Minutes and Testimonies, 12–29 November 1838, Copy [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 ca. late 1838–ca. early 1839; unidentified handwriting; fifty-seven pages; Mormon War Papers, MSA.
upon their horses with bayonets and pitch-forks and forced and Smith said forced into the front of the battle, and that the property of those who would not go into the war, should be consecrated to the use of those who did. Mr Smith said their beef, corn and potatoes they would take—
I went in the expedition to , in which was burnt, as I felt myself compelld to go from the regulations which had been made.
It was generally understood that every movement made in was under the direction & supervision of the first presidency, of whom Jos Smith Jr & were in .
The following of the Defts. were in that expedition to . viz: Jos Smith Jr, , , ,— John Buckhannon was not there, was there, was there, was not there, was not there, Moses Clawson I think was there. was there, I think was there < & was there>, was there. David Frampton was not there. Sheffield Daniels I think was not there. was there. was there Maurice [Morris] Phelps, I think was there.
Of the troops at in this expedition I some were sent on one expedition, and some on another, but all were there mutually to aid and assist each other in all that they undertook or did on that occasion— When we first went to , I understood the object to be to drive out the mob, <If any should be colected there> but when we got there we found none. I then learned the object was, from those who were activley engaged in the matter, to drive out all the citizens of , and get possession of their property; It was understood that they burnt mormon houses, as well as the houses of the citizens, the burning of the mormon houses was to bring the mormons into as I understood it. It was said by some that the Mormons were burning their own houses, and by others that the mob were burning them. and so much was said about it, that I did not know when I got the truth— I heard one of the morm[o]n troo[ps] say that the missourians [p. [37]]