Mormon War (1838)

Mormon War (1838)
Conflict	Mormon War (1838)
Date	October–November 1838
Place	Ray County, Caldwell County, Daviess County, Carroll County, Clay County, Missouri
Result	Expulsion of Latter Day Saints from Missouri
Combatant1	Latter Day Saints
Combatant2	Missouri militia; Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs
Commander1	Joseph Smith
Commander2	Alexander W. Doniphan; John B. Clark Sr.; Samuel Boggs; David R. Atchison
Strength1	Militia, Danites
Strength2	Volunteer militia

Mormon War (1838) The 1838 conflict in northwestern Missouri pitted members of the Latter Day Saints against local militia, settlers, and state officials in a series of skirmishes and legal actions culminating in the Extermination Order issued by Governor Lilburn W. Boggs and the expulsion of Latter Day Saints from Missouri. The war unfolded amid tensions over land, Zion settlement, political power, and competing militias, drawing national attention to leaders such as Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and military figures like Alexander Doniphan. The campaign included the Battle of Crooked River, the Haun's Mill massacre, and the surrender at Far West.

Background

Tensions followed migration of Church of Christ/Latter Day Saints converts from Kirtland and Jackson County to new settlements in Missouri such as Far West, Adam-ondi-Ahman, and De Witt, provoking conflicts with settlers, county officials, and neighboring towns like Richmond and Liberty. Political friction involved local offices, land disputes, and competing allegiances to figures including Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery, and anti-Mormon leaders such as David Whitmer opponents and Thomas B. Marsh. Incidents such as the Gallatin Election Day Battle and reprisals like the Battle of Crooked River escalated tensions between militia commanders like John B. Clark Sr. and Mormon militia leaders including Orson Hyde and members of the informal Danites society.

Events of the 1838 Conflict

Hostilities intensified in October–November 1838 with coordinated militia campaigns and Mormon defensive actions. The Battle of Crooked River saw engagement between Missouri militia and Mormon forces near Platte County under officers like Samuel Boggs and resulted in a controversial exchange used by Governor Boggs to call for a hard response. The Haun's Mill massacre on October 30 involved an attack by a Missouri militia mob on a Mormon settlement at Haun’s Mill, killing multiple Saints and provoking outrage among leaders including Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon. In the aftermath, Far West became the focal point of siege and surrender, leading to arrests of leaders including Smith and Sidney Rigdon at Independence and other locations. The campaign concluded with forced evacuations from Caldwell County and Daviess County.

Key Figures and Forces

Prominent Mormon leaders included Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, David W. Patten, John Taylor, and Parley P. Pratt. Militia and political opponents included Missouri officials such as Lilburn Boggs, militia commanders like Alexander Doniphan, John B. Clark Sr., and civic leaders in counties like Ray County and Ray County. Informal groups such as the Danites were associated with Mormon defense actions; opponents organized posses and volunteer companies drawn from towns including Richmond and Liberty. Federal figures including Martin Van Buren and national attention from newspapers influenced political calculations, while legal actors like circuit judges and prosecutors in Missouri pursued indictments against Mormon leaders.

Casualties and Property Damage

Violence produced deaths, wounds, and widespread property destruction. The Haun's Mill massacre resulted in numerous fatalities among Saints; other skirmishes and mob actions caused additional deaths and injuries in counties such as Caldwell County, Daviess County, and Ray County. Farmsteads, meetinghouses, and mills in settlements like Far West and Haun's Mill were burned, looted, or abandoned, displacing families and destroying personal property. Arrests and confiscations by Missouri militia and county officials compounded losses, while subsequent legal claims by Saints sought compensation amid contested hearings before state courts.

Legal and Political Aftermath

Governor Lilburn Boggs issued the Extermination Order directing that Saints be "exterminated or driven from the state," prompting federal and state debates involving figures like Martin Van Buren and state legislators. Arrests led to trials and habeas corpus petitions involving leaders such as Smith and Sidney Rigdon, with legal counsel and judges in Missouri and interstate actors influencing outcomes. Military leaders such as Alexander Doniphan refused to carry out execution orders, citing legal and ethical objections; Doniphan famously declined to execute Smith despite orders to treat Smith as an enemy. Subsequent legal actions included civil suits and petitions for redress pursued by Saint representatives against county officials and militias.

Migration and Long-term Consequences

The expulsion from Missouri precipitated a migration of Saints to Illinois, where leaders established Nauvoo and rebuilt institutions under figures like Smith, Brigham Young, and Hyrum Smith. The conflict influenced future relations between Saints and surrounding communities, shaped doctrine and communal organization, and contributed to later migrations to Utah under Brigham Young. Long-term legacies include legal controversies over the Extermination Order—rescinded decades later—and historical debates featured in works by historians such as Orson Pratt chroniclers, modern scholars at universities and archives, and documentary records preserved in county courthouses and denominational repositories.

Category:1838 in Missouri Category:Latter Day Saint movement