“We soon returned the fire, and charging upon the enemy, the whole wilderness seemed for a few moments as if wrapped in a blaze of lightning; and overwhelmed with the sharp crack of peals of thunder. The enemy were soon driven from their ambush and completely routed.” — Parley P. Pratt¹

The Battle of Crooked River took place on October 25, 1838, near the Crooked River in northwest Missouri. A group of Latter-day Saint militia, led by apostle David Patten, aimed to rescue Addison Green, Nathan Pinkham Jr., and William Seely, who had been taken prisoner by members of the Missouri state militia. As they approached the enemy camp before dawn, a confrontation ensued. After an initial exchange of fire, the Saints managed to charge and push the Missourians across the river, rescuing their captured brethren. Three Latter-day Saints would die as a result of the battle, including David Patten, who had been mortally wounded. Exaggerated reports of the skirmish reached Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs, leading to increased tensions and the imprisonment of several Saints, including Parley Pratt, on murder charges.²

1. Parley P. Pratt, History of the Late Persecution, 35

2. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 29, 343-345; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 31, 359-369; “A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints in Missouri,” December 1839–October 1840, footnotes, josephsmithpapers.org; "Crooked River, Missouri," josephsmithpapers.org; “Battle of Crooked River,” josephsmithpapers.org; Alexander Baugh, “Parley P. Pratt’s Missouri Imprisonment,” Pioneer Magazine, 22, archive.org