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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 14 Collections and/or Records:

James T. S. Allred papers

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230335967]
Identifier: MSS 1349
Scope and Contents

Photocopies of typewritten and handwritten diaries, genealogies, and applications for a pension from the United States Government. The diaries include very brief entries and cover the years 1855 to 1859.

Dates: 1855-1905
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / James T. S. Allred papers

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
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Henry William Bigler diary

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
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Biography of Samuel Miles the son of Samuel and Prudence Marks

Biography of Samuel Miles the son of Samuel and Prudence Marks

 Digital Record
Identifier: MSS7599
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections

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
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Henry Green Boyle diaries

Levi W. Hancock journal

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS SC 3252
Scope and Contents

Phtocopy of a microfilm copy of a handwritten diary. Hancock writes about his service in the Mormon Battalion during the War with Mexico, 1846-1848. He writes about the daily activities of the men and about their hardships. He also includes a number of hand-drawn maps relating to the march of the battalion.

Dates: 1846-1847
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Levi W. Hancock journal

Jonathan Harriman Holmes diary

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230333954]
Identifier: MSS 1164
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1846-1947
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Jonathan Harriman Holmes diary

Hyde family biographies

 File — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS SC 897
Scope and Contents This collection consists of photocopies of typewritten manuscripts. It includes the bound diary of William Hyde (1818-1874) and biographies of Rosel Hyde (1816-1903) and Heman Hyde (1788-1869). Also within the collection are Hyde family genealogies.William Hyde joined the Mormon Church in 1834, served in the "Mormon Battalion," came first to Utah in 1847, had three wives, and settled in Hyde Park, Utah where he served as the Mormon bishop. Rosel Hyde came to Utah in 1849, had...
Dates: 1970-1975
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Hyde family biographies

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
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / David Pettigrew autobiography and diary

Joseph Lee Robinson journal fragments

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230350776]
Identifier: MSS 5898
Scope and Contents

Joseph Lee Robinson's autobiography and journal, 1852-1893. Joseph Lee Robinson writes about his family, spiritual manifestations, conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith's teachings, his journey from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City, service as a bishop, how seagulls saved the crops, death of Jedediah M. Grant, his plural wives and his journey to southeast Idaho.

Dates: 1852-1893
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Joseph Lee Robinson journal fragments

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