Near McPherson in McPherson County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Mormon Battalion at McPherson, Kansas
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 30, 2012
1. The Mormon Battalion at McPherson, Kansas Marker
On 3 September 1846, the Mormon Battalion camped near here on its way to fight in the war with Mexico. This small army of more than 500 men and officers had been recruited at Council Bluffs, Iowa, from among the Mormon pioneers (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) who were en route to the Rocky Mountains. About one-tenth of the battalion suffered from "ague, billions, and congestive fever" during the march from Council Bluffs, but only the standard army medicines of "calomel, arsenic, and bitters of bayberry bark" were on hand to treat them with.
Here battalion members saw for the first time the prickly pear cactus and other semi-arid plants typical of the American Southwest. Their difficult 1700-mile journey through the dry and barren landscape between this campsite and the final destination at San Diego, California, evoked poems, songs, and art work, some of which have been preserved in diaries kept by battalion members.
Erected 1982 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Kansas State Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these
this page online
Location. 38° 29.159′ N, 97° 37.249′ W. Marker is near McPherson, Kansas, in McPherson County. It is on Interstate 135 4 miles south of Exit 72 (Interstate 135), on the left when traveling south. Marker is at the southbound rest area. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: McPherson KS 67460, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Kansas. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, on the Southern Plains, and on the Santa Fe Trail Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Kansas Honors the 35th Infantry Division (approx. 0.3 miles away); Purple Heart Trail in Kansas (approx. 0.3 miles away); Runbeck Mill (approx.
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 30, 2012
2. The Mormon Battalion at McPherson, Kansas Marker Detail
Also see . . . History of the Mormon Battalion. Utah "History To Go" entry (Submitted on February 6, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., April 30, 2012
3. The Mormon Battalion at McPherson, Kansas Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 6, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 835 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 6, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
