Next morning people flocked into the town and there was great excitement.

And now we must name one of the most cruel and wicked men of that time,
Lilburn W. Boggs. He was lieutenant-governor, which is next to the
governor, the highest officer in the state. Boggs permitted the mob to
organize themselves into a militia and thereby become regular soldiers of
the state. The mob leaders seeing that the Saints had decided to protect
themselves and fight if necessary, raised this militia so that if the
Saints opposed them that they could be classed as law breakers.

The branches of the Church west of Independence having heard that the mob
was going to kill some of the brethren in that town, raised about one
hundred men to go to their rescue. While on the way they heard that there
was no immediate danger, and that the militia had been called out. At this
they were going back to their homes; but just then the militia came up, led
by Colonel Pitcher. He demanded that the "Mormons" give up their arms, but
they would not unless the mob, or militia as it was called, would do the
same. This Colonel Pitcher agreed to have done, and then the brethren gave
up their arms, consisting of fifty-nine guns and one pistol.

No sooner was this done than the most awful scene took place. The mob did
not give up a gun, but bands of them roamed over the country searching for
the Saints. Houses were torn down and burned, men were tied up and whipped,
women and children were driven out into the fields and forests. Many of the
county's leading men took part in these crimes, and even ministers,
preachers of the gospel as they called themselves, were seen leading mobs
from place to place.

The cold winter was now coming on, it being the month of November. At one
place a company of one hundred and ninety--all being women and children