Of the troops at in this expedition some were sent on one expedition, & some on another but all were there mutually to aid assist 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 mobs if any should be collected there, a but when we got there we found none, I then learned the the object was, from those who were actively engaged in the matter, to drive out all the citizens of & 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 were <​was​> to bring the mormons into as I understood it— It was said by some that the mormons were burning there their own houses, and by others that the mob burnt them.— & so much so was said about it that I did not know when I got the truth— I heard one of the mormon troops say that the missourians, at had taken the goods out of store & piled them up & set by fire to the store <​house​> & had gone off for waggons to haul off the good but that our waggons got their first & had hauled them off. they I understood that the goods were deposited with the of the church at as consecrated property to the church— A great deal of <​other​> property was brought into the mormon camps. but know not where it came from, but understood it to be consecrated property— It was frequently observed among the troops, that the time had come, when the riches of the Gentiles should be consecrated to [p. [53]]