due to rising tensions between latter-day saints and their missourian neighbors, in 1838, general david r. atchison, the commander of the state militia of northwestern missouri, ordered samuel bogart to "prevent, if possible, any invasion of ray county by persons in arms whatever". bogart, who had participated in former anti-mormon vigilante groups, proceeded to disarm resident latter-day saints and forced them to leave the county. in response david w. patten led the caldwell county militia to rescue latter-day saint residents from what they believed was a "mob". the confrontation between these two county militias (ray and caldwell) became known as the battle of crooked river and is a primary cause for governor lilburn boggs issuing missouri executive order 44. this order, often called the "extermination order", told the commander of the missouri state militia, general john b. clark, that, "the mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the state if necessary for the public pease—their outrages are beyond description." in the following days missouri militia killed 17 latter-day saints at haun's mill, laid siege to far west, missouri and jailed latter-day saint church leaders, including joseph smith.