The Mormon Battalion

31 Wednesday Dec 2025

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This monument in Oceanside, California says:
…at Council Bluffs Iowa during late June And early July 1846 discussions with federal officials resulted in the enlistment of 500 volunteers as soldiers In the army of the united states to march to California in Defense of its people.”

After completing the longest infantry march in military history and without firing a shot in mortal combat, they arrived here in January of 1847. They were thereafter garrisoned at the Mission San Luis Rey.

Their heritage was in service and virtue. They built roads, irrigation ditches, homes and Fort Moore in Los Angeles. They Harvested crops and built mills. Leaders and citizens offered them great inducements to re-enlist. Some did and their legacy remains in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Francisco and other cities of the Golden State.

The Spirit of these individuals is epitomized by the fact that the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill was reported by “Battalion men” who after fulfilling their contracts, left the riches of the world behind to return to the hardships of building “Zion.”

This page is to document the people and places of the Battalion I come across in my exploring and documenting.

Monuments:

Hastings Cutoff – Broad Hollow ( East Canyon, UT )
Mormon Battalion Monument ( Salt Lake City, UT )
The Mormon Battalion ( Oceanside, CA )
Mormon Island ( Folsom, CA )
Mormon Pioneer Adobes ( Fremont, CA )
Old Spanish Trail – Mormon Road Historic District ( Nevada )
Thomas L. Kane and the Mormons ( Salt Lake City, UT )
Women of the Mormon Battalion ( San Diego, CA )

People of the Mormon Battalion:

Col. Philip St. George Cooke

The Mormon Battalion

01 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by Jacob Barlow in Uncategorized

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California, Historic Markers, LDS Church, Mormon Battalion, Oceanside

The Mormon Battalion

Exactly 150 years ago American families adherents Of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints were driven from Nauvoo, then the largest city of Illinois Created by them out of marsh lands along the Mississippi River. Their goal was a high desert valley at the mouth Of the great salt lake. There they could worship god According to the dictates of their council.

En-route and at Council Bluffs Iowa during late June And early July 1846 discussions with federal officials resulted in the enlistment of 500 volunteers as soldiers In the army of the united states to march to California in Defense of its people.”

Not unlike the devotion to conscience of the great Catholic missionaries who have humbly sacrificed and served on these premises, the legacy left for those of us who have erected and visit this monument is a spiritual one.

We therefore declare that the monument we now establish testifies to the world of our commitment to lead spiritual lives patterned after those saints who preceded us – lives of virtue, honesty and morality. May such conduct of all who visit and serve within sight of these premises reflect the principals of the “Master Builder” whose Kingdom we ever vigilantly seek to establish.

“One hundred fifty years later, as youths and adults, we Place this monument to these spiritual goals of our march Through life. We believe this personal memorial would be More fitting in their sight, and we dedicates it stride by stride, Imprint by imprint in every faithful footstep.

Families Of The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints
Erected: June 26, 1996
Dedicated: January 25, 1997
Carlsbad California Mission Escondido South Stake
Carlsbad Stake Poway Stake
Del Mar Stake Riverside West Stake
Escondido Stake Vista Stake

The Mormon Battalion

This monument is located at Mission San Luis Rey De Francia at 4050 Mission Ave in Oceanside, California.

Mormon Battalion Monument

06 Tuesday Nov 2018

Posted by Jacob Barlow in Uncategorized

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Historic Markers, Mormon Battalion, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, utah

Mormon Battalion Monument

THE MORMON BATTALION HISTORY

In May and June 1846 the services of the Mormon people–enroute to the west–were officially tendered to the United States government then at war with Mexico. President James K. Polk authorized Colonel Stephen W. Kearney, commander of the army of the west, to enlist the hundred Mormon volunteers and march to California. Captain James Allen who was detailed to make the enlistment arrived at the Mormon camps June 26. After three weeks recruiting with the aid of Brigham Young and other officials of the Mormon Church, the Mormon Battalion was mustered into the United States service at Council Bluffs, Iowa, July 16. The march was via Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, thence to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the Battalion arrived in two divisions in October. Here Lieutenant-Colonel P. St. George Cook was given command. The Battalion left Santa Fe October 19 and marched southward down the Real Del Norte to 32 degrees. 41 north latitude: thence south and westward to near the headwaters of the San Padro, north and westward to Tucson and so to the Pacific. The march of over 2,000 miles ended at San Diego, January 29, 1847. The Battalion served in garrison duty in San Diego, San Luis Rey and Los Angeles, and in outpost duty Cajon Pass until the term of enlistment ended July 16, 1847. Eighty-one members of the Battalion re-enlisted for six months additional service and were known as the Mormon Volunteers”(sic)

ACHIEVEMENTS

“Headquarters Mormon Battalion Mission of San Diego January 30, 1847” “Order No. 1” “History may be searched in vain for an equal march of infantry***Through a wilderness, where nothing but savages and wild beasts are found, where, for want of water, there is no living creature***We have dug deep wells, which the future traveler will enjoy.*** Venturing into trackless tablelands where water was not found for several marches.***Worked our way over mountains and hewed a path through a chasm of living rock***To bring these first wagons to the Pacific***the garrison***of Tucson, gave us no pause, we drove them out with their artillery, but our intercourse with the citizens was unmarked by a single act of injustice. Thus, marching half naked and half fed, and living upon wild animals, we have discovered and made a road of great value to our country.***By order Lieut-Colonel P. St. George Cook, P. C. Merrill, Adjutant” Seven members of the Battalion participated in the discovery of gold in California, January 24, 1848 Detachments of the Battalion that had been invalided to Pueblo on Arkansas-numbering one hundred fifty men- joined Brigham Young’s original pioneer company in Salt Lake Valley five days after the entrance of the pioneers, and participated in founding the commonwealth of Utah. By their justice to the conquered, by their courage and endurance, and by their patriotic devotion, the members of the Mormon Battalion brought lasting honor to their people to the State of Utah and to the nation. Plaque B: (North, size same)

THE MORMON BATTALION

.. List of members of the Mormon Battalion ..

This is located at the Utah State Capitol Building in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Thomas L. Kane and the Mormons

30 Friday May 2014

Posted by Jacob Barlow in Uncategorized

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DUP, historic, Mormon Battalion, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, utah

Located at the Pioneer Memorial Museum in Salt Lake City.

Early migration to Utah and its settlement by the Mormons were aided by stalwart friends. Typical of these was Col. Thomas L. Kane of the U.S. Army, a cultured and courageous man, devoted to truth and justice. In financial, political and civil affairs he served as a good-will ambassador. Present when the Mormon Battalion was called in 1846, he obtained permission for the Mormons to remain on Indian land, and in 1858 assisted in a peaceful settlement of the Johnson army episode. Throughout his life he was their staunch friend.