| 14 March 1838 |
Joseph Smith arrives in Far West. |
| June |
Danites organize in Far West. |
| 17 June |
Sidney Rigdon delivers "Salt Sermon" condemning Mormon
dissenters. |
| 19 June |
After receiving warning, dissenters flee from Caldwell County. |
| 28 June |
Mormons lay out town and organize a Stake of Zion at Adam-ondi-Ahman
in Daviess County. |
| July |
Mormons open settlements at DeWitt and throughout northwestern
Missouri. |
| 4 July |
Fourth of July celebration at Far West. Rigdon declares Mormons
will wage a "war of extermination" against mobs. |
| 14 July |
Carroll citizens meet to oppose Mormon settlement at DeWitt.
Meetings and threats against Mormons at DeWitt continue throughout
the summer. |
| 6 August |
Gallatin election battle. Daviess settlers talk of organizing
against the Mormons. |
| 7 August |
Joseph Smith leads one hundred fifty Danites to Diahman to
protect the Saints. Mormons threaten judge Adam Black and others
suspected of anti-Mormon activities. Reports of Mormon
"invasion" spread through upper counties. |
| 13 August |
Daviess County judges issue writs for the arrest of Joseph Smith
and Lyman Wight. |
| 13 August |
Committee of Carroll citizens orders the Saints to leave the
county. |
| 20 August |
One hundred armed men ride into DeWitt and threaten Mormons. |
| 20-30 August |
Citizen groups and vigilantes meet in upper counties and resolve
to assist Daviess and Carroll counties in bringing alleged Mormon
criminals to justice. |
| 30 August |
Governor Lilburn W. Boggs, responding to reports of civil and
Indian disturbances in western counties, orders twenty-eight
hundred state troops to stand ready to march. |
| 3 September |
David R. Atchison and Alexander W. Doniphan are hired as lawyers
for Smith and Wight. |
| 7 September |
Smith and Wight are tried at a preliminary hearing in Daviess
County. Judge Austin A. King orders the defendants to post bail
and appear at the next hearing of the grand jury in Daviess. |
| 9 September |
Excitement in upper counties continues as Mormons capture three
men attempting to transport guns to vigilantes in Daviess County.
Mormons and Missourians petition Judge King to quell the
disturbances. |
| 10 September |
Judge King orders General Atchison to raise four hundred troops
and disperse the Mormons and non-Mormon vigilantes. |
| 13 September |
Carroll vigilantes postpone assault on DeWitt and march to
Daviess to assist settlers against the Mormons. |
| 18 September |
After receiving reports of disturbances, Governor Boggs orders
out two thousand troops and prepares to lead march to western
Missouri. |
| 20 September |
Atchison disperses vigilantes in Daviess County and leaves one
hundred troops under General Parks to maintain peace. |
| 21 September |
Carroll County vigilantes, returning from Daviess, resolve to
expel the Saints from DeWitt. |
| 24 September |
Governor Boggs receives letter from Atchison stating that
vigilantes in Daviess have dispersed. Boggs dismisses troops and
returns to Jefferson City. |
| 1 October |
Vigilantes attack DeWitt, burn the home and stables of Smith
Humphrey. During the next several days Mormons appeal to Governor
Boggs and other civil authorities for protection. |
| 6 October |
General Parks arrives in DeWitt with one hundred troops to quell
disturbances. Anti-Mormon spirit among troops forces Parks to
return to Ray County a few days later. |
| 9 October |
Messenger reports to Mormons that the governor said they must
rely on local authorities for protection. He will not intervene. |
| 11 October |
Mormons at DeWitt surrender and move to Caldwell and Daviess
counties. Carroll vigilantes resolve to help settlers expel
Mormons from Daviess. |
| 14-15 October |
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon call upon Mormon troops to ride
to Diahman to protect the Saints, threatening those who will not
join the Mormon army. Four hundred soldiers march to Daviess
County. |
| 16-17 October |
Generals Doniphan and Parks prepare to march with troops to
Daviess, but inclement weather and anti-Mormon sentiment in
militia causes generals to abandon expedition. Parks continues to
Daviess alone. |
| 18 October |
Mormon soldiers attack Gallatin, Millport, and other settlements
in Daviess, driving non-Mormon settlers from their homes,
plundering, and burning. Missourians retaliate. |
| 18 October |
General Parks visits Mormons and Missourians in Daviess. Parks
discovers that civil war has broken out and declares that Mormons
are now the aggressors. |
| 22 October |
Mormon troops return to Far West after driving nearly all
non-Mormons from Daviess. |
| 24 October |
Apostles Thomas B. Marsh and Orson Hyde sign affidavits in Ray
County describing Mormon activities. Ray committee returns from
Daviess with similar reports of depredations. Capt. Samuel Bogart
calls out Ray troops to prevent invasion by Mormons. |
| 24 October |
Bogart and his troops harass Mormon settlers in Ray and Caldwell
counties. They capture two Mormon spies and threaten to execute
them. |
| 25 October |
Capt. David W. Patten leads Mormon troops to rescue spies.
Troops clash at Crooked River, with three Mormons and one
Missourian killed. Exaggerated reports of Crooked River battle
spread throughout the state. Fearing the Mormons intend to
continue attacks, Generals Atchison, Doniphan, and Parks call out
state militia to quell alleged Mormon rebellion. |
| 27 October |
Governor Boggs, responding to reports of Mormon depredations in
Daviess County and their attack on state troops at Crooked River,
orders that the Mormons must be "exterminated or driven from
the state." |
| 30 October |
Missouri troops, under command of Gen. Samuel D. Lucas of
Jackson County, arrive outside Far West. Mormon leaders send
messengers to learn intentions of troops. |
| 30 October |
Two hundred soldiers from Livingston and nearby counties overrun
Mormon village of Haun's Mill, killing eighteen and wounding
fifteen. |
| 31 October |
Col. George Hinkle, John Corrill, and other Mormon
representatives attempt to negotiate with General Lucas, but
receive demands for surrender. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman
Wight, and other Mormon leaders give themselves up as hostages.
About seventy-five Mormon soldiers, advised of the surrender
plans, flee from Far West during the night. |
| 1 November |
Joseph Smith advises Mormon troops at Far West and Diahman to
surrender. Mormon War ends. |
| 1 November |
General Lucas holds a court-martial of seven Mormon leaders.
Opposition of General Doniphan and others prevents the execution
of Mormon prisoners. |
| 2 November |
Mormons forced to deed over their property to pay expenses for
the war. This part of the surrender agreement is later declared
illegal. |
| 4 November |
General Clark arrives with troops and announces his intention to
carry out the surrender terms exacted by General Lucas. |
| 12-29 November |
Judge Austin A. King presides at Court of Inquiry held in
Richmond, Ray County. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and a number of
other Mormons are committed to prison on the basis of testimony
against them. |
December-
February 1839 |
Missouri legislature debates whether to investigate the
disturbances and allow the Mormons to remain. Legislation to
investigate is tabled until July, after the Mormons have already
left the state. |
| February |
Mormons pool resources and organize to leave Missouri. |
| 11 April |
Joseph Smith and four other Mormons are indicted for crimes in
Daviess County, and are granted a change of venue to Boone County. |
| 16 April |
Smith and other prisoners escape from their guards and return to
Saints, who are gathering at Quincy, Illinois. |
| May |
Nearly all the Saints have left Missouri. |
