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Show MORMON BATTALION TO BE RE-ACTIVATED I 1 'ill- Vvv- : U'k. :.- v , A Major General Fred E. Curtis, left, General Nicholas G. Morgan Sr., Lt. Col. Horace A. Sorensen and Col. Fred M. Reese, members of the reactivated Mormon Battalion staff examine an old saber that originally belonged to a member of the 1846-47 battalion, as they lay plans for the great 1956 trek of the battalion to Los Angeles in July for the dedication of the Fort Moore-Mormon I3ot)Mlinn momnricil mwmtl BATTALION REACTIVATED FOR LQS AHGELES MKIEBT EVERT Plans are being completed with express-train speed in a dozen Utah communities that will result in some 500 male citizens of the state moving on Los Angeles the morning morn-ing of July 4, 1956, and stealing the elaborate show that will mark the dedication of the $400,000 monument mon-ument lo old historic Fort Moore and the Mormon Battalion. It was there at Fort Moore on July 4, 1847 that the Mormon Battalion assisted in raising the tars and Stripes over the newly acquired territory of California. The reactivated, permanently organized or-ganized and incorporated Mormon Battalion, made up entirely of men who have at least one ancestor an-cestor who was born in or came to Utah prior to may 10, 1S69 (the date of the driving of the golden spike at Promentory Summit and the ending of the pioneer period), will effect a military movement to Los Angeles beginning Sunday, July 1, and will parade in the full gold and blue infantry uniform of the 1847 period in the elaborate ceremonies on July 4. The Mormon Battalion, officers pointed out, rendered a national service in opening important highways high-ways between east and west, in establishing the United States government gov-ernment and American colonization on the shores of the Pacific; a world service in participating in the discovery of the first gold in California; and a service to Utah in aiding the pioneers in their 1847 trek to the Great Basin, adding add-ing reinforcements to the meager supplies of the pioneers, taking part in th eearliest activities of the state, and prividing much of the seeds that were sown in the virgin soil of the Utah valleys. Commanding this colorful and h,'tStoric military force will be Major General Fred E. Curtis, Salt Lake City, assisted by Mormon Battalion Historian General Nicholas Nich-olas G. Morgan Sr. (who will function func-tion in the reinactment as General Stephen F. Kearny) and Colonel Fred M. Reese, battalion executive officer. In addition to Generals Morgan and Curtis and Colonel Reese, other oth-er members of the general staff are Lt. Col. Elias L. Day, Salt Lake City, executive officer, central division di-vision comprising companies A and B; Lt. Col. Ernest R. McKay, Og-den. Og-den. executive officer, northern division di-vision comprising companies C and D, and Lt. Col. Lannel Lunt, Cedar City, executive officer, southern division comprising the scattered detachments of company E. Lt. Col. Alvin Keddington, battalion bat-talion adjutant; Lt. Col. Horace A. orensen, special services; Maj. Harold H. Jenson, public relations; Maj. P. LeRoy Nelson, judge advocate; advo-cate; Maj. James E. Burns, chaplain; chap-lain; Maj. Joseph L. Chandler, engineer; en-gineer; Maj. D. Crawford Huston, welfare. The completely enlisted battalion will turn out in brand new gold and blue 1847 infantry uniforms for mustering-in on the evening of February 22, at itsfirstannual military ball in the rotunda of the State Capitol. It will be formal dress for the officers and men, and old-time pioneer evening dresses for their ladies. Invited as special guests of the battalion will beGov. J. Bracken Lee. |
