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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 4 Collections and/or Records:

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

Andrew Jackson Shupe diary

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230305655]
Identifier: MSS SC 817
Scope and Contents This is a typescript of a diary of a Mexican War soldier who served in the "Mormon Battalion." The diary was kept from 16 July 1846 to 10 Sept. 1847 with a few entries for the years 1848-1855. He was also among the first groups to enter Salt Lake Valley in July of 1847. He went to Winter Quarters in August 1847 and went to Ogden, Utah in 1852. There are numerous gaps in this diary. The entries tend to be short but some are lengthy and detailed. Two small biographies of Andrew Jackson...
Dates: 1846-1855
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Andrew Jackson Shupe diary

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
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / John Steele and Mahonri Moriancumer Steele diaries

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