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Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized militia
Nauvoo Legion
of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States. With
growing antagonism from surrounding settlements
it came to have as its main function the defense of
Nauvoo, and surrounding Latter Day Saint areas of
settlement.

The Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a

liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion
extraordinary independence even though it was still
a component of the Illinois State Militia and under
the ultimate authority of the Governor of Illinois.
Led by Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day
Saint movement and a mayor of Nauvoo, the Legion
quickly became a formidable concentration of
military power.
General Joseph Smith commanding the Nauvoo
Previously, from May to June 1834 Joseph Smith Legion infantrymen in formation between 1839 and
led an expedition of Latter Day Saints, known as
1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois, with the Nauvoo Temple on a
Zion's Camp from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County,
hill in the background
Missouri in an attempt to regain land from which
the Saints had been expelled by non-Mormon Disbanded 1887
settlers. He organized the first Mormon militia Country United States State of Deseret
group known as the "Armies of Israel" to protect his
people. Allegiance Joseph Smith

In 1844, after a controversy where the Nauvoo Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
newspaper was burned to the ground on Joseph Day Saints
Smith's orders, due to the publication of articles
critical of Smith and his church's policies; Joseph Illinois
Smith was ordered to the Carthage Jail under
State of Deseret
charges of Treason. It was there Smith was killed by
a mob. Soon thereafter, the Nauvoo charter was Utah
revoked, and the Nauvoo Legion lost its official
sanction as an arm of the Illinois militia.[1] United States

After the revocation of the Nauvoo Charter, the Branch Illinois State Militia (1840–1845)
members of the Nauvoo Legion continued to
Mormon Battalion (United States
operate under the command of Brigham Young,
Army) (1846–1847)
leader of the movement's largest faction, The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Deseret Militia (1847–1852)
Church). Young led the Latter-day Saints to what
later became the Territory of Utah. In Utah, the Utah Territorial Militia (1852–1887)
Deseret Militia and Utah Territorial Militia
used the official name of the Nauvoo Legion. The Type Militia
Nauvoo Legion was permanently disbanded in Role Protect Mormon settlers from

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1887. In 1894, the former Utah Territorial Militia domestic and foreign enemies
was reactivated and officially designated the Utah Size Illinois State Militia (2,500)
National Guard.
Mormon Battalion – five
companies (534–559)
Contents Deseret Militia ?
Formation in Nauvoo
Utah Territorial Militia ?
Authority over Legion
Engagements Illinois Mormon War (1844–1846)
Nauvoo under Mormon martial law
Death of Smith brothers Battle of Nauvoo (1846)

Legion survival after death of Joseph Smith Mexican–American War

Legion reformation in Utah
Mormon Battalion in Mexican–American War March to California (1846–1847)
State of Deseret Territorial Militia Capture of Tucson (1846)
Walker Indian War
Utah War Indian Wars
American Civil War
Battle Creek Massacre (1849)
Utah Black Hawk War
Battle at Fort Utah (1849)
Transition to Utah National Guard
Walker War (1853–1855)
Uniforms, weapons, and equipment
Ute Black Hawk War (1865–72)
See also
Notes Utah Mormon War (1857–1858)
References Mountain Meadows Massacre
External links (1857)

American Civil War

Formation in Nauvoo
Morrisite War
In 1839, Joseph Smith relocated his followers from
a hostile environment in Missouri to Commerce, Siege of Kington Fort (1862)
Illinois, which he renamed Nauvoo. Voter-conscious Commanders
Illinois Democrats and Whigs (including Abraham
Notable Lieutenant General Joseph Smith
Lincoln) passed a bipartisan city-state charter for
commanders
Nauvoo in 1840. On December 16 the governor General John C. Bennett
signed it into law, granting Smith and the city of
Nauvoo broad powers. Among these was the Brigham Young
authority to create a "body of independent
militarymen". This military force was a militia Daniel H. Wells
similar to the Illinois State Militia, and it became
known as the "Nauvoo Legion". At its peak, the Hosea Stout
militia had, by conservative estimates, at least 2,500
troops, in comparison to the approximately 8,500 Utah Territorial Military
troops within the entire United States Army as of Commander Robert T. Burton
1845.[2] The Legion was organized into two

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regiments (called cohorts) of infantry and one Utah Territorial Governor

regiment of cavalry. A few light cannons were also Stephen S. Harding
attached.
William H. Dame
The Legion tended to be very top-heavy, in that
there was a disproportionate number of high- Dimick B. Huntington
ranking officers to regular soldiers. Supposedly, this
was to elevate the social status and official standing of some
members of the city.

