1838 Mormon War - Haun's Mill Massacre

Haun's Mill Massacre

Agitation against the Latter Day Saints had become particularly fierce in the sparsely settled counties north and east of Caldwell County. Mormon dissenters from Daviess County who had fled to Livingston County reportedly told Livingston County militia under Colonel Thomas Jennings that Mormons were gathering at Haun's Mill to raid into Livingston County. One 19th century Missouri historian noted:

"The Daviess County men were very bitter against the Mormons, and vowed the direst vengeance on the entire sect. It did not matter whether or not the Mormons at mill had taken any part in the disturbance which had occurred ; it was enough that they were Mormons. The Livingston men became thoroughly imbued with the same spirit, and were eager for the raid ... feel an extraordinary sympathy for the outrages suffered by their neighbors"

Although it had just been issued, it is unlikely that the governor's "Extermination Order" would have already reached these men, and in any event the order would not have authorized them to cross into Caldwell County to raid. It should also be noted that none of the participants in the raid ever cited the order as justification for their actions.

On October 29, this large vigilante band of some 250 men assembled and entered eastern Caldwell County. When the Missourian raiders approached the settlement on the afternoon of October 30, some 30 to 40 Latter Day Saint families were living or encamped there. Despite an attempt by the Mormons to parley, the mob attacked. Thomas McBride surrendered his rifle to Jacob Rogers, who shot McBride with his own gun, then mangled his body with a corn knife while he was still alive. Other members of the mob opened fire, which sent the Latter Day Saints fleeing in all directions.

While Mormon women and children scattered and hid in the surrounding woods and nearby homes, Mormon men and boys rallied to defend the settlement. They moved into a blacksmith shop which they hoped to use as a make-shift defensive fortification. Unfortunately, the shop had large gaps between the logs which the Missourians shot into and, as one Mormon later recalled, it became more "slaughter-house rather than a shelter." The mob gave no quarter. After most of the defenders in the blacksmith shop had been killed or mortally wounded, some of the Missourians entered to finish the work. Finding 10-year-old Sardius Smith hiding behind the bellows, William Reynolds of Livingston County shot and killed the boy, saying: "Nits will make lice, and if he had lived he would have become a Mormon"

In all, 17 Latter Day Saints were killed in what came to be called the Haun's Mill Massacre. When survivors of the massacre reached Far West, the reports of the savagery of the attack played a significant part in the decision of the Mormons to surrender.

None of the Missourians were ever prosecuted for their role in the Haun's Mill Massacre.