When approximately 330 people trudged into town on January 29, 1847, the locals certainly noticed. Add to cart In 1846, the United States Government came calling on the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 500 men to join the United States Army in the war with Mexico. The Mormon Battalion of Iowa Volunteers 1846-1847 From ROSTER AND RECORD OF IOWA SOLDIERS IN MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS, VOL. The modern Mormon Battalion Association™ was established in the late 1940s when LDS President David O. McKay asked his Huntsville neighbor and personal friend, Fred M. Reese, to form a quasi-military organization to help fulfill the above prophecies. Mornom Battalion Monument at San Pedro River, 1 mile north of Mexican border, Arizona . Some strained "water through their teeth to keep back the live as well as the dead insects and mud from being swallowed by wholesale, and after quenching their thirst, they filled their canteens out of the tracks of the oxen and mules. The battalion was a group of LDS men who had been conscripted into service by the US military to fight in the Mexican-American war. But President Young knew that their service would provide funds to help the Saints reach the Salt Lake Valley, allowing them to gather as a covenant people. ii. William Coray of the Mormon Battalion, Jan. 8, 1847, typescript, Church History Library. Little sent a letter to U.S. President James K. Polk. Their most severe challenges were lack of water and harsh terrain. However, the battalion saw no military action, and only twenty-two perished (all from natural causes — one as the result of childbirth). 1 (PhD dissertation, Brigham Young University, 1975), 143–44; spelling and punctuation standardized. Under the direction of Brigham Young, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, they would leave their homes and most of their belongings behind. Zadoc Judd wrote, "This was quite a hard pill to swallow-to leave wives and children on the wild prairie, destitute and almost helpless . President Young and others gave them "their last charge and blessing," which included a promise that their "lives should be spared and [their] expedition result in great good, and [their] names be handed down in honorable remembrance to all generations. With trust in the Lord and a prophet, volunteers prepared to march with the U.S. Army. What Did Members of the Mormon Battalion Experience and Accomplish on Their March? Before the Saints left Nauvoo, President Young assigned Jesse C. Little to ask the United States government for help with the emigration. Let's take a brief look at each of these questions. One group of about 30 men walked all the way back to the Middle Missouri River Valley after discovering that their families had not yet arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. The Mormon Battalion arrived in San Diego on 29 January 1847 after a march of some 1,900 miles from Iowa. Three detachments—including almost all the women and children and some men who were sick or injured—went north to Fort Pueblo, in present-day Colorado, in the early months of the march. Under the direction of Brigham Young, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, they would leave their homes and most of their belongings behind. , but the word came from the right source and seemed to bring the spirit of conviction of its truth with it and there was quite a number of company volunteered, myself and brother among them. This contribution was so valuable that President Young said they were the "present and temporal salvation" of the Saints.9 This was their first of many contributions to the Church and to the growth of the American West. Most went to Los Angeles to help build a fort and to guard Cajon Pass, a route through the mountains. Why did 500 volunteers agree to join the army? The primary purpose of the group is to memorialize the original members of the Mormon Battalion. It never engaged Mexican forces in battle. President Polk said he hoped "to conciliate [the Mormons], attach them to our country, & prevent them from taking part against us."4. Why did 500 volunteers agree to join the army? Three detachments—including almost all the women and children and some men who were sick or injured—went north to Fort Pueblo, in present-day Colorado, in the early months of the march. At first, many Mormons were hesitant to march with the army. Some received an assignment to stay in San Diego, where they worked on public service projects, including the construction of a courthouse. Captain Allen never would have been able to persuade them to enlist. At the time, Alta California was Mexican territory and encompassed some 600,000 square miles, including present-day California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, western Colorado, and southwestern Wyoming. Some of them found temporary employment in California because they knew there was a shortage of supplies in the Salt Lake Valley. William Coray of the Mormon Battalion, Jan. 8, 1847, typescript, Church History Library. This monument commemorates the sacrifices made by 500 Mormon pioneer volunteers who joined the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War. "14 Many became so weak during the march that they had to leave the battalion, reducing the total number from about 500 to about 300. Book In Advance. Mormon Battalion Foods List Compiled by Kevin Henson Background Comments: People often ask, ڙWhat did members of the Mormon Battalion eat during their trek west?ښ The answer is very simple; ڙWhatever they could find.ښ True, the United States Army did promise to provide some very basic food rations to the enlisted men; Why were they willing to march to the Pacific coast? Each man in the battalion received 42 dollars as a clothing allowance, as well as wages for his service. Write of what you learned about the Mormon Battalion and the benefits they provided for their country, for California, for local communities, and for families. Many published and unpublished histories document the personal stories of those involved, but no one, until now, has made a serious scholarly attempt to explore the Battalion on a military basis. At first, many Mormons were hesitant to march with the army. What would they do now that they had arrived? Column 1. San Diego was a small town in the late 1840s. “At the departure of the Mormon Battalion, I am sure that no set of men, or people, ever had more faith exercised for them than this people then had. Journal of Sgt. Under They eventually made their way to Salt Lake City. The Mormon Battalion was formed in 1846, when President James K. Polk requested the Mormons raise a battalion of 500 men to march to California as part of the Army of the West in the impending war with Mexico. "6, Two days before the volunteers left, Church leaders met privately with them. With continuing faith and renewed determination, members of the Mormon Battalion eventually reunited with their families and fellow Saints. Its men cleared a wagon road from Santa Fe to San Diego and helped secure California as United States territory. 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