I think, the evening the militia arrived, Smith had a disposition not to fight them, from what I could understand, more on account of their numbers, their than their character.

I heard it said, but whether it was in the council where was chosen commander-in-chief, or where, I do not recollect but I heard it stated, I think by Jos Smith Jr, that the militia was a mob, and that the state of was a mob, or words to that effect.

When opposing Prest. Smith at above referred to about the plundering of property, he remarked it was impossible so many people could subsist there without resorting to something of that kind.

After we came in from to from the last expedition to Jos Smith Jr said he intended to hoist a new flag or standard on the square in , on which he intended to write “Free Religion aside & free toleration to all religions, & to all people that would flock to it’ & that he believed thousands in the surrounding country would flock to it and give him force sufficient to accomplish his designs in maintaining his flag, & in carrying on the war—

The morning that I marched out of , to meet the militia to confer with them, as above refered to, Jos Smith Jr made a speech to the troops who were called together, in which he said, That the troops which were gathering through the country were a damned mob; that he [p. [8]]