance should be made, but that all should retreat to Far West. . . . Others at the mill opposed a retreat and when an old man named Myers reminded them how few they were and how many the Gentiles numbered, they declared that the Almighty would send his angels to help when the day of battle should come. Some of the women, too, urged the men to stand firm and offered to mold bullets and prepare patching for the rifles if necessary.

Eventually the decision was made to remain at the mill.