<​’s letter​> “Head Quarters, 3d. Div . Mi. Septr. 17. 1838. To his Excellency, the Commander in Chief— Sir:— I arrived at the of this County, , on the evening of the 15th. inst: with the troops raised from the Militia of , when I was joined by the troops from , under the command of ; in the same neighborhood I found from two to three hundred men in arms, principally from the Counties of , Carroll and Saline; these men were embodied under the pretext of defending the Citizens of , against the Mormons, and were operating under the orders of a Dr. Austin from Carroll County. The Citizens of , or a large portion of them residing on each side of the , had left their farms and removed their families either to the adjoining Counties or collected them together at a place called the Camp Ground. The whole County on the East side of appears to be deserted, with the exception of a few who are not so timid as their neighbors. The Mormons of have also left their farms, and have encamped for safety at a place, immediately on the East bank of , called — The numbers are supposed to be about two hundred and fifty men, citizens of , and from fifty to one hundred men, Citizens of ; both parties have been scouting through the country, and occasionally taking prisoners, and threatning and insulting each other, but as yet no blood has been shed. I have ordered all armed men from adjoining Counties to repair to their homes; the Men, and others to the amount of one hundred men, have returned, and there remain now about one hundred and fifty who will I am in hopes, return in a few days. I have been informed by the Mormons that all of those who have been charged with a violation of the laws, will be in to day for trial; when that is done, the troops under my command will be no longer required in this county, if the Citizens of other counties will return to their respective homes. I have proposed to leave two companies, of fifty men each, in this , and discharge the remainder of the troops; said two companies will remain for the preservation of order, until peace and confidence[HC 3:80] are restored. I also enclose to your Excellency the report of , and refer you for particulars to Major Rogers. I have the honor to be, your obt. servant Maj. Genl. 3 Div. . Mi.”

“This afternoon as I was driving the herd, I had occasion to go back after a Cow that strayed on the Prairie where we baited I found her and went on, and met two men who [p. 826]