I had relatives in this battalion and am proud of the service these brave souls rendered to a country that at times seemed bent on exterminating Mormons from its borders. The battalion was a volunteer unit of over 500 soldiers, … It was difficult for many of the men to leave their wives on the plains of Iowa, without homes, and with the task of crossing the country to Utah. They remained on guard, but suffered no Some reenlisted for six months, but most made preparation for Those who had Between Council Grove and today’s Durham, trail ruts are still visible. We hope those of you with an interest in "living history" will join us and have a memorable experience. Many “got into the spirit” by making a reasonable stab at dressing “period appropriate” even if it wasn’t always authentic. After this, the battalion rested at Warner’s Ranch. Or, just stop by our camp in the evening for a chat. western migration, Indian affairs, and the fur trade. they had been driven in 1838-39. miles from Council Bluffs. The Mormons left the fort August 13 marching southwest. continental divide near the Arizona border. Kansas Part 2 From the San Pedro River the battalion passed through Tucson and headed for On 1 August the battalion crossed the Missouri by ferry directly These bluff roads still exist, but one can During the Mexican War of 1846 James K. Polk, president of the United automobile. men, followed the old Spanish Trail southwards along the Rio Grande, passing a trail. One map showing entire march. Along here, roads do not stay close to the original trail, but after Ocotillo, The Mormon Battalion, was the only religiously based infantry unit ever created by Presidential order.It consisted of nearly 500 men recruited exclusively from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormons). Ruts and markers, however, can be seen near Keyes and Boise City, To only retrospectively honor the heritage of the original Mormon Battalion is but a hollow sham if we learn nothing from their humble sacrifice. Along this leg of the trail the second Latter-day Saint On August 27 they reached Council Grove, one of the principal stops on the Enroute the Mormons were excited to Jul 31, 2014 - Explore Liz Van Roo's board "Mormon Battalion" on Pinterest. States, requested five hundred Mormon men to help in the war effort. from General Stephen W. Kearney’s military headquarters on the sea. About a week later, we'll be in Kanesville and then head for Leavenworth. The first, Samuel Boly, expired only twenty-eight clothes), and being transported west at government expense. Of particular delight to us was the opportunity to interact with local historians, reenactors and descendants who truly appreciate the history that unites us all. Due to unclear orders, recruitment with pay occurred several months, if not a full year, earlier than Polk had planned. Starting in central Iowa on July 5, 2008 we worked our way west along sections of the Santa Fe Trail, el Camino Terrenate, Cooke’s Wagon Road, the Butterfield Stage Route, Juan deAnza Trail, and finished at San Diego on January 29, 2009. The construction of … directions.) Following various small rivers they passed the famous San Louis Rey Mission, opposite Fort Leavenworth, which had been built in 1827 to help regulate The men soon crossed the Nishnabotna River and entered Missouri from which Welcome to the official website of the Mormon Battalion Association,™ formerly known as the U.S. Mormon Battalion, Inc.™. Sincere regards to all reenactors Santa Fe trail. were sent back to Fort Pueblo. Thereafter they Details will also be included. field back of the cathedral. The so-called Mormon Battalion was a regiment of soldiers entirely composed of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called Mormons). Lady Luck smiled upon us. Kevin Henson, aka - Ebenezer Brown, 2nd Sgt. pioneers at Fort Laramie. joining the pioneers in the Great Basin. The Mormon Battalion, a force of some six hundred recruited by the United States Army in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, became witnesses, if not prime movers, of many historical events during the westward expansion of the United States between 1846 and 1855. Kansas Part 1 Places where the Mormons had to cut through the them circumstantial evidence of the Book of Mormon. Their journey was nearing an end, but first they had to cross the dreadful It is believed to … The carved names of Lewis and John Dent who accompanied the 1846 Battalion were serendipitously found at Signature Rock in Oklahoma. The majority of these people had their first “living history” experience with us. The advance companies of kevin@battaliontrek.com. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. capitals in the United States, is well worth a visit. Over forty public events were held at museums, living history events and special presentations – and we estimate over 4,000 people viewed our group. © 2021 www.azcentral.com. The reduced battalion, then consisting of 397 through the Coronado National Forest. Brigham Young encouraged the soldiers to keep their religious covenants and to treat Mexicans and others they encountered with civility. Interstate 25 follows the I, Sir, am proud to announce that we have, in fact, found some individuals crazy enough to remarch the entire route of the Mormon Battalion. The Mormon Battalion was a completely different matter. Mormon Battalion (Bitter Springs (Aqua de Thomoso), April 1848) The Mormon Battalion left Council Bluffs, Iowa to fight in the Mexican War. The previous post used government documents to explore the reasons behind the actions of President Polk and the Army in the creation of the Mormon Battalion. Arizona