The Mormon Battalion Historic Site is a
historic site in
Old Town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
,
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
, built in honor of the members of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
(LDS Church) who served in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
's
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in United States military history in federal service, recruited solely from one religious body and having a religious title as the unit designation. The volunteers served from July 1846 to July ...
during the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
of 1846–1848.
The battalion was stationed in Old Town in 1847, during which they participated in many civic improvement projects.
History
The original visitors' center was dedicated by the church's president,
Harold B. Lee
Harold Bingham Lee (March 28, 1899 – December 26, 1973) was an American religious leader and educator who served as the 11th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from July 1972 until his death in December 19 ...
, on November 3, 1972, and opened to the public on November 6. In June 2008, the center was closed, and a new center, constructed with some existing elements, was built on the footprint of the original. The new center was opened to the public on January 30, 2010 and dedicated by church
apostle Jeffrey R. Holland on March 26, 2010.
The Mormon Battalion
In 1846, in response to a call for midwesterners to bolster the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War, a group composed largely of Mormons formed the Mormon Battalion. In July of that year, 496 men, 36 women and 43 children left
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs is a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The city is the most populous in Southwest Iowa, and is the third largest and a primary city of the Omaha–Council Bluffs ...
, to assist the war efforts in California. The ensuing six-month, 2,000 mile journey was one of the longest marches in U.S. history. 27 of the group members died due to illness and accidents. Most of the remaining women and children stayed in
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo () is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality that is the county seat and the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, Pueblo County, Colorado ...
. 335 men and four women continued on to San Diego, under the command of Lt.
Philip St. George Cooke
Philip St. George Cooke (June 13, 1809 – March 20, 1895) was a career United States Army cavalry officer who served as a Union General in the American Civil War. He is noted for his authorship of an Army cavalry manual, and is sometimes called ...
.
The battalion arrived in San Diego on January 29, 1847. By this time, fighting had ended. Left without their original purpose, the members of the battalion instead found work in helping to secure San Diego. They engaged in such pursuits as building a bakery, digging wells, blacksmithing, cart repair, whitewashing existing buildings, and brickmaking. They also built the first fired-brick structure in San Diego on the town
plaza, facing San Diego Avenue. The building was originally designed to be a town hall, and it later became the first courthouse in San Diego.
See also
*
Mormon Battalion Monument ''For the monument in New Mexico, see Mormon Battalion Monument (Sandoval County, New Mexico).''
The Mormon Battalion Monument is a historic bronze statue in Presidio Park, San Diego, California. It represents the archetypal member of the Church o ...
References
External links
Mormon Battalion Historic Site at San DiegoOfficial site
Mormon Battalion Historic Site Ensign Peak Foundation
Mormon Battalion
Buildings and structures in San Diego
Properties of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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