Nauvoo Legion in Illinois: A History of the Mormon Militia, 1841-1846 Rating :
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
The definitive resource of the origins, undertakings, and perceptions of the Nauvoo Legion
By Midwest Book Review
The collaborative effort of Richard E. Bennett, Susan Easton Black, and Donald Q. Cannon, The Nauvoo Legion in Illinois: A History of the Mormon Militia 1841-1846 is a solid study of the Nauvoo Legion - a city militia assembled by America's Mormon population in response to experiencing persecution, violence, and forcible expulsion. One of the largest and most feared of America's militias of the era, The Nauvoo Legion was effectively led by Mormon prophet Joseph Smith - and its power caused concern among non-Mormons, culminating in the killing of Smith and his brother. The Nauvoo's charter was revoked, yet it was re-constituted after the Mormon migration to Utah. A superbly researched and presented account, The Nauvoo Legion in Illinois draws upon recently discovered archival material to paint an accurate historical picture of the citizen soldiers who served and the undertakings of their militia. An invaluable contribution to American and to Mormon history shelves, The Nauvoo Legion in Illinois is the definitive resource of the origins, undertakings, and perceptions of the Nauvoo Legion and highly recommended especially for college library shelves.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful.THE NAUVOO LEGION IN ILLINOIS: A HISTORY OF THE MORMON MILITIA, 1841-1846
By Robert A. Lynn
THE NAUVOO LEGION IN ILLINOIS: A HISTORY OF THE MORMON MILITIA, 1841-1846
RICHARD K. BENNETT, SUSAN EASTON BLACK, AND DONALD Q. CANNON
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS, 2010
HARDCOVER, $39.95, 440 PAGES, ILLUSTRATIONS, TABLES
"Americans are remarkably fond of military parades and honors...the militia system indulges their martial spirit without the danger and expense attending a standing army." It was not so much the fondness of the martial spirit as it was the danger and expense of standing armies that caused Americans to prefer the militia system to European-style armies. In this,however, the foreign observer Grund was absolutely right: to support a full-time army in Europe was indee a heavy burden and had been for generations. In France, during the 1840s, one of every eighty inhabitants was drawn from the work force to serve full time in the military. In the United States at the same time, the ratio was one in twenty-three hundred. In 1835, the United States regular Army had only 8,221 men, including 674 commissioned officers. Such a small regular army meant that a large militia was needed in the event of a national emergency. In 1844, the total membership of state militias in the United States was 1,750,000 men. Militia service was required throughout the states for all white males between the ages of 18 and 40 or 45, except for clergyman, officials, and Quakers. The ratio of militia to the entire population was about one to ten. When the Mormans established their theocratic city of Nauvoo on the banks of the Mississippi in 1839, they made self-defense a priority, having encountered persecution, violence, and forcible expulsion elsewhere. Organized under Illinois law, the Nauvoo Legion was a city militia made up primarily of Later-day Saints. This comprehensive work on the history, structure, and purpose of the Nauvoo Legion traces its unique story from its founding to the Mormon exodus in 1846. Illinois law, to which the Later-day Saints were subject after 1838, required service in the militia. In that frontier state in 1840, more than 83,000 of a total population of 470,000 served in militias. Close to 20% of the inhabitants were under arms. In Nauvoo, the number of militiamen approached 30% of the population. Illinois law, similar to that of other states in age requiremnets for white males and terms of active duty, required service for six months with the same allowances as the regular U.S. Army. Because of persecution, many of which had been at the hands of state militia, Church leaders wisely concluded they couldn't trust any state militia not under their control. Because by law, they were required to serve in the Illinois state militia, why not, they reasoned, make it a Mormon militia, at least in Nauvoo? The Illinois legislature agreed. The Nauvoo city charter called for the establishment of a university and of an independent military body. In keeping with this generous charter, the city government authorized the organization of the Legion on 3 February 1841. Although independent, it was at the disposal of the governor of Illinois and was required to perform the same amount of military duty as the regular state militia. Within 15 days after becoming residents