Battle of Crooked River
25 October 1838
Compilation of Sources by Ron Romig and Mel Tungate, 11-6-2003

    Heber C. Kimball is quoted as saying, after he left Patten's deathbed, "I took Dr. Avard with me to Far West, a distance of three miles, to Elder Rigdon's house, where we found Brother Patrick O'Banyon, who was wounded in nearly the same manner as Brother Patten. He also died in a short time, firm and steadfast in the faith. He was perfectly calm and composed, and bore a strong testimony to the truth of Mormonism.” [Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, 214, 215]. Stephen Winchester went back south with his wagon and picked up James Hendricks and his wife. Stephen transported them to directly to Far West for safety.

    Drusilla Hendricks wrote, “We stayed here until almost night when one of our neighbors, Brother Winchester and wife, came with a wagon and bed in it and took us to Farwest. The brethren told me if I took him home that the mob would kill him before my eyes. I left my children in care of the man and his wife that I had been taking care of for two months, who had been suffering with fever and ague. But when the army came in they ran and left everything so the children had to go to the neighbors. But a Brother Stanley and wife (who came from the East the day before the battle) gathered up my children and went and stayed with them and took care of things, for which kindness I shall always feel grateful.”[Historical Sketch of James Hendricks and Drusilla Dorris Hendricks; http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~raymondfamily/ddorris5.htm], pp. 406-408:422-424:439-441:454-455].

    Alan Stout recalled, “The Church in that [Log Creek] settlement all went into Far West that day because Sampson Avard told them that the mob would be upon them by night and kill them, but the mob fled as fast the other way.” [Alan Stout, journal, http://www.farwesthistory.com/stout.htm"]. Amasa Lyman described the scene, [returning from reconnaissance], “We arrived in Far West early on the morning of the 29th of October [1838]. I called at brother Rigdon's where I saw brother O'Banion who was dying of his wound, received at Crooked river. Some hours later, in the morning of the same day, the corpse of brother David W. Patten was brought into town.” [Amasa Lyman].

    Alfred Child, remembered, “Mother Polly Child took our leave, a span of horses and wagon and with Myron Barber Child, a small boy, started to Far West, about 18 miles away from where we were living, for supplies. While on the way, news was received of the shooting of David Patten, in the Battle of Crooked River, and her team was taken to bring the body to Far West." [Life of Alfred Bosworth Child; http://www.childgenealogy.org/home/stories/alfredb/alfredb.html].

    Patten's comrade-in-arms John D. Lee later wrote, "I admit up to this time that I frankly believed what the Prophet and his apostles had said on the subject. I had considered that I was bullet proof, that no Gentile ball could ever harm me, or any Saint, and I had believed that a Danite could not be killed by Gentile hands. I thought that one Danite could chase a thousand Gentiles, and two could put ten thousand to flight. Alas! my dreams of security were over. One of our mighty men had fallen, and that by Gentile hands!" [Confessions of John D. Lee, 198-99].

    Later that week, when news was received of the attack on Haun's Mill, Colonel Hinkle ordered a guard of fifty men to the settlement. James Rollins recalled, “As we rode across the Square, the Prophet came out of George Robertson's house, where David Patten and O'Banion lay dead. He came out without hat or coat and stopped us and asked us where we were going. We told him we were going to Hayn's [Hauns] Mill to assist the brethren there. He told us that we were his men, and that we must not go. If we did go against his will there would not be one of us left to tell the tale tomorrow morning. He was very pale and said he, "Go put your horses up and help us to bury these two brethren." And we did...” [James H. Rollins, Autobiography, BYU Special Collections, 8-9].

    Joseph Smith is given to have said, “Saturday, 27 [sic]. -- Brother Patten was buried this day at Far West, and before the funeral, I called at   Brother Patten's house, and while meditating on the scene before me in presence of his friends, I could not help pointing to his lifeless body and testifying, 'There lies a man that has done just as he said he would -- he has laid down his life for his friends.'” [History of the LDS Church, 3, 171; See Elder George Q. Cannon's narration of these events in his Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet, 221-224]. John Rigdon recalled, “The next day [October 27th 1838] we buried both David Patten and Gideon Carter in military order. Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith and Sidney Rigdon rode at the head of the procession on horseback. Then came the martial band and after that the bodies of David Patten and Gideon Carter and then quite a little procession followed. After, we took them out to a little burying ground just outside of the village and there we buried them.” [“The Life and Testimony of Sidney Rigdon,” John Wickliffe Rigdon, Dialogue, 1, No. 4: 32].

    Heber C. Kimball eulogized Patten saying, "This was the death of one who was an honor to the Church and a blessing to the Saints; and whose faith, virtues and diligence in the cause of truth will be had in remembrance by the Church of Jesus Christ from generation to generation. It was a painful way to be deprived of the labors of this worthy servant of Christ, and it cast a gloom upon the Saints; yet the glorious and sealing testimony which he bore of his acceptance with heaven and the truth of the Gospel was a matter of joy and satisfaction, not only to his immediate friends, but to the Saints at large." [Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, 214].