View source for Battle of Crooked River

{{Short description|Skirmish during the 1838 Mormon War}}
{{Coord|39|29|50.45|N|94|7|36.96|W|display=title}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Crooked River
| partof            = [[Mormon War (1838)|Missouri Mormon War]] and [[Mormon War (disambiguation)|Mormon Wars]]
| image             = The Battle of Crooked River by C.C.A. Christensen.png
| image_size        = 300
| caption           = A painting of the Battle of Crooked River, October 24th 1838
| date              = 24 October 1838
| place             = [[Crooked River (Missouri)|Crooked River]], [[Missouri]]
| result            = Mormon victory
| combatant1        = Mormon forces
| combatant2        = [[Missouri Volunteer Militia]]
| commander1        = [[David W. Patten]]{{KIA}}
| commander2        = {{ubl|[[David Rice Atchison]]|[[Samuel Bogart]]}}
| strength1         = Unknown
| strength2         = 1 company
| casualties1       = {{ubl|3 killed|8 wounded}}<ref>{{harvnb|LeSueur|1990|pp=137–142}}</ref>
| casualties2       = {{ubl|1 killed|1 wounded}}
}}

The '''Battle of Crooked River''' was a skirmish that occurred on October 25, 1838, and was a major escalator of the [[1838 Mormon War]]. A Mormon rescue party, led by [[David W. Patten]], formed to free three Mormon captives taken from [[Caldwell County, Missouri|Caldwell County]] the day prior, clashed with a [[Ray County, Missouri|Ray County]] militia company commanded by [[Samuel Bogart]] southeast of [[Elmira, Missouri]]. Exaggerated reports of the battle led Missouri Governor [[Lilburn Boggs]] to issue [[Mormon extermination order|Missouri executive order 44]], resulting in the forced expulsion of the Mormons from the state. 

==Background==
{{Main article|1838 Mormon War}}
Ray County was located immediately south of the Mormon-dominated [[Caldwell County, Missouri|Caldwell County]]. The two counties were separated by a no-man's land 24 miles long and 6 miles wide, known as "Bunkham's Strip" or "Buncombe Strip". This unincorporated strip was attached to Ray County for administrative and military purposes.
[[File:War in Missouri BHoU-p121.png|thumb|Settlements in western Missouri in 1838]]
In early 1838, a group of prominent leaders from the Latter Day Saint church, including [[David Whitmer]], [[William Wines Phelps|William W. Phelps]], [[John Whitmer]] and [[Oliver Cowdery]], were excommunicated on accounts of wrongdoing. They fled Caldwell County and relocated their families to [[Richmond, Missouri|Richmond]] and [[Liberty, Missouri|Liberty]], the county seats of Ray and Clay, respectively.<ref>Peck, pp. 27&ndash;28</ref> The expulsion of the dissenters alarmed and created mistrust among the Missourians.<ref>{{harvnb|LeSueur|1990|pp=137–142|quote="The expulsion of these men from Far West reflected a growing militant spirit among the Mormons, revealed a rigid intolerance for those who opposed their practices and teachings, and demonstrated their willingness to circumvent the law to protect their interests."}}. "The expulsion of these men from Far West reflected a growing militant spirit among the Mormons, revealed a rigid intolerance for those who opposed their practices and teachings, and demonstrated their willingness to circumvent the law to protect their interests."</ref> 

