[ Full-text transcription of: Witness Wyatt Cravens, a member of Bogarts Volunteers. He was captured by Mormons after Crooked Creek. ]
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Wiatt Cravens a witness, produced sworn & examined
for the State deposeth and saith He was one in
Capt Bogart’s company, and was present in the fight with
the Mormons the 25th Oct last, about day break in
Ray cty- Parley P Pratt and Capt Patton, appeared
in command of the company that made (“the” crossed out] an attack
upon us_ We were lying in camp when we heard
them coming. We got up and prepared for battle.
The mormons came in about 60 yards of us, and formed
the line of battle, they approached in a body number
-ing as near as I could guess about 150. armed with
guns, sword & pistols to within about 40 yards of
us, when the firing commenced by both parties
about the same time, I can’t say which side
fired first_ I was taken prisoner by the mor
mons_ I saw Jos Smith Jr come to the Mormons
at a house in log creek timber a few miles from
the battle ground. The wounded were taken out
of the waggon then, and we started on towards, Far
West- J Smith Jr passed on by me to the head of
the company, where Pratt & Wight halted the
company, he Pratt & 4 others rode off a piece
& confered together, & then returned to the company_
- & called out some captain, and ordered him to
call out 10 of his braves- 7 men came out, and I
was placed under their guard, & told by Wight that
they would escort me off & let me go about my busi
-ness- We started back, and after getting near a
field, the Capt of the guard and one other rode off ahead
saying they saw [“a man” crossed out] some one- Shortly after the
Capt returned alone. The declared (“they would” crossed out] I should be guard
[“me” crossed out]-ed no further, and pointed out the path I should
take, which led around the fence . I then thought
the man who had not returned had been placed round
the fence to Kill me, but I was determined to
do the best I could to make my escape. In passing
on I discovered my direction would lead me to where I
thought the man was placed, and I took off to the
right, and immediately I was ordered to stop by
some person, whom I recognized to be the man
of the guard, who left with the Capt of the guard &
did not return, I fled & turned my head to
look & saw the man with his gun in a shooting
position & shortly after, while running I was shot
by him, & I made my way to Ray Cty. Parley P
Pratt was in the battle_ Moses Rawlans one of
Capt. Bogarts men, & several of the mormons
was Killed in that battle, 5 of Bogarts company
including myself were wounded, and further
this deponent saith not_ C Wiatt Cravens
Maurice Phelps a witness produced Sworn and exe
amined for the State deposeth and Saith, that Parley, that Parley P
Pratt was in the
was one of the expedition but not in the battle Lyman Gibbs
was in the battle thinks Benjamin Jones was in the
a Norman Shearer was also & wounded. I was Called
upon by Charles C Rich to go down to
to help releeve some Mormons prisoners who it was
said had been taken by a mob. I first refused to go but
being threatened with force I consented to go we proceeded
to McDaniels field in Ray Cony. where we were comnond
ed to hitch our horses and we proceeded down to where
Capt Bogart was encamped myself in the extreme
rear the fight was brought on but I was not in it
On our return from the battle ground near log creek
timber in Caldwell Cony. we met Jos. Smith Jr Lyman
Wight & others who went to the wounded and pronounced blessings
on them & prayed for them to be healed & saved, when we started
from McDaniel field fences the only command given that I
heard was boys follow me given by commander by. I
have been in two daniete meetings the first I did not make
any exception to, & in the Second the following exception
=able was inculcated. “that we should take spoil or plun
=”der in some cases ”but it was Objected to and I have never
attended a danite meeting Since, the day before the mor
mons, went to Adam on diahmon J. Smith Jr in an address
told an anecdote of a Dutchman who had been applead
to by a Capt to purchase Potatoes. & Rigdon in speaking
of dissenters who were unwilling to fight mobs. Said
that they ought to be pitched upon their horses with
pitchforks & Bayonets And forced into the front of the
battle & their property confiscated to the use of the army
the anecdote spoken of above about the dutchman was
told by Smith after Rigdon address and without any