The Utah War (1857–1858), also known as the Utah Expedition, the Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion, was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the US government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 to July 1858. The conflict primarily involved Mormon settlers and federal troops, escalating from tensions over governance and autonomy within the territory. There were several casualties, predominantly non-Mormon civilians. Although the war featured no significant military battles, it included the Mountain Meadows Massacre, where Mormon militia members disarmed and murdered about 120 settlers traveling to California.
The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in United States military history in federal service, recruited solely from one religious body and having a religious title as the unit designation. The volunteers served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saint men, led by Mormon company officers commanded by regular United States Army officers. During its service, the battalion made a grueling march of nearly 1,950 miles from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to San Diego, California.
The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized militia of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States from February 4, 1841 until January 29, 1845. Its main function was the defense of Nauvoo and surrounding Latter Day Saint settlements, but it was also occasionally used as local law enforcement and paraded at ceremonies such as the laying of the cornerstone for the Nauvoo Temple. The Nauvoo Legion was unique among contemporary militias for its chain of command structure, its expanded functions of the court martial, and for operating at a city level.
George Albert Smith was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a member of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Lot Smith was a Mormon pioneer, soldier, lawman and American frontiersman. He became known as "The Horseman" for his exceptional skills on horseback as well as for his help in rounding up wild mustangs on Utah's Antelope Island. He is most famous for his exploits during the 1857 Utah War.
Daniel Hanmer Wells was an American apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the 3rd mayor of Salt Lake City.
Hosea Stout was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, a Mormon pioneer, soldier, chief of police, lawyer, missionary, and politician in Utah Territory.
Jefferson Hunt was a U.S. western pioneer, soldier, and politician. He was a captain in the Mormon Battalion, brigadier general in the California State Militia, a California State Assemblyman, and a representative to the Utah Territorial Legislature.
Thomas Leiper Kane was an American attorney, abolitionist, philanthropist, and military officer who was influential in the western migration of the Latter-day Saint movement and served as a Union Army colonel and general of volunteers in the American Civil War. He received a brevet promotion to major general for gallantry at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Carl Christian Anton Christensen was a Danish-American artist who is known for his paintings illustrating the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Of him it has been said that he "did more than any other person to capture the images of the history of Mormon migration to Utah and the life lived there".
The History of Utah is an examination of the human history and social activity within the state of Utah located in the western United States.
The Utah National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status.
The Black Hawk War, or Black Hawk's War, is the name of the estimated 150 battles, skirmishes, raids, and military engagements taking place from 1865 to 1872, primarily between Mormon settlers in Sanpete County, Sevier County and other parts of central and southern Utah, and members of 16 Ute, Southern Paiute, Apache and Navajo tribes, led by a local Ute war chief, Antonga Black Hawk. The conflict resulted in the abandonment of some settlements and hindered Mormon expansion in the region.
The history of the Latter Day Saint movement includes numerous instances of violence. Mormons faced significant persecution in the early 19th century, including instances of forced displacement and mob violence in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. Notably, the founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, was shot and killed alongside his brother, Hyrum Smith, in Carthage, Illinois in 1844, while Smith was in jail awaiting trial on charges of treason and inciting a riot.
The Utah Territory during the American Civil War was far from the main operational theaters of war, but still played a role in the disposition of the United States Army, drawing manpower away from the volunteer forces and providing its share of administrative headaches for the Lincoln Administration. Although no battles were fought in the territory, the withdrawal of Union forces at the beginning of the war allowed the Native American tribes to start raiding the trails passing through Utah. As a result, units from California and Utah were assigned to protect against these raids. Mineral deposits found in Utah by California soldiers encouraged the immigration of non-Mormon settlers into Utah.
The Provo Canyon Guard Quarters is a historic building located in Provo Canyon in northeastern Utah County, Utah, United States, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
The Battle at Fort Utah was a violent attack and massacre in 1850 in which 90 Mormon militiamen surrounded an encampment of Timpanogos families on the Provo River one winter morning, and laid siege for two days, eventually shooting between 40 and 100 Native American men and one woman with guns and a cannon during the attack as well as during the pursuit and capture of the two groups that fled the last night. One militiaman died and eighteen were wounded from return fire during the siege. Of the Timpanogos people who fled in the night, one group escaped southward, and the other ran east to Rock Canyon. Both groups were captured, however, and the men were executed. Over 40 Timpanogos children, women, and a few men were taken as prisoners to nearby Fort Utah. They were later taken northward to the Salt Lake Valley and sold as slaves to church members there. The bodies of up to 50 Timpanogos men were beheaded by some of the settlers and their heads put on display at the fort as a warning to the mostly women and children prisoners inside.
Fort Benson was a Fort built in 1856 in present-day Colton in San Bernardino County, California. The Fort is named for its builder, Jerome Benson. The Fort was abandoned a year after it was built in 1857. Fort Benson was designated a California Historic Landmark (No.617) on September 11, 1957. Jerome Benson, in fear, built the Fort because of land disputes. The fort on his land claim, was made of earthworks and wood. The fort was defended by a brass cannon. The fort was used only one year as about half the Mormons around his land were told to return to Utah during the Mormon War, also call the Utah War. On December 27, 1858, the US Army arrived into San Bernardino. The US Army's Mojave Expedition leader was Colonel William Hoffman. He placed troops in San Bernardino and Cajon Pass to deal with Indians and the land problems. Fort Benson is gone and only a marker is at the spot of the fort.
William Rufus Rogers Stowell was a Mormon pioneer and early member of the Church of Christ established by Joseph Smith. Stowell was instrumental in establishing many settlements along the main Pioneer route between Nauvoo and Salt Lake City from 1846 to 1850, entering the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1850. After his arrival, Stowell also assisted in establishing many settlements in Utah including Fillmore, Ogden and Provo. Stowell's life is also notable for his role in the Utah War (1857-58), where he served as a lieutenant. The reports he gave to U.S. commanders during his capture likely delayed the overall conflict, buying the time needed to negotiate and reduce tensions on both sides.
Throughout its history the Latter Day Saint movement operated multiple militias and military units. One of the first militias was the Danite. The first military unit was the Nauvoo Legion, the city militia for Nauvoo, Illinois.
United States 
State of Deseret (1857–1858)
Utah Territory 