Meanwhile, relations between the Missourians and the Mormons living in the recently colonized [[Carroll County, Missouri|Carroll]] and [[Daviess County, Missouri|Daviess]] counties deteriorated. In August, a [[1838 Mormon War#The Election Day Battle at Gallatin|brawl]] erupted in Gallatin when a group of Missourians attempted to block the Mormons from voting. In early October, a mob [[1838 Mormon War#Mormons expelled from De Witt|besieged]]{{Broken anchor|date=2025-01-18|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=1838 Mormon War#Mormons expelled from De Witt|reason= The anchor (Mormons expelled from De Witt) [[Special:Diff/1268063825|has been deleted]].}} the Mormon settlement of [[De Witt, Missouri|DeWitt, Missouri]], demanding that the Mormons leave Carroll County. The citizens of DeWitt appealed for assistance to other Mormon settlements. In response, the [[Danite|Danites]], a Mormon vigilante group, [[1838 Mormon War#Daviess County expedition|marched]] to Daviess County, Missouri, where they believed the attackers where located, and sacked the county seat of [[Gallatin, Missouri|Gallatin]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kinney |first=Brandon G. |url=https://www.amazon.com.mx/Mormon-War-Missouri-Extermination-English-ebook/dp/B005SZ7ZC8 |title=The Mormon War: Zion and the Missouri Extermination Order of 1838 |date=2011 |quote=Fresh from their victory in driving the Mormons out of their county, the Carroll County Missourians took their cannon and headed for Daviess County to help citizens there drive away the Mormon population.}}</ref> The following day, apostles [[Thomas B. Marsh]] and [[Orson Hyde]] left their association with the Church, and swore out affidavits reporting on the Daviess County expedition, the existence of the Danites, and rumors that the Danites were planning to attack Richmond and Liberty.<ref>{{harvnb|LeSueur|1990|p=150}}</ref> Though no such attack was ever contemplated, dispatches of militia forces were authorized to prevent such an invasion.

==Prelude to the battle==
General [[David R. Atchison]] of Clay County, commander of the state militia in northwestern Missouri, ordered a company led by Captain Samuel Bogart of Ray County to patrol Bunkham's Strip to "prevent, if possible, any invasion of Ray county by persons in arms whatever".<ref>''Document'', p. 108</ref> According to Peter Burnett, a resident of Liberty, "Captain Bogart was not a very discreet man, and his men were of much the same character".<ref>LeSueur, p. 132</ref> Bogart had previously been dispatched to help disperse the [[1838 Mormon War#Mormons expelled from De Witt|siege of DeWitt]]{{Broken anchor|date=2025-01-18|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=1838 Mormon War#Mormons expelled from De Witt|reason= The anchor (Mormons expelled from De Witt) [[Special:Diff/1268063825|has been deleted]].}}; however his militia went rogue and joined the [[vigilante|vigilantes]] that harried the Mormons in [[Carroll County, Missouri|Carroll County]].

Bogart and his party began visiting the homes of Latter Day Saints living in Bunkham's Strip, forcibly disarming them and ordering them to leave Ray County. Bogart penetrated into Caldwell County and began to similarly harass Mormons there, advising them to remove to [[Far West, Missouri]], the county seat.<ref>Baugh, p. 100</ref> Returning to Ray County, his men captured three Mormons — Nathan Pinkham, Jr., William Seely, and Addison Green.

Reports quickly made it to Far West to the effect that a "mob" had captured and intended to execute a group of Mormon prisoners. About midnight, an armed rescue party formed. [[David W. Patten]] led the contingent of Caldwell county militia. Patten had come to be known as "Captain Fear-not," for his bravery during the attacks in Daviess County. On the night of October 24, 1838 the Mormon force quickly moved south along the main road connecting Far West and Richmond, approaching Captain Bogart's unit, which was camped along the banks of [[Crooked River (Missouri)|Crooked River]], from the north along the main road. They travelled five hours starting on midnight. 

==The battle==
[[File:Battle of Crooked River.jpg|right|framed|Map illustrating the Battle of Crooked River.]]
The Mormons encountered one of the militia's sentries, John Lockart, with whom the Mormons briefly exchanged words.<ref>Baugh, p. 103</ref> After Lockhart reportedly heard a gun snap, he shot at the crowd, hitting Patrick O'Bannion, the Mormons' scout.<ref>{{harvnb|LeSueur|1990|p=142}}</ref> O'Bannion later died from this wound. Lockhart fled down the hill to the militia camp,<ref>''Document'', p. 142</ref> while the Mormon company formed a line in three columns, led by [[David W. Patten]], [[Charles C. Rich]], and Patrick Durfee. 

