A response to the escalating threats and violence in what came to be known as the Missouri 1838 Mormon War, this executive order was issued on October 27, 1838, and called for Latter Day Saints to be driven from the state, because of what he termed their ...open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of having made war upon the people of this State ... the Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace—their outrages are beyond all description.The order was rescinded on June 25, 1976, after nearly 138 years, by Missouri Governor Kit Bond, who declared that the original order violated legal rights established by the U.S. Constitution.

[4] On the rainy evening of May 6, 1842, Boggs was shot by an unknown party who fired at him through a window as he read a newspaper in his study.

He surmised that the suspect had fired upon Boggs and lost his firearm in the dark rainy night when the weapon recoiled due to its unusually large shot.

The gun had been stolen from a local shopkeeper, who identified "that hired man of Ward's" as the "most likely culprit".

Reynolds, then acting on the testimony of the storekeeper, determined that the man in question was Orrin Porter Rockwell, a close associate of Smith.

Reynolds could not produce any evidence that Rockwell was involved in any way and he was acquitted of all charges concerning Boggs, after prominent lawyer Alexander Doniphan agreed to defend him.

[5] A few people saw the assassination attempt positively: an anonymous contributor to The Wasp, a pro-Mormon newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois, that was run by Joseph Smith's brother, William Smith, wrote on May 28 that "Boggs is undoubtedly killed according to report; but who did the noble deed remains to be found out".

Joseph Smith vehemently denied Bennett's account, speculating that Boggs — no longer governor, but campaigning for state senate — was attacked by an election opponent.

Mormon writer Monte B. McLaws, in the Missouri Historical Review, supported Smith, averring that while there was no clear finger pointing to anyone, Governor Boggs was running for election against several violent men, all capable of the deed, and that there was no particular reason to suspect Rockwell of the crime.

[5] Boggs traveled overland to California in 1846 and is frequently mentioned among the notable emigrants of that year.

They arrived in Sonoma, California, in November and were provided refuge by Mariano Vallejo at his Petaluma ranch house.