d:

"Get out of here, and wrestle; jump, run, do anything but mope
around; warm yourselves up; this inactivity will not do for
soldiers."

The words of the Prophet put life and energy into the men. A ring
was soon formed, according to the custom of the people. The
Prophet stepped into the ring, ready for a tussle with any comer.
Several went into the ring to try their strength, but each one
was thrown by the Prophet, until he had thrown several of the
stoutest of the men present. Then he stepped out of the ring and
took a man by the arm and led him in to take his place, and so it
continued - the men who were thrown retiring in favor of the
successful one. A man would keep the ring so long as he threw his
adversary.

The style of wrestling varied with the desires of the parties.
The Eastern men, or Yankees, used square hold, or collar and
elbow; those from the Middle States side hold, and the Southern
and Western men used breeches hold and old Indian hug or back
hold. If a man was hurt he stood it without a murmur; it was
considered cowardly and childish to whine when thrown or hurt in
the fall.

While the sport was at its height Sidney Rigdon, the mouthpiece
of the Prophet, rushed into the ring, sword in hand, and said
that he would not suffer a lot of men to break the Sabbath day in
that manner. For a moment all were silent. Then one of the
brethren, with more presence of mind than the others, said to the
Prophet:

"Brother Joseph, we want you to clear us from blame, for we
formed the ring by your request. You told us to wrestle, and now
Brother Rigdon is bringing us to account for it."

The Prophet walked into the ring and said, as he made a motion
with his hand:

"Brother Sidney, you had better get out of here and let the boys
alone; they are amusing themselves according to my orders. You
are an old man. You go and get ready for meeting and let the boys
alone." Just then catching Rigdon off his guard, as quick as a
flash he knocked the sword from Rigdon's hand, then caught him by
the shoulder, and said: "Now, old man, you must go out, or I will
throw you down."

Rigdon was as large a man as the Prophet, but not so tall. The
prospect of a tussle between the Prophet and the mouthpiece of
the Prophet was fun for all but Rigdon, who pulled back like a
crawfish; but the resistance was useless, the Prophet dragged him
from the ring, bareheaded, and tore Rigdon's fine pulpit coat
from the collar to the waist;