Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-06-07
Anew HISTORIC TRUTHS.


Half the editorial space in the sait
Lake Tribune Of this morning is oc-
cuplod with a rehash OF scraps Of his
tory relating TO the Mormon Bat
talon. interpreted with remarks in-
tended to misapply some portions Of
the record and finishing with TINS
precious paragraph
I'VE have given space 10 this IN me
hope that az least some M0rmons VIII
read ID and get new realization OF
how utterly false and sh0meiul the
Deseret News can be when Il trenches
in the least upon Mormon history
The Funny part Of tn, Trbuncs
lengthy effort Is, that "a the real
history In rs numerous quhations cor
roborates exactly what the Deserct
News related Let any sane and un-
biased person read the article IN the
News Of Tuesday evening and that
IN the Tribune Of this morning and be
viii see that there Is not any conflict
between them. except that which comes
from the absurd and vicious remarks
OF the editor OF the Tribune History
establishes every point made by the
Dessert News as TO the Battalion. and
fails 70 support the misleading asser-
tions OF the Tribune
Our remarks on this subject We're
called forth by a letter Of inquiry as
10 the truth Of assertions made by the
Tribune. which Is in the habit when
ever an opportunity can be obtained
OF disappearing and bellttling the
service performed by the Mormon
battalion TO the United States in the
war with Mexico We showed that
those volunteers enlisted IN the true
spirit Of patriotism that the Saints,
who had been driven beyond the con-
fines Of civilization and deprived of all
their earthly property by armed mobs
believed when the call was made for
five hundred able-bodiod men between
the ages Of eighteen and forty-hye
years, that the demand was made, not
for their benefit. but TO deprive them
OF the strength Of their camps leaving
them IN an Indian country In danger Of
destruction. That President Brigham
Young used HIS great Influence IN favor
Of the call, and assured them that il was
not made IN the spirit OF persecution
or desire for their injury That II
was he. and not the government or any
Of It's officers who promised the yoiun-
teers that they should not have 70 fire
gun in battle. That the people part
ed with their husbands brothers and
fathers with a feeling Of self-sacrihce
which, under the circumstances was
deserving OF all praise That the Bat
TALON was not sent as the Tribune
claimed.to the country which the Saints
wanted TO go TO. That their enlistment
did not answer TO the request made TO
the government for aid 90 the exled
Saints IN their Journey 20 the west. but.
as a matter Of fact deprived them Of
their chief means Of protection and the
strength the. ,eded to meet the tolls
and hardships OF their journey That
# had never been claimed. as asserted
by the Tribune. that they We're Conn
PEELED TO furnish the Battalion. That
while Il Is true that a ball was given
20 the volunteers before their departure
instead Of the event being hailed with
Joy by all the Saints" it was a terrible
loss TO them and occaIoned many
heartrendlng scenes Of sorrow
All this Is proved 20 be true by the
very citations from history referred "a
by the Tribune They also demon
strate the faslty OF the statements sd
frequently made 20 the contrary. In the
editorial columns Of that paper. Ban
croft whose history is quoted by the
Tribune. shows that the idea was en-.
tertained by the Saints at the time Of
the enlistment
THAT this was but an act Of tyranny
on the part Of the United States who's,
people after driving them from their
borders had now come upon them tJ
make draft on their healthIest and
hardest men, forcing them TO separate
rom their wives aud children now ir
the time ~ their EXTREMIST need under
penalty OF determination IN case of re.
fusal'
Even supposing this 10 be mistak,
on their part. the willingness they dis
played 90 give up the men needed fll
their protection and support to al.
their country at a time Of war, is eyI
dence OF their patriotism and self.sac
rihce. Bancroft says
al their oncampment on each sid,
the river there was much serious illness
and as many of the teamsters had beer
Withdrawn for this campaign much
heavy work fell upon the women an,
children and the aged and infm'
The historian cites from Remlnis
cences OF the event Most OF our people
were sick in fact the call Tor five hun
dred able bodied men from the Council
Bluffs for Mexico, by the government
deprived us Of about an our strength.
To read the Tubunes airy account 90
the fearful march NJ that Battalion
one would think q was simply a pleas
ure trip 10 the spot whore the body o
the Saints intended 20 go. but here 5
What Bancroft states about that jour
ney After speaking Of the march O
seven hundred miles 20 Santa Re. h
says.
From Santa ne The remainder OF N
troops SET forth Tor San Diego. a jour
ney u more than eleven hundre
miles The entire distance between tina
town and the Mormon camps on IN
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