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 17 Collections and/or Records:
James Allen and R. B. Mitchell letters
Handwritten and signed letter, dated 16 July 1846, and composed at the "Headquarters Morm. Batt. U.S. Volunteers." Allen writes about the march to California and the necessity of protection against Indians. On the reverse of Allen's letter is found a handwritten letter, dated 21 July 1846, and signed by R. B. Mitchell, "Indian Agent." The item was composed at "Point aux Poules." Mitchell praises the conduct of the emigrating Mormons in general and with the Indians in particular.
Henry William Bigler diary
Abner Blackburn diary
Typescript of diary which gives accounts of the Mormon experiences in Missouri, frontier and pioneer life, Indian customs and warfare, and gold-digging during the California gold rush of 1849.
Henry Green Boyle diaries
Jacob Kemp Butterfield letter
Photocopy and typescript of a handwritten letter written while on the march with the Mormon Battalion. The item is addressed to Butterfield's mother and gives particulars about the Mormon pioneer trek to the west as well as the Mormon Battalion's mission and activities. Butterfield explains his Mormon faith to his mother.
Abraham Day III
Photocopy of a typewritten biography of Abraham Day, III (1817-1900). Abraham Day was born in Vermont, joned the Mormon Church, moved to Montrose, Iowa near Nauvoo, Illinois, served in the Mormon Battalion 1846-1847, migrated to Utah, took a second wife, and lived in Springville and Mt. Pleasant, Utah, and served in the Black Hawk War. The date of the composition of this item is uncertain.
Levi W. Hancock journal
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.
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.
Hyde family biographies
The life sketch of David Pinkney Rainey
Biography of David Pinkney Rainey (1815-1888) by an unknown author. Rainey was baptised into the Mormon Church in 1843. He served on two missions for that church and was in the "Mormon Battalion" (1846-1847) during the war with Mexico. He came to Utah and lived in Provo and Richmond in that state.