Militia Conspiracy
Officers of the 39th Regiment of Infantry in Ontario County, New York—Thomas Rogers II, Nathaniel and George Beckwith, and Alexander McIntyre—had Lyman Cowdery steal the 116 page manuscript. John Pratt of Manchester, secretary of the infantry unit, recorded militia names, rank, pay, weapons, etc. He was also a collector of documents and books. His son, John Richmond Pratt, inherited his father’s books and papers, and claimed he could put his hands on the 116 pages in an hour.
Role of Militias in New York
The concept of the citizen/soldier being organized into a local militia predated the Minutemen of Lexington and Concord. Being in a militia was never the major business of life unless a body of soldiers were needed to protect hearth and home. Militias differed from the US standing army in that they were needed for defense, not offense. They were considered the last line of homeland protection.
The legality of militias traces to Article 1 of the Constitution of the United States which gives the right to form a local militia as part of the military structure of the US government. Under Article 1 and other acts passed by the US Congress, every able bodied male citizen was to obtain arms at their own expense and present them on militia training days. Training varied as there was not a centralized command, federal standard, or standardization of arms.
There were two types of militia units in New York—cavalry and infantry (artillery). Enrolled men were expected to show up for mustering with a bayonet, belt, and no less than 24 cartridges. Since many families could not afford the cost of a bayonet, men often showed up for roll call with obsolete weapons or makeshift weapons made from cornstalks, sticks, or umbrellas. Uniforms were scarce except for those worn by the officers.
History of the Militia in Palmyra
On June 18, 1812 the US Congress declared war on Great Britain. Prior to that time, there was not a militia unit in Palmyra. When John Swift, the founder of Palmyra, was appointed Brigadier General of the Palmyra Infantry Militia, military enrollment began in town. Male residents between the ages of 18 to 45 were called to colors in the emergency. John Swift and other citizen/soldiers of Palmyra fought in battles at Niagara, Pultneyville, and Sacket’s Harbor in the War of 1812. Swift and his men fought in the Battle of Lundy’s Lake (known as the Battle of Niagara Falls)—one of the bloodiest battles of the war, and one of the deadliest battles ever fought in Canada.
When Brigadier General John Swift was killed, the Palmyra militia retreated. On July 12, 1814 the following note was written—
In 1814 [John Swift] led a detachment from Queenstown Heights down the river to Fort George. There he surrounded and captured a picket guard of the enemy of sixty men. Instead of commanding the prisoners to ground their arms and march away from him, he suffered them to retain their muskets. One of the captives inquired, “Who is Gen’l Swift?” Most unadvisedly he stood forth and said, “I am Gen’l Swift.” In an instant the inquisitive prisoner put a ball through his breast. Dr. Alexander McIntyre was by his side when he fell. He was aged fifty-two years and twenty-five days.
The Treaty of Ghent ended hostilities of the War of 1812 by formal ratification on February 17, 1815.
Officers of the 39th Regiment of Infantry in Ontario County in the 22 Brigade in the 24 Division of the New York Militia
When the 116 pages were stolen between June-July 1828, towns and villages in Western New York no longer boasted of their militia units. With the threat of war taking a backseat, it was no longer necessary to recruit or call local militias to color. Wanting to keep a modicum of homeland protection, militias moved to the county level. The appointment of county militia officers was left entirely to the counties with the governor of New York rubber stamping or what was called “commissioning officers” elected by rank and file.
The Ontario County Militia leadership was comprised of men of high standing in Palmyra. Privates elected the commanding officers from those with social rank who often knew less about warfare than their underlings. Most officers read out of field manuals and spent more time socializing than drilling.
Who were the Officers?
Thomas Baldwin had a law office in the E. B. Grandin building. He was referred to as major due to his aid to General Dudley Marvin of Canandaigua. Thomas served as the second paymaster along the northern frontier. He dispersed an advance payment of $44,000 from the United States War Department for the St. Lawrence frontier. When his duties as paymaster ended, Thomas showed no further interest in military matters.
George Beckwith was a Captain before being promoted to Colonel. After the death of his brother Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Beckwith, men in his regiment were furnished uniforms gratuitously by him.
Nathaniel Beckwith was a Captain before being promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel.
Durfee Chase, brother of Willard and Sally Chase, was an Ensign.
Isaac Durfee, son of Lemuel Durfee Sr., was a Sergeant and later Captain.
Lemuel Durfee Jr., son of Lemuel Durfee Sr., had no combat experience. He joined the Ontario County Militia to be with men of high standing
Oliver Durfee, son of Lemuel Durfee Sr., served in the War of 1812 as an Ensign, Corporal, and Captain.
John H. Gilbert, compositor and typesetter of the Book of Mormon, was a Major.
Alexander McIntyre was a Surgeon’s Mate.
John Pratt recorded militia names, rank, pay, weapons, etc.
Thomas Rogers II was named Colonel before being commissioned Brigadier General.
Seymour Scovell was a Surgeon’s Mate.
July 4 – one day after the wedding of Polly Harris Cobb to William Parker
Without the threat of war, the Ontario County Militia formally met only four times a year—first week in April, June, July 4, and first week in October. The tradition of holding General Conference the first week in April and the first week in October comes from the militia parading tradition.
In 1828 Palmyra was the place for mustering and drilling. Roll call could take the morning and drilling and other military training went well into the afternoon. The day ended with dancing, barbecues, and other festivities.
Of mustering, parading, and drilling, no day was more anticipated than July 4. At the Independence Day celebrations, there was a militia muster, a parade, marches, patriotic speeches, elaborate dinner, and drinking. Of these events, the pomp and ceremony of parades in Palmyra were legendary. Officers wore colorful, flamboyant attire.
Militia Conspiracy
The plausible militia conspiracy involved leading officers of the 39th Regiment of Infantry in Ontario County. Officers of this militia in 1828 were Thomas Rogers II, George Beckwith, Nathaniel Beckwith, and Alexander McIntyre.
Lyman Cowdery lived in Arcadia, ten miles from Palmyra. In 1828 Lyman was appointed the “Marshal of the Court Martial” of the 39th Regiment of Infantry in Ontario County. As such, he was handed a warrant from the military court directing him to collect fines, arrest persons as charged, and commit persons to jail. A more clarifying description of Lyman Cowdery is a “bounty hunter” for officers Thomas Rogers II, George Beckwith, Nathaniel Beckwith, and Alexander McIntyre.
John Pratt, the father of Dr. J. R. Pratt, was the secretary of the militia. He recorded militia names, rank, pay, weapons, etc. His son Dr. J. R. Pratt claimed he could put his hands on the missing pages in an hour.
Chronology of the Theft
On July 3, 1828 the Martin Harris family were busy with the wedding of Polly Harris Cobb, the sister of Lucy Harris. The day after the wedding, July 4, 1828,there were festivities and militia parading in Palmyra. Who could miss the festivities, not be missed, and break into either Harris house undetected—Lyman Cowdery, a bounty hunter.
Lyman Cowdery was a “yes man” to officers of the Ontario Militia. He was trusted by these men to collect fines, arrest men, and put men behind bars. Did the military leaders tell Lyman Cowdery to steal the manuscript?
Giving credence to the possibility—although Cowdery lived in Arcadia, he received mail in Palmyra. The Wayne Sentinel of July 11, 1828 named Lyman Cowdery as having unclaimed letters at the Palmyra post office. Notice the July 1828 date.
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