Mormon Battalion - Definition and Overview

The Mormon battalion was a force of 500 U.S. Army soldiers that marched from Council Bluffs, Iowa to San Diego, California, from July, 1846 to January, 1847. The Mormon battalion was recruited from Latter-day Saints who were moving west after being forced from their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois. They were each paid a clothing allowance which most of them turned over to Brigham Young to help finance the Latter-day Saint's move to the Salt Lake valley. During the march they opened the first southern wagon route to California. While in San Diego they built the first fired clay brick building in southern California. After their discharge from the army, some traveled to Sacramento, where they were a major part of the work force building Sutter's Mill in 1848 when gold was discovered there, which led to the 1849 California gold rush.