Rich later recalled that soon after the Mormons had formed their lines, the militia "fired upon us with all their guns".<ref name="Baugh, p. 104">Baugh, p. 104</ref> A general firefight commenced, but the militia were situated behind the riverbank and held the tactically superior position. Patten decided to charge the militia position, shouting the Mormon battle cry of "God and Liberty!" The Missourians were without swords and so broke their lines and fled across the river in all directions.

During his charge, Patten was shot and mortally wounded. Ebenezer Robinson recalled that Patten had been "brave to a fault, so much so that he was styled and called 'Captain Fearnought'".<ref name="Baugh, p. 104" /> Although it was not immediately realized, Gideon Carter had also been killed, making a total of three Mormon fatalities and one militiaman fatality. The Mormons collected their wounded as well as the baggage which Bogart's unit had left in the camp and made their way back to Far West.<ref>LeSueur, pp. 141-42</ref>

During the conflict, one of the militia men named Samuel Tarwater was injured by [[Parley P. Pratt]]. After Tarwater fell unconscious from the injury, [[D. Michael Quinn]] states the company of Danites "mutilated the unconscious Tarwater 'with their swords' striking him lengthwise in the mouth, cutting off his under teeth, and breaking his lower jaw; cutting off his cheeks ... and leaving him [for] dead."<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power|last=Michael|first=Quinn|pages=99–100}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
The battle served as a catalyst for a massive escalation of the [[Mormon War (1838)|Mormon War]]. Exaggerated reports of the Mormon incursion into Daviess County and of the battle (some claiming that half of Bogart's men had been lost) made their way to Missouri Governor [[Lilburn Boggs]]. He responded by issuing an executive order calling out 2,500 state militiamen to put down what he perceived to be open rebellion by the Mormons. Two days later, Governor Boggs issued [[Mormon Extermination Order|an order]] that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state" and directed the militia to carry this into effect. 

On October 30, a mob of approximately 200 men killed 17 men and boys at [[Haun's Mill Massacre|Haun's Mill]]. Two days later, [[Joseph Smith]] and approximately 50 other church leaders were arrested. Most of these leaders were released within three weeks. In November, the rest were marched first to Independence, then to Richmond, and then to Liberty, where they were incarcerated in [[Liberty Jail]]. Joseph and [[Hyrum Smith]] were indicted by a grand jury on the charge of treason. They escaped while being transferred to Boone County.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qX0UAAAAYAAJ|page=336|title=The History of Daviess County, Missouri|year=1882 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Latter Day Saint martyrs]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
*[[Alexander L. Baugh|Baugh, Alexander L.]], ''A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri,'' [[BYU Studies]], 2000.
*''Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders &c. in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; And the Evidence Given Before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12, 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes Against the State.'' Fayette, Missouri, 1841, [http://www.farwesthistory.com/docc01.htm complete text.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517222202/http://www.farwesthistory.com/docc01.htm |date=2011-05-17 }}
* {{cite book |last=LeSueur |first=Stephen C. |title=The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri |publisher=[[University of Missouri Press]] |date=1990}}
*Peck, Reed, ''The Reed Peck Manuscript,'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20050204092531/http://www.fiber.net/users/drshades/reedpeck.htm complete text.]
*Quinn, D. Michael, ''The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power,'' pp.&nbsp;99–100, [[Signature Books]], 1994

==External links==
*[http://www.tungate.com/crooked_river.htm Mel Tungate's Battle of Crooked River sources website]
*[http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~raymondfamily/BattleCrookedRiver.html Charles C. Rich's Account of the Battle]

{{Mormon War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Crooked River}}
[[Category:1838 Mormon War]]
[[Category:Mormonism-related controversies]]
[[Category:1838 in Missouri]]
[[Category:Battles involving the United States|Crooked River]]
[[Category:October 1838]]