The De-Escalation of Tensions in Nauvoo

The situation with the Avery kidnappings comes to a head around the middle to end of December. Joseph Smith says, okay, things have gotten out of control. And so you see the start of these tensions starting to melt away. For many residents of Western Illinois, life seemed to return to normal in February 1844. But for members of the anti-Mormon party, they remained as committed as ever to expelling the saints from the state.