As you have manifested a deep interest in a peaceable compromise of this important affair, I presume you will not be unwilling to be placed in a situation in which, perhaps, you can be more serviceable to these {87} parties. I have therefore taken the liberty of appointing you an aid to the commander-in-chief, and I hope it will be agreeable to you to accept. In this situation you can give your propositions all the influence they would have were they to emanate from the executive, without committing yourself or the commander-in-chief, in the event of failure. I should be glad if you, or some of the other gentlemen who joined you in your communication, would keep in close correspondence with these parties, and by each mail write to me. The character of the state has been injured in consequence of this unfortunate affair; and I sincerely hope it may not be disgraced by it in the end; With high respect, your obedient servant, (Signed) Daniel Dunklin. [Sidenote: Arrival of the Camp at Salt River.] _June 6_.--We resumed our journey, [1] and on the evening of the 7th [2] encamped in a piece of woods, near a spring of water, at Salt River. Here was a branch of the Church. [Sidenote: Arrival of Hyrum Smith and Lyman Wight.] _Sunday, June 8_.--We had been preaching, and in the course of the day were joined by Brothers Hyrum Smith and Lyman Wight, with a company of volunteers which they had gathered in Michigan. [3] The whole company now consisted of two hundred and five men, and twenty-five baggage {88} wagons with two or three horses each. We remained at Salt River until the 12th, refreshing and reorganizing the camp, which reorganizing was done by electing Lyman Wight general of the camp. [4] I chose twenty men for my life guards, of whom my Brother Hyrum was chosen captain, and George A. Smith was my armor bearer. The remainder of the company was organized according to the pattern at New Portage. While at Salt River, General Wight marched the camp on the prairie, inspected our firelocks, ordered a discharge of the same at targets by platoons, drilled us half a day, and returned to camp. [Sidenote: Messengers Sent to Governor Dunklin.] About this time I dispatched Elders Orson Hyde and Parley P. Pratt to Jefferson City with a message to Governor Dunklin, to ascertain if he was ready to fulfill the proposition which he had previously made to the brethren to reinstate them on {89} their lands in Jackson county, and leave them there to defend themselves. [5] On June 9th Governor Dunklin wrote to W. W. Phelps and others: mailed at-- City of Jefferson, June 9, 1834.