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Show I I - - . .. ) NEW UNIT CREST. Sgt. 1st Class Don Ray Alger, right, pins new unit crest on Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Dalley. It is the new official crest of the 222nd Field Artillerv unit, nf the Utah National Guard and is symbolic of the Mormon Battalion, one of the predecessors of the National Guard unit. m National Guard has rich history were drawn from the Nauvoo Legion. President James K. Polk asked for this Battalion for service in California. Brigham Young was a supporter of this organization which was mustered into service July 16, 1846, at Council Bluffs. The Mormon Battalion had five companies organized as follows: (Editor's Note: This is the first of a four part series dealing with the 222nd Field Artillery unit of the Utah National Guard located in Cedar City. The research and material has been prepared by Lt. Col. James Miller, currently serving as Battalion Commander.) and 1,905 enlisted men. The Walker Indian War in 1852 sped up the installation of units. There was a reorganization of the State Militia in 1856, and it numbered more than 6,000 men in that year. Ten years later, due to the Black Hawk Indian War, the strength reached more tha 12,000. There were 9,207 in the Infantry, 2,526 in the Cavalry, 197 in the Artillery, Ar-tillery, and 113 in the Engineer and Ordnance. At this time the Artillery had three battalions with one gun (Muzzle Loader) in each battery. In 1860 Ogden had at least one Brigade of Infantry, some Cavalry and two or three Batteries of Artillery. Salt Lake City had about twice as many. By this time, nearly every town of the present 222nd Field Artillery had active units of the Militia. During the Walker Indian War (1853) about 20 men were killed and an unknown number of Indians. In-dians. Regimental Headquarters Battery, 222nd Field Artillery, Service Battery, First Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery of Lehi and Battery C, 222nd Field Artillery, Spanish Fork, got credit for service in this year. 1 o Company A, 104 men; Company B, 102 men; Company C 104 men; Company D, 104 men; and Company E, 92 men. Officers were elected from these 506 men and were compsoed of Captain, First Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant and Third Lieutenant. This battalion, with all members but one Mormons, marched from Fort Leavenworth, Leaven-worth, Kansas, to San Diego, California, a distance of approximately ap-proximately 2,000 miles, and mustered out at Los Angeles, July 16, 1847. Many of these men were at Sutter's Fort when gold was discovered in California which caused the 1849 Gold Rush. The Nauvoo Legion Militia of Utah was the successor of the Mormon Battalion. The following units of the 222nd Field Artillery got credit for the Mexican War service: Headquarters Battery, 222nd Field Artillery, Salt Lake City, Utah; Service Battery, Lehi; Battery A, Brigham City; Battery B. Ogden; Battery C, Spanish Fork; Second Battalion, Headquarters Battery, Beaver; Battery D, Mt. Pleasant; Battery E, Richfield; Battery F, Cedar City; and Medical Department Detachment. Pleasant Grove. Inasmuch as 1976 has been designated the bicentennial year for celebrating and commemorating com-memorating the formal beginnings begin-nings of the United States, it seems appropriate to publish a history of the 222nd Field Ar-, Ar-, tillery and to make this history available as a part of this bicentennial celebration. The history of this unit is a rich one which traces its beginnings back to 1841. This information has j. been available in "bits and I pieces" and many people have ! made attempts to record this ! history, most notably Col. Hamilton Gardner who collected ' some of the information con-! con-! tained in this article. The recent ; history of this unit, however, is as steeped in tradition and accomplishment ac-complishment as is its more distant past, with the entire story being one of devoted and professional service to the United States in a wide variety of difficult circumstances. ,' v , The 222nd Field Artillery is the outgrowth" of the Nauvoo Legion, ' , ' organized February 3, 1841, as authorized by the Illinois Legislature (of which Abraham T.innnln was n memher) December 16, 1840. This legion was organized into two cohorts, one horse and one foot, and commanded by a Lieutenant General. The Legion grew' to 1,492 men in 1841 and to 5,000 men in 1845, the later part of which year the Nauvoo Legion ceased to exist as such. The disarming of the Nauvoo Legion as a part of the anti-Mormon anti-Mormon sentiment evident in Illinois at this time was seen as a serious threat to the safety of the Mormon community, but was accomplished peacefully and in compliance with the orders given by the leader, of the Nauvoo Legion, Joseph Smith. Soon after the disarming of the Nauvoo Legion, the westward migration of the Mormons began, and it was during this time that the .. formation of the "Mormon Battalion" occurred. MORMON BATTALION 1846-1847 The majority of the 400 men constituting the Mormon Battalion Bat-talion during the Mexican War TERRITORIAL MILITAI 1848 1870 The Vanguard of Mormon Pioneers, 147 in number, entered Salt Lake Valley July 24, 1847, followed by other companies. Utah was Mexican territory at that time and became United States property February 2, 1848, and was called the Privisional State of Deseret, Utah Territory, on September 9, 1850. Many Indian wars were fought at the forts that later became the towns where most of the units are how located. All able-bodied citizens between the ages of 18 and 45 did belong to the Militia automatically, and existance of the Militia since that time has been continuous and unbroken. On February 5, 1852, the Militia was called by the governor against the Indians. The Legislative Assembly, among other things provided for the Militia of the Territory of Utah. It consisted of one Legion, to be known as the Nauvoo Legion. By the close of 1852 the Militia numbered over 2,000, 236 officers |