Authority over Legion

Although the charter authorizing the Nauvoo Legion created
an independent militia, it could be used at the disposal of the
state governor or the President of the United States as well as
for the mayor of Nauvoo. Joseph Smith himself was Nauvoo's The alleged Nauvoo Legion Flag. It is not
second mayor, and the Nauvoo court martial also appointed known if it was used in Nauvoo, Illinois or in
him as highest-ranking officer of the Legion, a Lieutenant the later Nauvoo Legion Utah period. It may
General. This rank is one step above Major General, which have also been used by the Mormon
most contemporary militias employed as their commanding Battalion in the U.S. Army during the
rank. One motive for the higher rank was to prevent Smith Mexican–American War (1846–1847).
from being tried in a court-martial by officers of lesser rank.
In 1838 the Missouri militia had contemplated a court-
martial against Smith, an action that might have been illegal had it
been carried out, as Smith was only a civilian at that time.

Nauvoo under Mormon martial law

In the last month of his life, June 1844, Joseph Smith declared martial
law in Nauvoo in response to various civil disturbances and initially
deployed the Nauvoo Legion to defend the city, only to restrain the
Legion from any action later. He urged Legion members to not take any
action when the Illinois governor ordered the arrests of the Smith
brothers, for violating state statutes and by not receiving authorized
permission to impose martial law from the Governor of Illinois.

Death of Smith brothers Last Public Address of

Lieutenant General Joseph
Smith by John Hafen, 1888
Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum surrendered at the Carthage,
Illinois jail, with the promise of protection from Governor Thomas Ford
and the Carthage Greys, the local state militia in Hancock County. However, on June 27, 1844, the
Carthage Greys were vastly outnumbered by the mob surrounding the jail, and did not intervene in the
ensuing assassination.

Legion survival after death of Joseph Smith

The Nauvoo Legion survived the loss of its commanding officer, Joseph Smith, when Brigham Young
automatically assumed command as the new church president in August 1844, though he had never
previously been active in Legion activities because Young was in England on a proselytizing mission for
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several years and only returned home to Nauvoo when hearing

of the prophet's death to assist the family and church and
citizens of Nauvoo during that sad tragedy (citation needed).
Rather than employ the Legion to protect Nauvoo from
increased mob violence, Young directed Nauvoo's tens of
thousands of citizens to migrate peacefully to the western part of
the continent which wasn't yet part of the United States and
they founded the territory of Utah. Nauvoo was officially
abandoned and the last remaining citizens had vacated Nauvoo
by September 17, 1846, under gunfire and cannon artillery
barrage as Illinois and Missouri militia and mobs raided and Joseph Mustering the Nauvoo Legion by
C.C.A. Christensen
burned Nauvoo to the ground (citation needed).

Upon the revocation of the Nauvoo Charter in the winter of

1844–1845, the Nauvoo Legion was no longer recognized as
state militia, and its members returned the majority of its
government-issued arms. Depleted of its official status,
remnants assumed roles such as guardians of the handcart
and wagon companies heading west after being reorganized
by Hosea Stout on September 22, 1846, as they amassed on
the other side of the Mississippi River in the territory of Iowa
where the citizens of Nauvoo were safe from attack by mobs
and Illinois and Missouri militia, and waited for winter to end
so they could migrate (citation needed). An area
memorialized by the somber Far West cemetery and LDS Depiction of the Battle of Nauvoo by C.C.A.
Temple. Christensen, which occurred from June 10,
1844 to September 16, 1846. The Nauvoo
There are however some reported incidents in diaries of Legion was ordered to stand down by the
Saints concerning gunfire exchange between legion members church elders and not take part in the armed
and mobs during the Nauvoo era (citation needed). And also defense but withdrawal of the Saints from
Nauvoo for the long trip to Utah.
legion members participated in the rescue of Joseph from the
state Militia who had unlawfully arrested him after luring
him to what was supposed to be a peaceful political debate
and were going to hang him (citation needed).

Legion reformation in Utah

Mormon Battalion in Mexican–American War

Not long after the arrival of the Mormons in Iowa, in 1846,

Mormon legionnaires volunteered to serve in the 500 man
Mormon Battalion for the U.S. government military expedition A cavalry guidon of the Utah-era version
to Mexican California during the Mexican–American War. of the Nauvoo Legion

State of Deseret Territorial Militia

In 1847, Mormon leader Brigham Young reformed the Nauvoo Legion into a fully functional paramilitary
force, which was organized into sub-units for each of the Utah counties as the Deseret Territorial Militia
akin to their contemporaries the Army of the Republic of Texas and the Texas Rangers.[4]
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Walker Indian
War

The Utah Territorial Militia was known as the

Nauvoo Legion and accused of perpetrating
Officers and troops of the Third Regiment the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre in
of Nauvoo Legion as reformed in Utah.[3] which 120–140 non-Mormon settlers were
murdered.

