prerogative to execute us himself, and he should give us up into the hands of the officer, who would take us to General Clark, and he might do with us as he pleased. During our stay at Independence, the officers informed us that there were eight or ten horses in the place belonging to the "Mormon" people, which had been stolen by the soldiers, and that we might have two of them to ride upon, if we would cause them to be sent back to the owners after our arrival at Richmond. We accepted of them, and they were rode to Richmond, and the owners came there and got them. We started in the morning under our new officer, Colonel Price, of Keytsville, Chariton county, Mo., with several other men to guard us over. We arrived there on Friday evening, the ninth day of November, and were thrust into an old log house, with a strong guard placed over us. After we had been there for the space of half an hour, there came in a man, who was said to have some notoriety in the penitentiary, bringing in his hands a quantity of chains and padlocks. He said he was commanded by General Clark to put us in chains. Immediately the soldiers rose up, and pointing their guns at us, placed their thumb on the cock, and their finger on the trigger, and the state's prison keeper went to work, putting a chain around the leg of each man, and fastening it on with a padlock, until we were all chained together, seven of us. In a few moments came in General Clark. We requested to know of him what was the cause of all this harsh and cruel treatment. He refused to give us any information at that time, but said he would in a few days; so we were compelled to continue in that situation--camping on the floor, all chained together, without any chance or means to be made comfortable, having to eat our victuals as they were served up to us, using our fingers and teeth instead of knives and forks. Whilst we were in this situation, a young man, of the name of Grant, brother-inlaw to my brother, William Smith, came to see us, and put up at the tavern where General Clark made his quarters. He happened to come in time to see General Clark make choice of his men to shoot us on Monday morning, the twelfth day of November; he saw them make choice of their rifles, and load them with two balls in each; and after they had prepared their guns, General Clark saluted them by saying, "Gentlemen, you shall have the honor of shooting the 'Mormon' leaders, on Monday morning, at eight o'clock!" But in consequence of the influence of our friends, the heathen General was intimidated, so that he durst not carry his murderous design into execution, and sent a messenger immediately to Fort Leavenworth, to obtain the military code of laws. After the messenger's return, the General was employed, nearly a whole