The Nauvoo Legion: When Power Breeds Conflict



In the early 1840s, the Mormon community in Nauvoo, Illinois, tried to protect itself by forming the Nauvoo Legion—a militia under the command of Joseph Smith, who was not only their spiritual leader but also the city’s mayor. While self-defense is understandable, the way the Mormons wielded this power crossed lines and escalated tensions with their neighbors, ultimately leading to violent conflict and tragedy.

The Nauvoo Legion was far more than a simple militia. It was one of the largest and best-armed in Illinois, effectively serving as a private army loyal to Joseph Smith and his followers. This blend of religious, political, and military authority gave the Mormons outsized control over Nauvoo and bred fear among non-Mormons. Many outsiders saw the Mormon leadership as authoritarian, using their power to impose their beliefs and silence opposition.

A clear example of this misuse of power was the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor printing press in 1844. The newspaper had published exposes about Joseph Smith and the secret practice of polygamy. Instead of tolerating criticism or defending himself in court, Smith ordered the city council to destroy the press—a blatant violation of free speech and a provocative act that outraged neighbors and authorities. This action ignited the charges of riot and treason against Smith, deepening the divide.

Moreover, when the Illinois state militia demanded that the Nauvoo Legion disarm, Joseph Smith refused, asserting the Legion’s right to bear arms. This defiance was less about defense and more about maintaining Mormon dominance and intimidating opponents. The Legion’s heavy-handed enforcement of Mormon ordinances and its willingness to suppress dissent created an atmosphere of intimidation and distrust.

The Mormon community’s unwillingness to share political power or tolerate criticism fueled escalating tensions with their non-Mormon neighbors. Their actions made violent clashes almost inevitable. When Smith was finally arrested and jailed, he and his brother were killed by a mob before justice could take its course—an event rooted in years of conflict the Mormons helped provoke.

After Smith’s death, the state legislature revoked Nauvoo’s charter and disbanded the Legion, recognizing that this private, church-controlled militia posed a serious threat to law and order.

The history of the Nauvoo Legion is a stark reminder that when a religious group seeks to wield unchecked political and military power—especially when combined with suppression of dissent—it inevitably breeds fear, hostility, and conflict. The Mormons were not just victims of persecution; their own actions and refusal to live peacefully alongside others played a central role in the tragic violence that followed.


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Sources:

Doctrine and Covenants 136:38

Fawn Brodie, No Man Knows My History

Richard L. Bushman, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling

Kathleen Flake, The Politics of American Religious Identity

Roger D. Launius, “The Nauvoo Legion in Illinois Politics”

John G. Turner, Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet

Leonard J. Arrington & Davis Bitton, The Mormon Experience

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