In the 1849 conflicts with Native Americans in Utah County,

such as the attack at Battle Creek, Utah and Battle at Fort Utah,
foreshadowed the 1853–1854 Walker War between the Nauvoo
Legion and Indians led by Chief Walkara ("Walker"). Twenty
Mormon militiamen and many Native Americans died in the
Walker War.

Utah War

The Nauvoo Legion was called up again in the Utah War against
Officers and troops of the Third Regiment
Federal troops entering Utah in the "Utah Expedition" from
of Nauvoo Legion as reformed in Utah.[3]
1857–1858. They employed tactics of supply destruction and
avoided direct fighting. Local commanders and members of the
Iron County, Utah Territorial Militia, overcome with suspicion
and war hysteria, perpetrated the Mountain Meadows Massacre against a group of wagon trains
travelling from Arkansas to California in September. At this point Daniel H. Wells was the chief military
commander of the militia. It was also under the auspices of the militia that the groups of men were
organized who were instructed to burn down Salt Lake City and other parts of northern Utah should the
invading army try to take up residence.

After this conflict, the Federal government appointed Utah's territorial governor, and the Nauvoo Legion
was allowed to exist at the command of the governor. It, however, was not as cooperative in imposing the
colonial regime as federal authorities would have liked.

American Civil War

During the American Civil War, federal troops either were withdrawn from Utah, or in many cases left to
join the rebellion, Johnston who had led the invading federal army being among the latter group. The
Federal government made a reconciliatory approach to Brigham Young, requesting his help. With his
permission, two units of the reorganized Nauvoo Legion were gainfully employed by the United States to
protect western mail and telegraph lines from Indian attacks in what is today Utah and Wyoming, but
saw no action. Neither the Legion nor any other Mormon troops participated in the main theaters of the
war, and the Legion's involvement ended in 1862, after Congress had passed the Morrill Anti-Bigamy
Act.[5]
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Utah Black Hawk War

The final use of the Legion was in Utah's Black Hawk War 1865–1872 when over 2,500 troops were
dispatched against Indians led by Antonga Black Hawk. (Antonga Black Hawk was a Ute and has no
connection to the Illinois Sauk chief Black Hawk of the 1830s.) In 1870 the Utah Territorial governor, J.
Wilson Shaffer forced the Legion inactive unless he ordered otherwise. Federal troops dispatched in
response to the 1870 Ghost Dance ensured Shaffer's order was enforced.

Transition to Utah National Guard

The Nauvoo Legion never gathered again, and the 1887 Edmunds-Tucker Act permanently disbanded it.
In 1894, in anticipation of statehood, the non-sectarian Utah National Guard was organized as Utah's
official state militia.

Uniforms, weapons, and equipment

The Nauvoo Legion in Illinois was able to draw on Federal stands of arms. The most common musket
issued to these militiamen was the Model 1816 Musket. This flintlock musket was an American built copy
of the French 1777 Musket Model. Also, the Harper's Ferry Model 1803 Rifle was issued in smaller
quantities. Personal arms were also used. A small artillery piece, an 1841 12-pound mountain howitzer
was issued to the territorial militia. It arrived in Salt Lake in 1852. A carronade, a ship cannon, was
purchased by the legion in Nauvoo. It was carried to Salt Lake by the early party that occasionally used it
as a speakers podium. It was nicknamed the "Old Sow" and is on display at the Church History Museum
in Salt Lake City. When the Mormon Battalion was enlisted in July, 1846, about 450 Model 1816 muskets
were issued to the infantry. Five 1803 Harpers Ferry rifles were issued to the hunters of company A.
Records for the weapons issued to the other companies are missing. After the men were released from
service in 1847, they headed for home, many stopping for temporary employment at Sutter's Fort. 6 of
their group built the mill at Coloma, where gold was discovered. Many of them took time to pan for gold
and they were quite successful. When they resumed their journey home, they bought two cannons from
Sutter, a four pounder and a six pounder. These were thought at that time to have come from Sutter's
purchase of the Russian Fort Ross and to have been either Russian or French cannons. This caused them
to be lost after the deaths of the battalion members, because the source of the cannons was not written.
Sutter wrote a letter to the pioneer society in the 1870s where he said that his cannons, except for one
Russian 4 pounder, which he donated to a museum in San Francisco, were all Spanish guns. In 2001
three Spanish guns were identified in the LDS Church storage facility in Salt Lake City. The bronze 4
pounder was found to have the crest of King Carlos 3 of Spain. A 6-pound iron cannon, probably the
other battalion cannon and a smaller, but similar, 2 pound cannon were in the warehouse. The
provenance of the 2 pounder is currently unknown. All three Spanish cannons, which were brought to
Salt Lake City on pallets, were mounted on carriages copied from the mountain howitzer carriage,
probably in preparation for the Mormon defense against Johnston's army in 1857. Today the mountain
howitzer is on display in the Fort Douglas museum in Salt Lake City. The 4 pound Spanish bronze is in
the Mormon Battalion Visitor Center in San Diego, Calif. The is a copy of it in front of the center. The
iron Spanish 2 and 6 pound cannons remain in storage in Salt Lake City.

