Minutes and Testimonies, 12–29 November 1838 [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); unidentified handwriting; 126 pages; Eugene Morrow Violette Collection, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia.
front of the war having refference to those who heretefore had been backward in defending themselves property & families— No persons were suffered to leave the in this extreme time & I met with Phelps to consult as to what we ought to do.— After the troops got to (in all about 400. or 500), I heard addressing a portion of the men who were <there> (perhaps 8 or 10) That the earth was the Lord’s & the fullness their thereof, with the cattle upon a thousand hills <&> If <I> were an hungry I would would not tell you.” That the saints of the Lord had the same priviledge or right, after that, perhaps the next day I saw a drove of some 4 or 5 cattle pass along, & asked what cattle those were, & was answered that they were a drove of buffalo, others observed they were cattle a Methodist priest had consecrated— I think that Joseph Smith Jr Jr , , , , , , , , , , , probably & , were in the expedition that went to , at the time was burnt. On the same day that the company went to , went with a company to mill port as I understood— he returned & made a report as I understood it to be to Jos Smith Jr, in which he said he found nothing to fight but fences and empty houses. I understood him to say the people had not taken away all their property— Smith <the prophet> asked him if they had taken taken away the negroes. he said yes. some one then laughingly observed Smith you have lost your negro, to which I think he made no reply. [p. [33]]