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Mexican-Americanmexican-American War:War: Patriotismpatriotism THTHEE MEXICAN-AMERICANMEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR:WAR: PATRIOTISMPATRIOTISM DESPITEDESPITE RELIGIOURELIGIOUSS PERSECUTIONPERSECUTION bbyy RicharRichardd JameJamess MatsonMatson A thesithesiss submittedsubmitted toto thethe facultyfaculty ofof TheThe UniversityUniversity ooff UtahUtah iinn partialpartial fulfillmenfulfillmentt ooff ththee requirementsrequirements forfor ththee degredegreee ofof MasteMasterr ofof ArtsArts DepartmentDepartment ooff HistoryHistory TheThe UniversitUniversityy ooff UtahUtah DecemberDecember 20082008 CopyrightCopyright © RicharRichardd JameJamess MatsoMatsonn 20082008 AlAlll RightRightss ReservedReserved THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH GRADUATE SCHOOL SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE APPROVAL of a thesis subm itted by Richard James Matson This thesis has been read by each member of the following supervisory committee and by majority vote has been found to be satisfactory. - 0'( Edward Davies, II John Reed THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH GRADUATE SCHOOL FIN AL READING APPROVAL To the Graduate Council of the University of Utah: I have read the thesis of Richard James Matson in its final form and have found that (I) its format, citations, and bibl iographic style are consistent and acceptable; (2) its illustrative materials including figures, tables, and charts are in place; and (3) the final manuscript is satisfactory to the supervisory committee and is ready for submission to The Graduate School. Date Chair: Supervisory Committee Approved for the Major Department James Lehning ChairlDean Approved for the Graduate Council cO. � __ . David S. Chapman Dean of The Graduate School ABSTRACABSTRACTT ThThee purpospurposee ooff thithiss thesisthesis iiss ttoo providprovidee a comparativcomparativee cascasee studystudy ofof twtwoo distinctdistinct unitunitss consistinconsistingg ooff AmericaAmericann soldierssoldiers whowho foughfoughtt iinn religiouslreligiouslyy designateddesignated unitsunits,, bubutt onon oppositoppositee sidessides durinduringg ththee Mexican-AmericaMexican-Americann WarWar:: ththee MormoMormonn BattalioBattalionn andand ththee SanSan PatriciPatricioo BattalionBattalion.. BotBothh unitunitss araree uniquuniquee ttoo AmericaAmericann historyhistory.. YeYett despitedespite theirtheir uniquenessuniqueness,, thertheree areare a surprisinsurprisingg numbenumberr ooff similaritiesimilaritiess betweebetweenn themthem.. FroFromm theirtheir historhistoryy ofof persecutionpersecution,, predatinpredatingg ththee warwar,, ttoo ththee commocommonn sufferingsuffering andand experienceexperiencess alalll thethe soldierssoldiers endured,endured, theitheirr similarsimilar circumstancecircumstancess continuecontinuedd (alon(alongg witwithh notenotedd differences)differences) untiuntill eaceachh U.SU.S.. soldiesoldierr madmadee ththee fatefufatefull decisiodecisionn ooff eitheeitherr remaininremainingg loyaloyall oror defectingdefecting toto ththee enemy.enemy. ThisThis,, howeverhowever,, wawass nonott ththee enendd ttoo theitheirr similarities.similarities. BotBothh unitunitss hadhad governmengovernmentt leadersleaders assigneassignedd ttoo commancommandd themthem;; followinfollowingg ththee warwar,, thetheyy receivereceivedd poorpoor receptionreceptionss frofromm ththee peoplepeople thetheyy defendeddefended;; anandd ththee soldiersoldierss ooff botbothh unitunitss araree nonoww reveredrevered aass ethniethnicc heroes.heroes. ThisThis studystudy iiss taketakenn fromfrom aann AmericaAmericann perspectivperspectivee ooff ththee wawarr andand focusefocusess onon MormoMormonn BattalioBattalionn soldiers'soldiers' trentrendd towartowardd nationanationall allegiancallegiancee ttoo ththee UniteUnitedd StatesStates ofof AmericAmericaa frofromm 18461846 ttoo 1847.1847. AlthougAlthoughh thithiss conflicconflictt occurreoccurredd oveoverr 160160 yearyearss ago,ago, a comparativecomparative cascasee studstudyy cancan stilstilll teacteachh AmericanAmericanss somesome importantimportant lessons.lessons. GovernmentsGovernments musmustt demonstratedemonstrate toleranctolerancee andand respecrespectt foforr peoplespeoples'' ethnicitethnicityy andand religioureligiouss faithsfaiths toto ensurensuree conflictconflictss ddoo nonott appearappear aass culturaculturall oror "holy""holy" warswars.. ReligiousReligious influences,influences, soldiersoldier solidarity,, anandd individualindividual upbringingupbringingss areare important,, bubutt goodgood,, fairfair leadership,, providedprovided bbyy competentcompetent officers,officers, iiss ththee besbestt motivatomotivatorr thathatt cacann inspireinspire nationanationall allegiance.allegiance. v TABLTABLEE OOFF CONTENTSCONTENTS ABSTRACABSTRACTT .. ..... ........... .... .. ... ............. ....................................... ...... ... .iviv CHAPTERCHAPTERSS 11.. INTRODUCTIOINTRODUCTIONN .................................... .................................... ... .... .l1 22.. SASANN PATRICIPATRICIOO BATTALIOBATTALIONN ..................... .... ... .. .... .................... .. ....... 