respond to the call of duty
David Garner, Jr. in the Mormon Battalion: 1846-1847
“Day after day the march continued into the Southwest. Feet blistered by the hot sands and shoulders galled by the heavy packs, there was no time for rest. Often men, so weary they could not endure the grind, fell behind and trudged into camp hours after the rest.” (The Restored Church, William E. Berrett, p. 239.)
Many of the early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were living in Iowa preparing for the great trek further west when the U.S. government requested several hundred men to join the U.S. Army and head to Mexican Territory.
Maybe you've thought about the possible reasons behind someone leaving their family to join the military. It is a courageous sacrifice. My third great grandfather, David Garner, Jr. joined the Mormon Battalion in July of 1846. From what I’ve learned about him, I think he joined because he had faith in the council of a prophet of God and needed money for his young family.
On July 16, 1846 the march to Santa Fe began. The Mormon Battalion forged trails and, as prophesied by Brigham Young, never had to engage in battle. Their enlistment was a valuable source of income for the poor Pioneer Saints moving west.
David Garner became ill and was sent with the sick detachment to Pueblo, located in present day Colorado, and spent the winter there. In the spring of 1847, he and his company journeyed to the Salt Lake Valley and arrived there on July 27th, a few days after the Prophet Brigham Young. David. along with many others, helped build some of the first pioneer structures there before heading back east again. A few years later, David returned to the Salt Lake Valley in 1850 with his family.
Many of the pioneers were initially reluctant to join the battalion due to the lack of defense the U.S. government had given them amid extreme persecution. What would you have done? Would knowing that the prophet supported the enlistment affect your decision? How does that apply to circumstances today?
David Garner responded to the call of duty. What do you consider your duties? Do you carry them out responsibly? Remember, your ancestors' life lessons just might change your life too.