History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

MORMON VOLUNTEERS. 241
sistance either in the way of work or otherwise. The
Mormons were true-hearted Americans, the memorial
went on to say, and if the government would
assist them in their present emergency, the petitioner
stood ready to pledge himself as their representative
to answer any call the government might make upon
them for service on the field of battle.
Elder Little was taken at his word. At a cabinet
meeting, held a day or two after his petition was presented,
the president advised that the elder be sent
at once to the Mormon camps, and there raise a
thousand men to take possession of California in the
name of the United States, while a thousand more
be sent by way of Cape Horn for the same purpose,
on board a United States transport. It was finally
arranged that the elder, in company with Kane, should
proceed westward, the latter bearing despatches to
Kearny, then at Fort Leavenworth, with a view to
raising a corps of about five hundred men.
On the 19th of June, Kearny issued an order to
Captain James Allen of the 1st dragoons to proceed
to the Mormon camp, and there raise four or
five companies of volunteers, to be mustered into the
service of the United States and receive the pay
and rations of other infantry volunteers. They were
then to be marched to Fort Leavenworth, where they
would be armed; after which they would proceed to
California by way of Santa Fe. They were to enlist
for twelve months, after which time they were to be
discharged, retaining as their own property the arms
furnished them.
In pursuance of his orders, Captain Allen proceeded
to Mount Pisgah, where on the 26th he made known
his mission. After a conference with the church
council at that point, Allen went to Council Bluffs,
where on the 1st of July it was determined by
President Young that the battalion should be raised.
In two weeks the corps was enrolled, and mustered
in on the 16th of July, the president of the church