G.+Election-Day+violence-+Gallatin,+Missouri

Illustration- Fight at Gallatin, Missouri
===On August 6, 1838 a group of Mormons living in Davies County (neighboring Caldwell county) showed up to vote in a county election. Local citizens fearing the Mormons could influence the election tried to prevent them from voting. A brawl began, followed by a brief skirmish. This violence is the first the Mormons experienced in their new home. In the months that followed, Missouri and Mormon militias clashed. Accounts from both sides indicate attacks on local settlements and farms.===

Daviess County Historical Society

Major Joseph H. McGee witnessed the Election Day Battle from the top of a nearby log pile, relating the story in the following words:

"My first visit to Gallatin was in 1838, August 6th. My father and I came to town to attend the general election held on that day. This proved to be a historical day as the great knock down between the Mormons and the Missourians took place on that day. I had been with my father at many an election in Ohio, but I never saw him so peaceably inclined at an election before." " There was a big pile of house logs piled up in front of the little cabin where they were voting. My father and I climbed to the very top of that pile of logs and witnessed the whole battle. I had witnessed many knock downs in my time, but none on so grand a scale. Pistols were not used. Rocks and clubs were in demand, and an occasional butcher knife slipped in. Men dropped on all sides." "I saw one poor Mormon trying to make his escape from two Missourians who were pursuing him. He had a butcher knife sticking between his shoulders. They would no doubt have succeeded in capturing him had not another Mormon by the name of John L. Butler seized a big club and rushing in between them and their victim dealt them such blows that he felled them both to the earth and allowed the Mormon, whose name was Murphy, to escape. The Missourians proved victorious and the Mormons had to leave. After the fight was over my father and I got into our wagon and returned home. This was my first debut in Gallatin. All the Mormons who took part in this fight left the county that night and moved their families to Far West in Caldwell County this being the stronghold of the Mormons." [Cited in Rollin J. Britton, //EARLY DAYS ON GRAND RIVER AND MORMON WAR//. (Columbia, Missouri: State Historical Society of Missouri, 1920), 9].

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