Minutes and Testimonies, 12–29 November 1838, Copy and Letter [State of Missouri v. Gates et al. for Treason]
Source Note
Minutes and Testimonies, [, Ray Co., MO], 12–29 Nov. 1838, State of MO v. Gates et al. for Treason (Fifth Judicial Circuit of MO 1838). Copied with letter ca. late 1838–ca. early 1839; unidentified handwriting; fifty-one pages; Mormons Collection, 1813–1970, Missouri History Museum.
on the square before ’s house— addressed them in a cheering & encouraging manner in the course they were pursuing, he held in his hand a letter sent from Jos Smith Jr, in county, in which he said there was a profound secret, and the boys who were present were sent away, the letter was as near as I recollect it as follows: That our enemies were now delivered into our hands, and that we should have victory over them in every instance— the letter stated that in the name of Jesus Christ he knew this by the Spirit of prophesy—
Since the return from , Jos Smith Jr told me, in refference to his plans, that if the citizens of and surrounding country rose & went out there to fight them, that he intended to have men to slip in behind them and lay waste the country & burn their houses.
In the council in , a few days before the militia came out, I recollect in making arrangements for the war, the presidency was to have the supreme rule & that their war office, or head quarters was to be at , where, Jos Smith Jr said, they could have all necessary preperations to carry on the war in a war like manner, & they were to have gone in a day or two to take their seats—
At the time J Smith Jr & myself were under guard at he manifested a a great disposition to converse about our difficulties, & said he heard I had turned against him, and proposed to me the idea [p. [10]]