these reports seem true some of the mobbers actually set fire to their own
log cabins and then accused the Saints of the act.

In a previous chapter, mention was made of Lilburn W. Boggs. This man was
now governor of the state, and we shall see how he used his power against
the "Mormons," whom he hated so much.

The reports that the "Mormons" were burning houses and driving people from
their homes, reached the governor, and he believed, or pretended to
believe, all these false stories. So he gave orders to the officers of the
state militia to organize an army of 2,000 men, march to the scene of the
trouble, and see that the people whom the "Mormons" had driven from their
homes were returned to them. Note how eager the governor was to restore
these few presumably abused people to their lands--but it was all right
that twelve hundred "Mormons" should be driven from their property!

The next day after the governor had issued this order, the news of the
Crooked River battle reached him, so he changed his instructions to the
commanding officer, General Clark. This order, given October 27, 1838, is
known as Governor Boggs' exterminating order, and is one of the most
disgraceful and wicked commands known in history. Exterminate means to
destroy utterly, to root out completely, and this is what a governor of a
state said should be done to twelve thousand innocent people if they did
not leave the state.

Companies of Missouri militia now came marching from various parts of the
state into Caldwell and other counties nearby. Soon Far West was surrounded
by an army. Niel Gillium was there with his band of men in Indian costume,
who whooped and yelled like true savages. On the evening of October 30th, a
party of men came fresh from the awful massacre, at Haun's Mill, eager for