(29) U.S. declares war against Mexico, 1846

          As this caravan of Saints, wagons and animals proceeded west, stretching for miles across the Great Plains of Iowa, the Saints learned from Captain James Allen of the United States Army that James K. Polk, President of the U.S. had declared war against Mexico on May 12, 1846.  And he, Captain Allen, was sent with a message to ask the Mormons to furnish 500 able-bodied men to help fight against Mexico.        

As would have been expected, the Saints were surprised—to put it mildly—at such an outrageous request. The Mormons had many reasons to be reluctant to enlist.  However, it put a different light on the matter when they learned that Captain Allen’s message was giving permission for the Saints to encamp on Indian lands if the Mormons would raise the desired battalion. 

Brigham Young accepted this.  He recognized that the promised military pay, clothing and supplies—which Battalion volunteers would be entitled to keep—would be the salvation of the needy pioneers who would be wintering on the plains of Iowa.⁴⁶   Raising a battalion would solve both the poverty problem (to a great extent), and the camping and traveling illegally on Indian land problem. Their God had answered their prayers in a most unexpected way.

On July 6, 1846, with the encouragement, blessing, and promise given by their leader Brigham Young, some 541 men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five enlisted, and under the authority of U.S. Army Capt. Allen, the Mormon Battalion was mustered in at Council Bluffs, Iowa Territory.

46- The Restored Church, pp. 235-236 - Mormon Battalion is salvation of the saints