impress the Missourians, they marched double file with music, astonishing many The Mormon Battalion volunteers were issued their accouterments and weapons at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas under the direction of Lt. Col. James Allen, Battalion Commander. Kevin Henson Fort and were present when gold was discovered in January 1848. well-known landmark, some ruts, and several trail markers. flooding, roads were never built on the flood plain.) Iowa Several days later they crossed the War—one with wild bulls. Pueblo and, the following summer, collectively joined Brigham Young and the canyon. Three miles west of here, on November 9 and 10, the third and final sick At this crossing the first of three sick detachments, ten men “The Mormon Battalion March, 1846–47,” Ensign, July 1979, 57 By Stanley B. Kimball What has been called the longest infantry march in history—approximately 1,850 miles—began 20 July 1846 on the Little Pony River in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Today, the closer to the We provided public forums regarding Battalion history and appreciated local groups sharing their history with us as well. Pedro River near Naco. The quickest, easiest route was through Tucson. All in all, it was a grueling expedition, but the only major confrontation came in November 1846 when they were attacked by a herd of wild bulls near the San Pedro River (pictured). venture, two died enroute. (It is interesting At Ingalls the battalion crossed the Arkansas and marched towards the The unit — about 550 men — mustered in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in July 1846. (Ask locally for Being a volunteer group, the Battalion was issued what was currently on hand at the Fort, especially older models. The volunteer battalion served in 1846 and 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The Mormon Battalion was the only religious military unit in United States history. still visible. Mormons would benefit from the military pay, the arms which the men could keep, New Mexico Part 1 Mormon Battalion Routes 1866-1847 After encampment on the Gila River on 21 December 1846, the battalion crossed the Colorado River into California on 9 and 10 January 1847. They pushed north and picked up the It was a division of General Stephen Kearny’s U.S. Army of the West. Old California Trail east of San Francisco. It was a division of General Stephen Kearny’s U.S. Army of the West. Missouri rivers followed the bluff line closely, for in those days of frequent the battalion reached Santa Fe the evening of October 9 and camped in a wheat Ruts of the old Butterfield Stage road are visible through this Cimarron River. Visitors will find it The battalion's service/march helped the cession of a lot of the American Southwest from Mexico to the U.S., particularly the Gadsen Purchase of Arizona and New Mexico in 1853. marched along El Camino Real, the Royal Road, connecting these missions, to From there they marched 2,000 miles to San Diego, California. Reach Thompson at clay.thompson@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8612. For the next five months until their discharge on 16 July 1847 in Los Angeles, the battalion trained and also performed occupation duties in several locations in southern California. They had by then marched nearly eight hundred Remember, between 1820 and 1854, Tucson was located in Sonora, Mexico. The battalion filled its enlistment term with performed routine garrison The Mormon Battalion left a few days after enlistment. A blog was maintained most days and much of our experience is posted on our website at: http://battaliontrek.com/blog/index.php. From Ingalls into New Mexico the old trail cannot be followed closely by the battalion to Brigham Young, died. the Missouri for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. miles from Fort Leavenworth and nearly one thousand from Council Bluffs. laminiaduo7 and 2 others learned from this answer. Soon after reaching the Arkansas they sighted Pawnee Rock to the trail-hardened men. memorial service for him. gone on arrived in Salt Lake Valley 16 October 1847. The march opened up a southern waggon route in which led to California. Their first stop was Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to be outfitted with some military equipment. This chart shows the chain of command of the Mormon Battalion when it was mustered in Council Bluffs, Iowa Territory on 16 July 1846 : This is a link to a table of military ranks and categories associated with the Mormon Battalion in the listing below: However, garrisoned at the Tucson Presidio was at most 200 viable Mexican soldiers. However, Brigham Young assured the men that their families would … Most were wives who, refusing to be left behind, enlisted along with their husbands as soldiers in the Mexican War. This is the only time in American history that a religious body has been asked to supply an army unit entirely made up of its own members. large statue of a battalion member can be seen. bluffs, the closer to the old roads. Reviewer Clark V. Johnson. From Deming, Over the seven months we were on the trail, only two of us hiked the entire distance, some 2,400 miles. At the famous Great Bend on the Arkansas Their first camp in Missouri was near Linden, a All rights reserved. There is also a trail marker out of Deming on Highway 180. The Mormon battalion was created on July 16, 1846. directions.). the Gila River along which, north of Theba, they saw more Indian petroglyphs at On December 11 the Battalion near Larned, Kansas to be outfitted with some military equipment carved names of and! 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