Why a persecuted religious group volunteered to fight for the United States in 1846

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1846, thousands of Latter-day Saints were destitute after being forced from their homes. Desperate for funds to continue their migration west, they struck an unlikely deal with the U.S. government: five hundred men would enlist in the Army to fight in the Mexican-American War in exchange for financial support.

The Mormon Battalion was born from a convergence of political necessity and humanitarian crisis. Following their expulsion from Nauvoo, Illinois, during the winter of 1846, the Saints were scattered across Iowa, struggling to survive and fund their trek to the Rocky Mountains. Church leaders, including Brigham Young and Jesse C. Little, sought federal assistance to aid their migration. Simultaneously, President James K. Polk was eager to secure California during the Mexican-American War and saw an opportunity to both bolster his forces and ensure the loyalty of the migrating Saints.

Through the mediation of Thomas L. Kane, a well-connected friend of the Saints, negotiations moved quickly in Washington, D.C. By June 1846, President Polk authorized Colonel Stephen W. Kearny to recruit volunteers from the Mormon camps. Despite initial suspicion among the Saints—who felt betrayed by a government that had previously ignored their persecution—Brigham Young championed the proposal. He viewed the enlistment as a way to prove the group's patriotism, secure necessary funds for the exodus, and establish a presence in the West that would protect his people from future harassment.

The volunteers enlisted on July 16, 1846, for a one-year term. The arrangement provided immediate financial relief; soldiers received a uniform allowance of $42 each, which many donated to a general Church fund to purchase wagons and supplies for the remaining pioneers. Over the course of their service, the battalion earned nearly $30,000 in wages. Their march from Iowa to San Diego not only served the military objectives of the United States but also provided the Saints with a vital infusion of capital and a path to settle in the Great Basin, ultimately shaping the trajectory of westward expansion.

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