e here for their own safety. I am confident that we
will soon learn that they have been butchered in a fearful
manner."

At this time the Missourians had determined to exterminate the
whole of the Mormon people. Governor Lilburn W. Boggs issued
orders to that effect. I think Gen. Clark was the officer in
command of all the Gentile forces. Gen. Atchison and Col.
Doniphan each commanded a division of from three to four thousand
men, and they soon besieged Far West. The Mormons fortified the
town as well as they could, and took special care to fortify and
build shields and breastworks, to prevent the cavalry from
charging into the town. The Gentile forces were mostly camped on
Log Creek, between Far West and Haughn's Mill, about a mile from
Far West, and about half a mile south of our outer breastworks.

Our scouts and pickets guards were driven in and forced to join
the main ranks for safety. The Mormon troops were placed in
position by the officers, so as to guard every point. We all had
a large supply of bullets, with the patching sewed on the balls
to facilitate the loading of our guns, which were muzzle loaders.
The Mormon force was about eight hundred strong, poorly armed;
many of the men had no guns; some had single-barrel pistols and a
few homemade swords. These were our implements of war.

So situated, we were still anxious to meet the enemy, and
demanded to be led out against our foes. Our men were confident
that God was going to deliver the enemy into our hands, and so we
had no fears. I was one of the advance force, and as I lay behind
some timber, with my cap-box open, and bullets lying on the
ground by my side, I never had a doubt of being able to defeat
the Gentile army.

The troops lay and watched each other several days, then the
Gentiles made two efforts to force their way into the town by
stratagem; but seeing our forces in order they did not come
within range of our guns. The Mormons stood in the ranks, and
prayed for the chance of getting a shot; but all to no effect.
The same evening we learned of the massacre at Haughn's Mill. The
description of this massacre was such as to freeze the blood of
each Saint, and force us to swear that revenge should come some
day.

The massacre was reported about as follows to us at Far West.
When the Gentile mob attacked the Mormons at the mill the Mormons
took shelter in the blacksmith shop and other buildings. The mob
took advantage of the banks of the creek