and his company were ordered to accompany the to . The Carthage Greys, who had but two days before been under arrest for insulting the commanding General, and whose conduct had been more hostile to the prisoners than that of any other company were selected by to guard the prisoners at the jail; and the other troops composed of the mob whom the had found at , and had mustered into the service of the , and who had been promised “full satisfaction”, and that they should be marched to , were disbanded and discharged in ; yet suffered two or three hundred armed men to remain encamped about eight miles off <​on​> the road, apparently under the control of Col. , a notoriously sworn enemy to Joseph, and who had on many occasions threatened the destruction of , and the death of Joseph. Moreover it was the duty of [HC 6:606] the to dismiss the troops into the hands of their several officers in order to be marched home and there disbanded, and not to have disbanded them at a distance from home and at a time and place where they were predisposed to acts of lawless violence, rapine and murder.

states that previous to leaving he said to the , “Sir, you must be aware by this time that the prisoners have no fears in relation to any lawful demands made against them, but you have heard sufficient to justify you in the belief that their enemies would destroy them if they had them in their power; and now sir, I am about to leave for , and I fear for those men; they are safe as regards the law, but they are not safe from the hands of traitors, and midnight assassins, who thirst for their blood, and have determined to spill it; and under these circumstances I leave with a heavy heart.” replied; “I was never in such a dilemma in my life; but your friends shall be protected, and have a fair trial by the law; in this pledge I am not alone; I have obtained the pledge of the whole of the army to sustain me.” After receiving these assurances, prepared to visit the prison; the morning being a little rainy favored his wearing an overcoat, in the side pocket of which he was enabled to carry a six shooter; and he passsed the guard unmolested. During his visit in the prison he slipped the revolver into Joseph’s pocket. Joseph examined it, and asked if he had not better retain it for his own protection. This was a providential circumstance as most other persons had been very rigidly searched. Joseph then handed the single barrel pistol, which had been given him by to his brother and said, [HC 6:607] “you may have use for this.” observed, “I hate to use such things, or to see them used.” “So do I,” said Joseph “but we may have to, to defend ourselves;” upon this took the pistol.

was intrusted with a verbal request to the of the Legion to avoid all military display, or any other movement calculated to pro [p. 176]