See also
Nauvoo Brass Band
Utah Army National Guard
Green Mountain Boys
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Army of the Republic of Texas

Texian Army
Texas Navy
California Republic (Bear Flaggers)

Notes
1. Brundage, Edward Jackson (1917). Illinois Department of Agriculture general information and laws.
Effective July 1, 1917. Comp. by Edward J. Brundage, Attorney General, Springfield. <Printed by
authority of the State of Illinois.>. Springfield: Illinois State Journal Co., state printers.
doi:10.5962/bhl.title.41230 (https://doi.org/10.5962%2Fbhl.title.41230).
2. Allaman (1990, p. 11).
3. Young, Brigham, and Everett L. Cooley. Diary of Brigham Young, 1857. Tanner Trust Fund,
University of Utah Library, 1980 found online at:https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=328944
page 31
4. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/BYUIBooks/id/3168 |Andrew Jenson, LDS
Biographical Encyclopedia, gives a person by person listing of the various local positions held in the
legion, such as Hugh S. Gowans who in 1868 was elected adjutant of cavalry in a Tooele County-
based Battalion of Cavalry of the Legion (Vol. 1, p. 355)
5. Turner, John G. (1 May 2012), "The Mormons Sit Out the Civil War" (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.
com/2012/05/01/the-mormons-sit-out-the-civil-war/), The New York Times (online), Disunion:
following the Civil War as it unfolded.

References
Allaman, John Lee (1990), "Uniforms and Equipment of the Black Hawk War and the Mormon War"
(https://archive.org/details/westernillinoisr_spring90west), Western Illinois Regional Studies, XIII (1),
p. 5.
Allen, James B.; Leonard, Glen M. (1976), The Story of the Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah:
Deseret Book, ISBN 0-87747-594-6, OCLC 2493259 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2493259).
Bennett, Richard Edmond; Black, Susan Easton; Cannon, Donald Q. (2010), The Nauvoo Legion in
Illinois: A History of the Mormon militia, 1841-1846, Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma
Press, ISBN 9780870623820, OCLC 354854384 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/354854384)
Flammer, Philip M. (1992), "Nauvoo Legion" (http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/EoM/id/3
986), in Ludlow, Daniel H (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York: Macmillan Publishing,
pp. 997–999, ISBN 0-02-879602-0, OCLC 24502140 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/24502140).
Flanders, Robert Bruce (1975) [1965], Nauvoo: Kingdom on the Mississippi (https://archive.org/detail
s/nauvookingdomonm0000flan) (3rd ed.), University of Illinois Press, ISBN 978-0-252-00561-9,
OCLC 12060364 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/12060364).
Gardner, Hamilton (Summer 1961), "Nauvoo Legion, 1840–1845 — A Unique Military Organization"
(https://web.archive.org/web/20100807001813/http://dig.lib.niu.edu/ISHS/ishs-1961summer/ishs-196
1summer-181.pdf) (PDF), Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, 54 (2): 181–197,
JSTOR 40189784 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/40189784), archived from the original (http://dig.lib.ni
u.edu/ISHS/ishs-1961summer/ishs-1961summer-181.pdf) (PDF) on 2010-08-07
Roberts, Richard C. (2003), Legacy: the history of the Utah National Guard from the Nauvoo Legion
era to Enduring Freedom, Utah: National Guard Association of Utah, pp. 5, 9, ISBN 0972849068,
OCLC 53168159 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/53168159)
Roberts, Richard C. (1994), "Utah National Guard and Territorial Militias", in Powell, Allan Kent (ed.),
Utah History Encyclopedia (https://web.archive.org/web/20130609185058/http://www.uen.org/utah_h
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istory_encyclopedia/u/UTAH_NATIONAL_GUARD.html), Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press,

ISBN 0874804256, OCLC 30473917 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/30473917), archived from the
original (http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/u/UTAH_NATIONAL_GUARD.html) on 2013-
06-09
Smith, Andrew F. (1997), The Saintly Scoundrel: The Life and Times of Dr. John Cook Bennett,
University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0252022823
"Series 2210: Territorial Militia Records, 1849–1877, 1905–[ca.1917]" (http://archives.utah.gov/resear
ch/inventories/2210.html), archives.utah.gov, Division of Archives & Records Service, Utah
Department of Administrative Services, OCLC 80116284 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/80116284),
retrieved 2013-06-19

External links
Preceded by
Armies of Israel Succeeded by
Nauvoo Legion
1834 Utah Territorial
(Illinois State Militia)
and Militia
1840–1845
Danites 1850–1896
1838

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