Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-06-15
4 Military Achievement With Scarce
a Parallel
HIS LEADERSHIP OF rnE MORMON
BATTALION ~ 1915


That achievement belongs to the pro-
digies performed by the heroes Of the
far west; and thereby, doubtless, hangs
the explanation OF why Il has not taken
It's proper place In history.
Certain il IL that the passing OF Cen
eral y. St. George Cooke, though noted
through the press associations where.
ever newspapers are published In this
country. was attended by no reference
to his leadership OF the Mormon btt,a'
lion in is arduous march from Iowa to
the Pacific coast. across the unknown
deserts OF the southwest. The obitur-
aries reviewed the generals brilliant
war record in the battle fought with
Mexico aud the southern states, and
cited his claims to honorable mention
all save the one Of which he was proud
est aud which entities him to separate
and special distinction.
This omission Is less curious when
you come to observe that the achieve
ment in question-divorced from all
consideration Of the commandcr-plays
picturesque and remarkable part in
the history OF the western states, and Is
yet less known to even the student Of
history than arc the most trivial trans.
actions Of the Plymouth pilgrims. Lack
Of information respecting the battalion
is nevertheless In line with that system
OF eastern education which fires the
schoolboy's Imagination with the least
exploit OF Ethan Allen and Paul lones,
and passes over with a paragraph the
adventures Of such captains MS Sam
Houston and the Spanish explorers Of
the southwest, which counts the steps
down which Putnam rode his horse,
names the villages aroused by Revere,
but overlooks that amazing ride OF
Whitman across an unmappcd cont
nent, which saved Oregon to the Union,
Even the encyclopedias are silent on
the subject OF the Mormon march under
Cookies command; scarce historian
has seized upon that singular occur.
renee Of the Mexican war. IL IS all but
a lost page IN the great romance OF the
Pacific pioneers. Yet one must thumb
patiently his history ol the word to lind
a parallel.
Is there anything in the anabasis OF
invading armies which outmatches II as
an object lesson OF pertlnacity and en-.
dufancef Nenophon-lhat war cores.
pendent ior posterily-has left Us his
imperishablc account Of the ten thou.
sands retreat up the Tigfis valley TO the
shores OF the EuSine-a five months
march OF something less than 900 miles
IN a strange land, among sayaEes, But
this was an enforced retreat oil much
less than the distance accomplished by
the MomOns IN their voluntary prog
tess. And who may say that the vii,
derness Of kurdistan, the highlands ol
Armenia and Georgia, were more for.
bidding than the wastes OF New Mexico
and the barrier OF the Rockies; that the
Wild men OF Persia were more waTllke
than the Apaches.
Napoleon's retreat from Moscow beset
by Russian forces from Finland and the
Danube, were merely tremendous
disaster. We turn half sicEened from
the spectacle OF the 10000 soldiers who
perisheI by the way between October
IS and December o. and forget the
glories Of the emperor's campaign as We
view the beggarly remnant which tot
tered into Wilma.
Shermans march to the sea need mol
be seriously considered IN this connec
ton. Whatever may be thought Of it as
strategic movement, rs a march II wa
all but unopposeJ. aud those 700 mile,
IN twenty-iour days were made IN
land OF plenty, through the heart .
Georgia.
Cooke came long before Sherman il
this matter Of marching; but IL may b,
iancied that this American colonel o
the sos had Nynophon, az least, IN mine
when on that January morning IN,
Pacific burst IN view from the greer
hills Of San Luis Rey, aud with pardon
able pride he wrote:
HcldImurr Mormon battalion.
Mission Of San Diego, January 80. Isl-.
Orders No. j.
The IirH,eu1ut-oo'ore commanding con
gntulairs The battalion on their safe 4uya
en the sh0rcl OF the Pacific ocean. and the con
S.us.oH OF their march of over .g9l miles.
History may BE- searched m vain fol
an equal march OF infantry Hall OF /
has been through a wilderness wher
nothing but sayages aud wild beasts an
found, OF deserts where, iur want q
water, there Is no living creature. There
with almost hopeless labor. We hay
dug deep wells, which the utur
traveller will enjoy, Without a guild
who has trayersed them, We have ven
turcd into lrackless table lands wher
water was not found for several maTChr,
With Crowbar and pick and az IL
hand We have worked our way owe
mountains which seemed to dely lugh
save the wild goat, and hcwed plssag
through q Chasm OF living TuCs NOR
narrow than our wagons. 10 brn,
these hTst wagons TO the Pacific, W
have preserved the strength VI on
mules hy heTllng them over large tfdgts
which you have labluously guarIr
without loss. The garrison ot iou
pTesldios OF Sonora, concentrated witt
IN the walls OF Tucson, gave US u
pause, We drove them out, with theI
artillery but our intercourse with Oh
citizens was unmarked By single al
Of injustice, Thus, marching hair make
and nall fed, aud living upon wild AM
mas, we have discovered aud made
road Of great value TO our country.
Arrived at the hrst settlement Of Cal
lorna, after q single days rest so
lheeiiully turn oil from the route to lin
point Of promised rypOse 10 eater upl
campaign, and meet us we suppg
the approach OF the enemy ana u.
too, without even salt 20 season Won
sole subsistence OF fresh meat.
It was early In $40 that the Mormon,
driven from lUingl, ne tnpy N.