First, thanks, Terry Wirth, for organizing and carrying out a most successful bus trip
to San Diego via Tucson and other historic places along the Mormon Battalion trail. I was
thankful to attend both the San Diego and San Luis Rey celebrations for the Mormon
Battalion. The fireside sponsored by the California and Mormon Historical Societies held
on Friday evening, January 17, at the LDS Stake Center was extremely well done and most
informative. I was impressed to learn of the mission system in early California, the
events preceding the call of the Battalion, their actual marching route, and the events
they were involved in as they returned to Salt Lake City and Council Bluffs. This program
was recorded on video, and we should obtain a copy of it. At San Diego, William G. Hartley
organized a car caravan retracing the route of the Battalion from Ocotillo, CA., through
the Borrego Desert, to 22 Palms and Vallecito encampments, to the infamous Box Canyon, and
Warner's Ranch. Rosemary and I were fortunate to have Garn Hatch, historic trails officer,
in our car. He told us many additional facts. We are grateful to have people like Garn in
our organization. Later, at San Luis Rey Mission, we heard of the Battalion's visit and
reception there, and the positive impression they made on the padres and Indians. A mild
rain dampened the last half of the program, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm. It is
great to attend these events with many of you Battalion members and to pay tribute to the
memory of the Mormon Battalion.