17 mormons were massacred at Haun's Mill. This little known tid bit of United States history is horrifying. Learn what happened.
On October 27, 1838 Governor Boggs of Missouri issued an "Extermination Order" to treat all Mormons as enemies and exterminate them or force them out of Missouri. Three days later the Missouri militia carrying out their orders massacred 17 Mormons at Haun's Mill. This little known tid bit of United States history is horrifying.
The Mormons were a people who wanted to live their religion as they wished. Their religion was different from all other religious sects at the time. The early years of the 1800's are known in history as the religious revival years, with many different religions saying they were true and all the others were not. Contentions ran high whenever it came to differing religions. The Mormon religion was different because of their belief that their religion is Christ's true church re-established on the earth again by revelation, and angels and is being lead by living prophets.
The people of Missouri were afraid the Mormons would take over their state. Many Mormons had been moving in and settling down hoping to find an end to the persecutions they had endured since their establishment. Ignorance, fear and rumors fueled the fire of hatred against the Mormons which finally led to the extermination order by Governor Boggs.
Governor Boggs Extermination Order says; " The Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state if necessary for the public peace." With this Order the Missouri Militia let loose it's blood thirsty persecutors on October 30, 1838 in a small Mormon settlement at Jacob Haun's Mill in Caldwell County, Missouri. The Militia consisted of 200 men while only 30 families resided at Haun's Mill. The residents were unaware of the extermination order and believed they were living under a truce that had been reached several days earlier with the Missouri Government and the Mormons. They were totally shocked and unprepared for the brutal attack.
When the Militia invaded their settlement on their horses with rifles blasting the women and children ran across a stream and into the woods to hide. The men ran indoors to find a defense, but were massacred by bullets from the Militia fired through the wood slats of the cabin. Any that were found alive were shot later.
When the massacre ended seventeen Mormons were killed, including a ten year old boy. Thirteen Mormons had been injured including women and children. Three Militia men were injured, which indicates there had been some fighting back.
After the Militia left, the frightened settlers stayed in hiding until after dark, afraid the Militia would return to finish them off. When it was clear they were safe they hid the bodies of their dead in a well, and ran into neighboring settlements for help.
