Battle of Crooked River
Patten died on October 25, 1838, due to wounds received in the Battle of Crooked River. Many historians believe this conflict was primarily caused by deteriorating conditions between Mormon settlers and other religious groups in Missouri. As tensions between Mormon and non-Mormon groups increased, a group of men from the state militia abducted three Mormon men on October 24, 1838. In response, Patten led a group of Mormon men to rescue the men. Before daybreak on the 25th, as the Mormon militia approached the ford where the state militia was camped, a non-Mormon guard, John Lockhart, called out "Who goes there?" and immediately fired at the Mormons. The shot hit Patrick O'Bannion, one of Patten's guides, and mortally wounded him. Crying "God and Liberty," Patten ordered a charge and led the Mormon militia in the attack. Fighting in the resulting battle led to 16 casualties and 4 fatalities, among them Patten, who was serving as commander of the Mormon militia group and who was shot in the bowels. The three men kidnapped by the state militia were rescued.
The wounded Patten was carried from the battlefield to the home of Stephen Winchester, some four miles distant. En route he was visited by Joseph Smith, Jr., Hyrum Smith, and his wife. Patten reiterated his testimony of the Church to his visitors. Upon seeing her husband dying, Ann Patten exclaimed, "Oh God! Oh my husband! How pale you look." His final words to his wife were, "Whatever you do else, O do not deny the faith," after which he addressed the others in the room saying, "I feel that I have kept the faith, I have finished my course, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown, which the Lord will give me." Shortly thereafter, he died. Moments after this, about 10 PM, he died. About David W. Patten's death, Joseph Smith said "There lies a man who has done just as he said he would - he has laid down his life for his friends." Patten was buried in an unmarked grave on October 27, 1838 in Far West, Missouri.
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