of Nauvoo, eligible males were required to join the Legion unless exempted from service under United States law, by a special at of the Legion, or by a certificate of inability. At its peak, the militia had, by conservative estimates, at least 2,500 troops and was organized into two regiments (called cohorts) of infantry and one regiment of cavalry. A few light cannon were also attached. By comparison, the entire U.S. Army consisted of approzimately 8,500 troops! The Legion 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 Charleville Musket. Also, the Harper's Ferry Model 1803 Rifle was issued in smaller numbers. Personal arms were also used. A small artillery piece, a mountain gun, was also issued. It was nicknamed the "Old Sow" and it is on display at the Church Museum of History in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Legion tended to be very top-heavy, in that there was a disproportionate number of high-ranking officers to regular soldiers. Supposedly, this was to elevate the social status and official standing of some members of the city. 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. Upon revocation of the Nauvoo Charter in the winter of 1844-1845, the Legion became an extra-legal militia which it would remain for much of its existence. Illinois was abandoned by the Mormans entirely by September 17, 1846 after a week of artillery shelling called the "Battle of Nauvoo." The Legion survived the abandonment of its namesake. The Legion was re-organized in Iowa by Hosea Stout on September 22, 1846. Some legionnaires served in the 500-man Mormon Battalion for the U.S. government in 1846 as part of its campaign against Mexico. However, the Nauvoo Legion itself resurfaced to prominence soon after Brigham Young led the first band of Mormons to Utah, then called Deseret, in 1847. Under territorial law, the Nauvoo Legion became the territorial militia in 1852 although it curiously retained its name. The final use of the Legion was in Utah's Black Hawk War from 1865-1868 when over 2,500 troops were dispatched against Native Americans led by Antonga Black Hawk. (Antonga Black Hawk was a Ute and has no connecion 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. The Nauvoo Legion never gathered again, and the 1877 Edmunds-Tucker Act permanently disbanded it. In 1894, in anticipation of statehood, the Utah National Guard was organized as Utah's official state militia. THE NAUVOO LEGION IN ILLINOIS: A HISTORY OF THE MORMON MILITIA, 1841-1846 is a well researched and written book on a unit that very few Americans are aware of. Even though it was Mormon organized and led, the authors should be congragulated for a superb story.
Lt. Colonel Robert A. Lynn, Florida Guard
Orlando, Florida
Product Description
When the Mormons established their theocratic city of Nauvoo on the banks of the Mississippi in 1839, they made self-defense a priority, having encountered persecution, violence, and forcible expulsion elsewhere. Organized under Illinois law, the Nauvoo Legion was a city militia made up primarily of Latter-day Saints. This comprehensive work on the history, structure, and purpose of the Nauvoo Legion traces its unique story from its founding to the Mormon exodus in 1846.
An American construct in design, appearance, and function, the Nauvoo Legion quickly became one of America’s largest—and most feared—militias. The authors describe its origins, daily activities, and general conduct, including parades, sham battles, uniforms, and military operations. And they also present a new interpretation of the Legion’s essential purpose and character. Drawing upon overlooked state militia records and recently discovered archival material, they identify the thousands of citizen soldiers who served.
Despite the nominal authority of the Illinois governor, the Nauvoo Legion was led by Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith. As the militia grew in strength and military prowess, neighboring non-Mormons grew wary. Soon, local fears led to violence and the killing of Smith and his brother, Hyrum, in 1844. When the Nauvoo Charter was revoked, the militia no longer enjoyed legal status and assumed a distinctly different role in Mormon affairs until it was reconstituted after the Mormon emigration to Utah.
Impeccably researched and honestly told, this groundbreaking study fills a major gap in Latter-day Saint church history and adds a significant chapter to the annals of American militias.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #1295535 in Books
- Published on: 2010-05-01
- Original language:English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.17" h x6.22" w x1.50" l,1.85 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 444 pages
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