The bronze statue of Colonel Alexander Doniphan in front of the Ray County Courthouse in Richmond, Missouri.

Doniphan, Alexander William, 1808-87, American lawyer and soldier, b. Mason co., Ky.

Doniphan began (1830) to practice law in Lexington, Mo., and served three terms in the state legislature, becoming involved in the Mormon issue. In 1838, Doniphan, as brigadier general of the state militia, was ordered against the Mormons by the governor but flatly refused to carry out orders to execute Joseph Smith and other Mormon leaders.

At the opening of the Mexican War he organized a mounted regiment of Missouri volunteers that formed part of Stephen W. Kearny’s force in his march on Santa Fe. When Kearny continued to California, Doniphan was left in command in New Mexico, where he subdued and made peace with the Navajo.

In Dec., 1846, turning over the command at Santa Fe to Sterling Price, Doniphan, on Kearny’s orders, set out with 856 men for Chihuahua to join John Wool’s army. Not far along the way his undisciplined but capable fighting outfit routed (Dec. 25) the Mexicans in a farcical engagement at the Brazito River, near El Paso, which was easily occupied. They then pushed on to a point c. 15 mi (24 km) N of Chihuahua, where, in the battle of Sacramento (Feb. 28, 1847), they again defeated the Mexicans. Chihuahua was taken the next day. Since Wool was not there as planned, Doniphan began another long march E to Saltillo, which was reached late in May. A few days later Doniphan and his men were commended by Zachary Taylor at Monterrey; then, their terms of enlistment being completed, they went down the Rio Grande, sailed for New Orleans, and returned to Missouri. The entire march, covering some 3,600 mi (5,793 km) and conducted with small loss under adverse circumstances, is one of the famous expeditions in American history….

…To Brigadier-General Doniphan: Sir: You will take Joseph Smith and the other prisoners into the public square of Far West and shoot them at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. Samuel D. Lucas, Major-General Commanding.”

To this, Doniphan promptly replied, “It is cold-blooded murder. I will not obey your order. My brigade shall march for Liberty tomorrow morning, at 8 o’clock; and if you execute these men, I will hold you responsible before an earthly tribunal, so help me God. A. W. Doniphan, Brigadier General.”…

The view from the second floor of the Ray County Courthouse in Richmond, Missouri.

A while back I was invited to speak about election recounts and blogging at a meeting of the Ray County Democratic Club. This evening I made the hour long drive up Highway 13 (and over the Congressman Ike Skelton Bridge across the Missouri River at Lexington) for a regular meeting of the club in the lobby of the Ray County Courthouse in Richmond.

I spoke about a number of election recounts over the past few years and provided a handout with information and URLs of our blog reporting and the Missouri Secretary of State’s web site. After I spoke the club continued with its business meeting – discussing fundraising, upcoming events, and their scholarship program.

These folks are part of the activist core of the Missouri Democratic Party. It’s four months after the 2008 general election and across the state grassroots groups like this are gearing up for the next cycle.

The work never ends.