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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 6 Collections and/or Records:

Henry Green Boyle diaries

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 156
Scope and Contents Contains a handwritten autobiography and diaries related to Boyle's life and experience as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The autobiography was written beginning in 1844 and, in the same volume, he starts a diary in 1846. Boyle kept 14 additional volumes of diaries, dating from 1855 to 1889. Most of the content relates to Boyle's missionary experiences in California and to Southern States Mission, including while he was mission president from 1875 to 1878. Also...
Dates: 1844-1912

Jacob Kemp Butterfield correspondence

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230327600]
Identifier: MSS SC 2841
Scope and Contents

Photocopies of handwritten and typed copies of correspondence. Butterfield writes to his mother and other family members. Butterfield writes about his missionary work for the Mormon Church in Missouri; his association and employment with Joseph Smith, the first president of the Mormon Church; and his life in Missouri, Illinois, and Missouri. He also writes about his service with the Mormon Battalion. Also included is a biography of Abel Butterfield.

Dates: 1837-1886

James Pollock Park papers

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230235316]
Identifier: MSS SC 170
Scope and Contents

Printed and handwritten application for Park's widow to receive a pension for his service in the war with Mexico, photocopy of a mission call for Park to serve on a mission for the Mormon Church in Europe, and a brief biography of Park by and unknown author.

Dates: 1852-1893

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

John Steele and Mahonri Moriancumer Steele diaries

 Item — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197231017549]
Identifier: MSS 7541
Scope and Contents

Collection contains the mission diaries of John and Mahonri M. Steele. Included in the diaries of John are day to day descriptions of his time serving as a Mormon missionary, and serving in the Mormon Battalion. He also gives some family history and autobiographical information about his life prior to the journal. The journals written by Mahonri M. Steele tell about his time as a Mormon missionary to England and Scotland.

Dates: 1840-1893

Daniel Tyler papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS SC 481