Eye Witness Account of the Martyrdom

In Eye Witness Account of the Martyrdom, John Taylor, later the third President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, provides a moving and personal narrative of one of the most tragic and defining moments in Latter-day Saint history—the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum. As a close associate and devoted friend of Joseph, Taylor was not only present in Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844, but also a survivor of the mob attack that claimed the lives of the Prophet and the Patriarch. His account, recorded shortly after the events, stands as one of the most powerful primary sources detailing both the brutality of the assault and the faith and composure of the…