1111 EnlistmenEnlistmentt .......................... .. .. .... ..... ......... .... .. ...... .......... ........ ..... 1177 HarsHarshh anandd UnjusUnjustt TreatmenTreatmentt frofromm OfficerOfficerss ......................... ... .................. 1919 ReligiouReligiouss PersecutioPersecutionn ..... .. ... ............... ................. .......... ..................... 2424 EthnicitEthnicityy .. .. .. .... ... ............... ........ .... ... ...................................... .... 2727 PooPoorr LivinLivingg Conditions,, HarHardd MilitarMilitaryy WorWorkk Conditions,, Drunkenness, Seduction,, anandd ImpressmenImpressment.t ....... .. .................. ... ...... .. ................... ....292 9 PooPoorr TreatmenTreatmentt foforr ththee SickSick anandd WoundeWoundedd .. .. .. ....................................... 3131 LacLackk ooff FoodFood anandd WateWaterr ...... ... ............................ ... ... .... .. ... ... .. ... ...... 3333 InconsistencyInconsistency witwithh MonthlMonthlyy PaPayy anandd EEnticementnticementss frofromm ththee MexicanMexican GovernmenGovernmentt ......... .. .. ......... ........ ..... ... ..... ... .................. .. ............ ... 3434 InfringemenInfringementt ooff Contract,, AbandonmentAbandonment,, anandd DissatisfactionDissatisfaction ... ...... .... ..... ..... 3636 SummarSummaryy ....................... .. .... ... .. ........... ...... ............................... .. 3838 3.3. MORMONMORMON BATTALIOBATTALIONN .................................................................... .4141 Enlistment.Enlistment .......................... .... ... .............. ... .... .. ..... .. ...................45 45 HarshHarsh andand UnjustUnjust TreatmentTreatment fromfrom OfficersOfficers ...................................... ...... .4848 ReligiousReligious PersecutionPersecution ..... .. ... ... .... .. ............ ... .... ..... .. .... .. .... ............... 5555 EthnicityEthnicity .... ......................................................................... .. ... ...60 60 PoorPoor LivingLiving Conditions,Conditions, HardHard MilitarMilitaryy WorkWork Conditions, DrunkennessDrunkenness, Seduction,, andand ImpressmentImpressment ....................................................... .......66 66 PoorPoor TreatmentTreatment forfor thethe SickSick andand WoundedWounded .. .. ... ...... .. .... ... ....................... 7070 LackLack ofof FoodFood andand Water.Water ........................................................... ...... 7373 InconsistencyInconsistency withwith MonthlyMonthly PayPay andand EnticementsEnticements fromfrom thethe MexicanMexican GovernmentGovernment .................. ........................................... ... ......... ... .. ... 7777 InfringementInfringement ofof Contract, Abandonment,Abandonment, andand DissatisfactionDissatisfaction ....................... 7979 SummarySummary ............... ....... ..... ............ ... ................ ..................... ..... 8282 44.. CONCLUSIOCONCLUSIONN ...... ............................................................................. 8844 NeitheNeitherr GovernmenGovernmentt CompletelCompletelyy TrusteTrustedd theitheirr UniquUniquee BattalioBattalionn .... ... ..... ..... .. 8877 PostwaPostwarr TreatmenTreatment.t ................................................ ................... ......8 888 CommemoratioCommemorationn ooff MormoMormonn BattalioBattalionn anandd SaSann PatriciPatricioo BattalioBattalionn .. .. ........ ...... 9911 Concluding Remarks .. .................. ........... ........................................ 92 Concluding Remarks 92 APPENDICES APPENDICES A. MORMON BATTALION ROSTER INFORMATION ... .... ... ... ....................... 95 A. MORMON BATTALION ROSTER INFORMATION 95 BB.. NATIONANATIONALL ORIGIORIGINN DEMOGRAPHIDEMOGRAPHICC OOFF MORMONMORMONSS ANANDD THTHEE MORMONMORMON BATTALIOBATTALIONN ................. .. ........................ ..... .......... .. .... .. ..................... 106106 CC.. MORMONMORMON SOLDIERSOLDIERSS LISTELISTEDD IINN THTHEE NAUVONAUVOOO TEMPLTEMPLEE ENDOWMEENDOWMENNTT REGISTEREGISTERR .................................. ... ... ... ........................................... ... 108108 DD.. NATIONANATIONALL ORIGIORIGINN DEMOGRAPHICDEMOGRAPHICSS OOFF KNOWKNOWNN SASANN PATRICIOPATRICIO SOLDIERSOLDIERSS ... .... ..... .... ............... ... ... .... .. .. ... .... ..................... ............... 112112 BIBLIOGRAPHBIBLIOGRAPHyY ............. .. ..... .. ............... ............... ............................. 113113 Vllvii CHAPTECHAPTERlR
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