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United States. Army. Mormon Battalion

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1846 - 1847

Administrative History

The Mormon Battalion (1846-1847) was a unit in the United States military that served during the Mexican-American War.

The Mormon Battalion, which began official service in July 1846, was the only religiously based united in United States military history. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 539 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Created to assist with the Mexican-American War (which lasted from 1846-1848), the unit marched nearly 2,000 miles from Iowa to San Diego.

The unit was discharged on July 16, 1847, five months after its arrival in San Diego.

Citation:
Larson, C.V. A data base of the Mormon Battalion, c1987: p. 1 (formed July 16, 1846, at the request of the U.S. govt.) p. 2 (discharged July 16, 1847) p. 4 (U.S. Mormon Battalion)

LC data base, 12/30/87 (hdg.: Iowa Infantry. Mormon Battalion, 1846-1847)

Wikipedia, via WWW, 27 January 2015 (The Mormon Battalion, which began official service in July 1846, was the only religiously based united in United States military history; was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 539 members of the LDS church;Created to assist with the Mexican-American War (which lasted from 1846-1848); marched nearly 2,000 miles from Iowa to San Diego; was discharged on July 16, 1847, five months after its arrival in San Diego)

Found in 9 Collections and/or Records:

Henry William Bigler diary

 File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS SC 3132
Scope and Contents Photocopy of a microfilm copy of a handwritten autobiography and diary. Bigler wrote about his early life from 1815 to 1846 when his diary began. He was born in West Virginia, had encounters with Indians in that state, and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1837. He moved to Far West, Missouri, in 1838; met Joseph Smith, the first president of the Mormon Church; suffered persecutions in Missouri; moved to Qunicy, Illinois, in 1839; and served on a mission for the...
Dates: 1846-1899

Biography of Samuel Miles the son of Samuel and Prudence Marks

 Item — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 7599
Scope and Contents Manuscript autobiography, labeled by the author as a biography, with thirty-two pages of a handwritten life story by Samuel Miles. The story includes a life summary from 1826 to 1851, and short yearly summaries for each year between 1852 and 1881. The text includes information that is particularly familial and spiritual, but often references broader historical events that contextualize his life. He mentions several events in Latter-day Saintn history including the violence in Missouri, his...
Dates: approximately 1852-1881

Fifteen months experience

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197227622211]
Identifier: MSS SC 3268
Scope and Contents

Fifteen months experience gives an account of Bulkley's journey following his release from the Mormon Battalion until he rejoined his family. This collection includes a photocopy of the original account.

Dates: Date not identified

John W. Hess autobiography

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230325430]
Identifier: MSS SC 2635
Scope and Contents

Typewritten autobiography. Hess was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and was converted to the Mormn Church in 1834. He lived with the Mormons in Missouri and Illinois and witnessed persecutions in both places. He was a member of the "Mormon Battalion" during the war with Mexico, migrated to Utah, married several women, served as a legislator in Utah, and served as a missionary to the "Washakie" (Shoshoni) Indians.

Dates: approximately 1900

McClellan family histories

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230244615]
Identifier: MSS SC 561
Scope and Contents

Typescripts (some duplicated). The collection includes autobiographical sketch of William C. McClellan, member of the Mormon Battalion and of the Nauvoo Legion in Utah Valley, Utah, a biographical sketch of his wife, Almeda D. McClellan by Zitelle M. Snarr, and an autobiography of their son David A. McClellan Sr. which includes details of life in the Mormon colonies in Mexico and Arizona.

Dates: date of production not identified

Charles H. Oliphant and Orson Bennett Adams autobiographies

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230234368]
Identifier: MSS SC 155
Scope and Contents Coverless notebook containing handwritten autobiographies of Oliphant and Adams. Oliphant writes of his childhood, meetings with Brigham Young, his work as a horticulturalist, and the Deseret Horticultural Society. Adams' autobiography is written back to front in the same notebook. He writes about his joining the Mormon Battalion along with his wife who worked as a laundress, his settlement in Parowan, Utah, his fighting the Indian Wars, and exploration during the Utah War during which he...
Dates: approximately 1800s

David Pettigrew autobiography and diary

 File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 473
Scope and Contents Photocopy of a handwritten autobiography and diary with a typescript of the item. Pettigrew (apparently also spelled Pettegrew) started his autobiography in 1840. His diary is sporatic and has many gaps. Pettigrew writes about his conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1832, his life in Missouri during the persecutions of Mormons there, his experiences in Nauvoo, Illinois, his work as an LDS missionary, his participation in the migration of Mormons from Nauvoo,...
Dates: 1840-1861

Azariah Smith autobiography and diaries

 Collection — Box 1: [Barcode: 31197232481579]
Identifier: MSS 2333
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of a microfilm copy of a handwritten autobiography and diary. Smith was born in New York in 1828 and joined the Mormon Church in 1839. He moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1840. He kept a diary during his service with the "Mormon Battalion" during the War with Mexico from 1846 to 1848. Smith married in 1850 and moved to Sanpete Valley in 1850. He lived in Manti, Utah, and wrote about his activities and experiences there.

Dates: 1846-1912

Andrew Jackson Workman autobiography

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197227629638]
Identifier: MSS 5902
Scope and Contents

Andrew Jackson writes about his family's conversion to Mormonism in 1839 while living in Tennessee; his settlement at Nauvoo, Illinois, 1843; the exodus west; serving in the Mormon Battalion, and march to California; his work in the gold mines; his arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, 1855; the return trip to California; settling in Kane County, Utah; the death of his wife, Rebecca Deck; his remarriage to Sariah A. Eager, 1866 and the organization of the United Order, 1874.

Dates: 1839-1874