Show The Mormon continued to be the theme for tor conversation among a party of old timers s. s and it was sas pointed out that when the returning members of the battalion had crossed the Truckee river and had laid away the bodies bOdle of the the dead of the Donner party they met Samuel Brannan and James Brown on the Truckee Truckee when the information tion was wal given the soldiers that President Brigham Young Yount in view that there was was' no work worl for tor them in Great Sit Salt Lake City and th therefore therefore there there- re- re fore tore no means of ot subsistence requested re- re quested that they remain in California Cali Call fornia and In the spring come to Salt Lake with the result that about half halt of the company compan returned to the Golden sta state e while the th- th ers era continued their trek to the Salt Lake valley arriving in Great I Salt alt Lake City on October 16 1847 and after a a- short rest continued their way to Winter where they at arrived rived December 11 11 after a hard Journey The returned party which r was as under the lead of Philemon C C. Merrill 1 Ill en-Ill numbered sixteen It was vas on January 24 24 1848 that yellow metal was discovered In the millrace at Sutter's Suiter's mill California the race having been dug by the Mormon lormon battalion men which wI discovery discovery discovery dis dis- dis- dis covery set the country on fire and anda a great stampede to the gold diggings diggings dig dig- gings sings folio followed Three of the members members mem mern- bers of ot the battalion on Captain DanIel Daniel Daniel Dan Dan- iel Browett Daniel Allen and Henderson Henderson Hen lIen derson Cox on January 24 24 1848 left the fort at tt Sutter's mill and started on a trip of exploration across the Sierra Nevada mountains and a few days dars later they were surprised b by Indians In th th 3 battle batUe that followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed they were 1 killed 1 II ed Their mutilated mutilated mutilated mu mu- bodies were found soon aft art erward The influx of ot people Into California Cali Call fornia Cornia caused the members of the battalion to want to get to Salt Lake and on July 2 thirty-seven thirty of the soldiers who had spent the Ule winter and spring in the Sacramento to valley started on the mile trip the start being being- made from Pleasant valley fifty miles from Suttons Buttons fort The party bad had sixteen sixteen sixteen six six- teen wagons and carried with them two cannon cannon The journey was dangerous dangerous dangerous dan dan- and adventurous but they arrived in Salt Lake City on October October October Oc Oc- Oc- Oc tober 1 1 1848 On March March- 14 1848 the re enlisted company of the battalion was disbanded disbanded dis dis- dis I banded in San Diego the members being honorably discharged and on March 14 14 twenty-five twenty men with Henry G. G Boyle Boye as captain started for the Great Salt Lake valley arriving arriving arriving ar ar- ar- ar riving on June 5 The first t festival or celebration In honor of the battalion was In Salt Lake City beginning F February February bru- bru ary 6 1855 and continuing two d days The celebration was on a large scale stale and all alI survivors of ot the battalion battalion bat hat tallon with few exceptions were present and participated in the cele cele- bration On November 13 13 John M M. King formerly a member of ot the battalion battalion bat bat- died In In Salt Salt Lake City On December 5 5 1856 David S. S Laughlin Laughtin Laugh- Laugh lin tin a former member of the battalion bat bat- tallon died In Cedar valley and on March March- 20 1857 Henry Mitchell Johnson also passed away February ary any 6 6 1858 recorded the death I of ot Thoret Peck who was also a member member mem meni- ber of ot the battalion at Pleasant Grove Utah county On March 1 1860 General Albert Sidney Johnston commander of the Utah army left eft Camp Floyd Washington ton D. D C. C He had never visited Great Salt Lake City since he passed through with his army armyon on June 26 26 1858 He was ivas succeeded succeed succeed- ed in command by Philip St. St George Cooke who wh-o was the former commander commander com corn mander of the Mormon formon battalion |