after and passed unanimously with a few exceptions Capts and some one else not recollected <​ were appointed​> neither of whom were militia <​commanders of the mormons​> by J Smith Jr. to go to . he frequently called these men Generals— I once had a command as an officer, but he Jos Smith Jr. removed me from it & I asked him the reason, & he assigned that he had another office for me, afterwards told me I was to fill the office of sirgeon to attend to the sick & wounded— When <​After​> we arrived at in , the a council was held at night, composed of Jos Smith Jr, , , &. , , Mr. Prest. , <​& ​> & perhaps . was not present; a correspondence was kept up between him & Jos Smith Jr I heard read some one of the letters from Smith; which as I remember was about as follows. That he knew from prophesy, & from the revelation of Jesus Christ, that the enemies of the kingdom were in their hands & that they should succeed. on reading the letter said it gave him great consolation, to have such authority that the kingdom of God was rolling on: In the above referred <​to​> council Mr Smith spoke & of our <​the​> grievances we had suffered. in , , & other places, declared that we must in future stand up for our rights as citizens of the & as saints of the most high God— & that it was the will of God we should do so and that we should be free & Independent, and that as the State of & the [p. [6]]