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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 7 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

Abraham Day III

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230326982]
Identifier: MSS SC 2680
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: approximately 1930

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

Thomas Morris autobiography

 Item — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197231238202]
Identifier: MSS 7661
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of an autobiography of Thomas Morris, written in 1871. Contains an account of his early life in South Wales, including his various occupations and religious affiliations, his emigration to New York in 1832, death of his first wife in 1837, his second marriage, conversion to Mormonism and relocation to Nauvoo in 1844, his impressions of Joseph Smith, and details of service in Mormon Battalion. Concludes with list of his various marriages and dates.

Dates: 1871

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

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

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