Mormon Mlitary Successes

[inquiringmind]

I was just wondering if Mormons have ever successsfully engaged their enemies in battle.

Have their been any military successes (where you successfully treaded down your enemies)?

[LeSellers]

I was just wondering if Mormons have ever successsfully engaged their enemies in battle.

Have their been any military successes (where you successfully treaded down your enemies)?

Yes.

The Utah War (aka, Buchanan's Blunder) was a success. Without anyone's being killed, we held off the US Army until the effective surrender of Johnston's Army.

We didn't have too many Indian wars, Brother Brigham taught the Saints that it was more effective to feed them than to fight them. Nonetheless, the Walker War was a success. I don't know much about it, though.

The Mormon Battalion undertook the longest march in military history, from Kansas to San Diego. They never had to fight (as promised by Brother Brigham), except a herd of wild cattle, and built the first brick kiln in California. Some of the "Battalion Boys" were among those who discovered gold in Sutter's Creek.

The first (and only) president of the California Republic, William B. Ida, was a Saint, and he successfully fought the Mexicans for California independence from Mexico.

Lehi

Edited July 8, 2011 by LeSellers

[altersteve]

Do you mean to ask if Mormons ever serve in the U.S. Armed Forces? If so, yes. The Armed Forces are usually pretty successful.

[stYro]

I was just wondering if Mormons have ever successsfully engaged their enemies in battle.

Many years ago I was an active Mormon and a survivalist. Researching justification for my hobby, I read as much as I could find about armed engagements the Mormons participated in from the Missouri/Illinois era. What I found was that, as long as they weren't unarmed or badly outnumbered, when the smoke cleared, the battlefield was usually in their hands, though they may have suffered higher casualties along the way.

The Battle of Crooked River comes to mind, and Orrin Porter Rockwell's defense of Sheriff Backenstos against a large number of armed pursuers is interesting.

Edited July 8, 2011 by stYro

[alter idem]

What I found was that, as long as they weren't unarmed or badly outnumbered, when the smoke cleared, the battlefield was usually in their hands, though they may have suffered higher casualties along the way.

Uh,..... I believe this would be the expected outcome-nothing unusual with this.

As to the op, Inquiring mind, In the early days of the church, there was a lot of persecution and the saints suffered some mob attacks. I never thought of it as 'engaging our enemies in battle' or 'treading down our enemies'--it makes us sound like violent aggressors and I'm pretty sure we were always defending ourselves and families--If for one, would not describe it as you have.

If you are thinking of Mormons involved in military action, I do know of one example during the Korean war of a unit made up of LDS young men who saw a lot of fierce fighting during their deployment and suffered no casualties. That's the only thing I can think of that would fit with your question as it relates to members of the LDS faith.

[Vance]

Uh,..... I believe this would be the expected outcome-nothing unusual with this.

As to the op, Inquiring mind, In the early days of the church, there was a lot of persecution and the saints suffered some mob attacks. I never thought of it as 'engaging our enemies in battle' or 'treading down our enemies'--it makes us sound like violent aggressors and I'm pretty sure we were always defending ourselves and families--If for one, would not describe it as you have.

If you are thinking of Mormons involved in military action, I do know of one example during the Korean war of a unit made up of LDS young men who saw a lot of fierce fighting during their deployment and suffered no casualties. That's the only thing I can think of that would fit with your question as it relates to members of the LDS faith.

That was the 222nd Field Artillery Battalion.

Edited to add,

As I understand it the 222nd was known as the 213th back in those days. Here is a brief description of some of their exploits.

http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/utah_today/policeactioninkorea.html

Edited July 8, 2011 by Vance

[inquiringmind]

The first (and only) president of the California Republic, William B. Ida, was a Saint, and he successfully fought the Mexicans for California independence from Mexico

Was the population of California, and it's army, predominently LDS at the time?

[KevinG]

Don't forget the whistling and whittling brigade.

[LeSellers]

Was the population of California, and it's army, predominently LDS at the time?

No. But the Californians obviously respected Ida, and trusted his leadership.

In fact, the former (Mexican) "governor" of Sonora, California (the "Alcade") was Lilburn Boggs, the same man who issued the Extermination Order in Missouri.

Lehi

[sethpayne]

I was just wondering if Mormons have ever successsfully engaged their enemies in battle.

Have their been any military successes (where you successfully treaded down your enemies)?

The criminals who perpetuated the Mountain Meadows Massacre were certainly successful in "[treading] down their (perceived) enemies" but I don't think this can be chalked up as an general LDS exploit. This was a fringe element, IMO.

The Danites are in the same boat. They brought down some enemies in pretty violent ways but again, I view them as a fringe element who happen to be LDS (although I know there is debate about how much JS and SR knew about the Danites).

[inquiringmind]

In fact, the former (Mexican) "governor" of Sonora, California (the "Alcade") was Lilburn Boggs, the same man who issued the Extermination Order in Missouri.

What happened to him?

[Gohan]

What happened to him?

Nothing really, he was state assemblyman in his area of CA for a while. Retired in 1855, died in 1860.

[Mike Richards]

Do you mean to ask if Mormons ever serve in the U.S. Armed Forces? If so, yes. The Armed Forces are usually pretty successful.

With no more data than my personal observations, it seems that the LDS are found in higher concentrations in the military than in the general population. Does anyone have any real data on this?

Add: It looks like it's just my experience--maybe career field? It appears that only around 2% of the enlisted corp are LDS, I suspect it might be higher for officers, but couldn't find anything on that.

Edited July 9, 2011 by mjr522

[kolipoki09]

Nothing really, he was state assemblyman in his area of CA for a while. Retired in 1855, died in 1860.

I thought Dan Storm killed him by pushing him off a cliff. Wait, that was his cousin "Richard."

Edited July 11, 2011 by kolipoki09