Reluctant Farewell

Reluctant Farewell. . Building a permanent home for Latter-day Saints required unexpected sacrifices., Shortly after Latter-day Saints began gathering here in 1846, they received a difficult request. The United States government asked for a battalion of 500 men to enlist in the army as part of the Mexican-American War. Many Saints felt bitter about the call. They remembered that the government had not come to their aid when they had been persecuted in Missouri and Illinois. But Church leaders had been seeking a government contract to help fund the Church's westward migration. With the help of Thomas L. Kane, they were able to secure soldiers' pay in exchange for a battalion., Close to 500 men volunteered, along with a few women and children, and they were true to their commitment to help the Saints gather in the west. The loved ones left behind exercised faith in Jesus Christ as they bade farewell to the volunteers., These 100 bronze footprints represent the footsteps of the members of the Mormon Battalion as they marched from Kanesville to Fort Leavenworth to begin their military service. The battalion consisted of nearly 500 men divided into companies of 100. They were accompanied by a maximum of five laundresses per company and some families who were given special permission to come along.