Page 57 - Cooke's Peak - Pasaron Por Aqui

and encountered a slightly superior force of about 1,000MexicansonChristmasDay1846. Abrief clash at Brazito (near present-day Vado, New Mexico, about 30 miles upriver from El Paso, Texas), routed the Mexican forces, leaving many of them dead and wounded. The Missourians suffered merely a few minor injuries during the only battle fought against Mexican troops in present-day New Mexico. Doniphan’s men continued south and two days later occupied El Paso del Norte (present-day Ciudad Juarez), the key northern Mexico city,
119
without further resistance.
The Mormon Battalion continued westward
despite frequent lack of water, and for the most part, followed trails established by Indians, Spaniards, or Mexicans. In some places, however, real improve- ments were required. Near San Felipe, California, they used axes to chop their way through a narrow canyon of solid rock until all except the two largest wagons could pass through. These vehicles were
120
dismantled and reassembled on the other side. They straggled into San Diego on January 29 and 30, 1847, five and a half months after leaving Council Bluffs. They were nearly naked, and many were without shoes. But they had brought through most
121
of their wagons.
died along the way west before and after Santa Fe. Some, such as Jeremiah Willey (Company A), un- knowingly lost family members at the winter camp at Pueblo or on the way there. Willey learned much later that on December 20, 1846, Elizabeth (probab-
ly a daughter) died, but on February 17, 1847, a son • 1 77
Jeremiah R. was born.
Cooke issued his first order from his new head-
quarters at the San Diego Mission, congratulating
the men on their achievement. He proclaimed that
“History may be searched in vain for an equal march
of infantry. . . marching half naked and half fed, and
living upon wild animals, we have discovered and
made a road of great value to our country.” How
right he was. The wagon road thus opened by Cooke
and the Mormon Battalion was the first through the
Southwest to California and was immediately
popular with the emigrants wishing to relocate
124 there.
The military made much use of Cooke’s road, and still later, the Southern Pacific railroad and major highwaysfollowedaportionofthetrail. Itwouldbe a pivotal factor in bringing the United States and Mexico to the brink of war and the eventual settle-
ment of the border between the two nations. The factthatsheepandcattleweredriventoCalifornia across the desert Southwest would quickly prompt others to copy and improve on the feat when the influx of miners and settlers created a sufficient demand.
On July 16, 1847, after performing garrison duty in California, the Mormon Battalion was mustered out of service at three o’clock in the afternoon. ~ Their commander had resigned in the middle of May and hurried to Mexico to serve at Vera Cruz and Mexico City. Cookewouldremainintheserviceforanother 25 years and participate in practically even/ impor-
1"6
tant activity in which the army had a part.
On July 20, 1847, one company of Mormons, 81 men and officers known as Mormon Volunteers, were mustered into the service of the United States at Los Angeles by First Lieutenant Andrew Jackson
Smith, for an additional term of 6 months. 127
Many others would stay to work on the ranches and farmsandinthegoldfields. Whitworthworkedfor about 6 weeks at the Issac William’s ranch where he helped butcher cattle and recorded “cattle are not
worthmorethan$4ahead,andnosaleatthat. Beef
is plenty as dirt almost.” How the discovery of
goldwouldquicklychangeallthat! Indeedsixofthe
Mormons (including Henry Bigler, Roswell
Stephens, and Azariah Smith) were working at con-
structing Sutter’s sawmill when the gold was dis-
covered by James Wilson Marshall, January 24, 129
1848.
Some Saints would retrace their steps part way to
participate in establishing Mormon settlements, and still others would strike out overland for Salt Lake City. Some of the soldiers would apply the knowledge of irrigation and cultivation they had learned in California to the desert surrounding their new Zion. Though they had never engaged in com- bat, many members of the Battalion would later consider the march the solstice of their lives, and many used the equipment and training they received
Several of the Mormon Battalion
Chapter 2
43
130
The legacy of the war with Mexico was many- faceted. TheUnitedStatesgainedtremendouslyin
to resist Indian hostility in the Utah settlements.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo