United States. Army. Mormon Battalion
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
Biography of Samuel Miles the son of Samuel and Prudence Marks
Fifteen months experience
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.
John W. Hess autobiography
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.
McClellan family histories
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.
Charles H. Oliphant and Orson Bennett Adams autobiographies
David Pettigrew autobiography and diary
Azariah Smith autobiography and diaries
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.
Andrew Jackson Workman autobiography
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.