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 4 Collections and/or Records:
Russell R. Casper biography of William Wallace Casper
Transcript of a biography of William Wallace Casper, with an emphasis on his service in the Mormon Battalion. Biography contains excerpts from a narrative account by William Casper. The edited biography is incomplete, documenting only brief elements of Casper's life.
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.
Jonathan Harriman Holmes diary
Photocopy of a typescript of a diary kept from 1846 to 1848. Holmes writes about enlisting in the Mormon Battalion, the march to Santa Fe and to California, being discharged from the service, and his travels to Sacramento, California, and to Salt Lake City, Utah. Also included is an obituary for Holmes, his account book, and biographies of Franklin Weaver and Sarah Elizabeth Holmes.
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.