Extermination Order

Extermination Order. This directive was an official military command issued by Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs on October 27, 1838, during a period of intense conflict known as the Mormon War. It called for the removal or elimination of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the state, leading to a series of violent confrontations and the eventual forced exodus of thousands of settlers to Illinois. The order stands as a controversial and significant episode in the history of American frontier and religious persecution.

Background and context

Tensions between Latter-day Saint settlers and earlier Missouri residents had been escalating for years, rooted in political, economic, and religious differences. Earlier conflicts included the 1833 expulsion from Jackson County and the subsequent Battle of Crooked River in Ray County, which heightened fears of a broader insurrection. Governor Lilburn Boggs, influenced by reports from figures like John B. Clark and Austin A. King, perceived the Latter-day Saint community, led by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, as an armed and seditious group. The earlier Sack of Gallatin and the Battle of Crooked River were pivotal events that convinced Missouri officials that drastic military action was necessary to quell what they viewed as an open rebellion.

Issuance and content

The directive was formally issued from the state capital at Jefferson City following the Battle of Crooked River. In the communique, Governor Lilburn Boggs instructed the state militia, commanded by General Samuel D. Lucas, that the Latter-day Saints "must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the state if necessary for public peace." The order effectively suspended legal protections for the community, authorizing the Missouri State Guard and local units like the Ray County militia to use lethal force. Copies of the order were disseminated to officers including John B. Clark and Alexander W. Doniphan, mobilizing military forces against settlements in Caldwell County and Davies County.

Implementation and events

The order led to immediate military campaigns against Latter-day Saint settlements. The most notorious event was the Haun's Mill massacre, where a militia unit attacked a settlement in Caldwell County, killing approximately 17 people. Following this, the state militia, under Samuel D. Lucas, besieged the community of Far West, resulting in the surrender of key leaders including Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Parley P. Pratt. Subsequent operations, overseen by General John B. Clark, involved the disarmament and forced expulsion of populations from towns like Dewitt and Adam-ondi-Ahman. The conflict culminated in the imprisonment of leaders at Liberty Jail and the coerced agreement for the community to leave Missouri by the following spring.

Aftermath and legacy

The immediate consequence was the forced migration of nearly 10,000 Latter-day Saints from Missouri to Illinois, where they founded the city of Nauvoo. Key leaders like Joseph Smith faced legal proceedings, including a court of inquiry before Judge Austin A. King in Richmond, Missouri. The directive was not officially rescinded until 1976 by Governor Christopher S. Bond, who issued a formal apology. The events profoundly shaped the theology and identity of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, embedding a narrative of persecution and exile central to its historical memory. It remains a cited example in discussions of religious liberty and militia law in the United States.

Historical interpretations

Historians debate the order's motivations and legal justification. Some scholars, like those analyzing the Mormon War, view it as a severe overreaction by Governor Lilburn Boggs driven by local political pressure and anti-Mormon sentiment, as documented in reports from the Missouri State Legislature. Others contextualize it within the violent norms of the American frontier, comparing it to conflicts like the Black Hawk War or actions against groups such as the Cherokee Nation. Legal analyses often examine the role of officers like Alexander W. Doniphan, who protested certain actions, and the subsequent investigations by the U.S. Congress. The episode is frequently studied in relation to later events in Illinois and the broader American West.

Category:1838 in Missouri Category:History of the Latter Day Saint movement Category:Missouri in the American Civil War