U.S. Mormon Battalion, Inc. Trail Award
Once the following requirements have been met, print and fill out
this form (PDF) to earn the Trail Award!
TRAIL AWARD REQUIREMENTS:
1. History of the U.S. Mormon Battalion
a. Read a history of the U.S. Mormon Battalion in the
Mexican War.
b. Discuss this history with your leaders with emphasis on the
following points:
1. What was the Mormon Battalion unit?
2. What was its dual mission?
3. What was its approximate size at these
points:
a) departure from
Council Bluffs, Iowa?
b) departure from Santa
Fe, NM?
c) arrival at San
Diego? What caused the differences in size at each location?
4. How was the Battalion recruited?
5. Who were Gen. S.W. Kearney and Lt. Col.
James Allen?
6. Who was Lt. A.J. Smith, and why did he order
forced marches?
7. Who was Lt. Col. Philip St. George Cooke?
8. Who was Dr. George B. Sanderson, and why was
he hated by the men?
9. What rivers were crossed? What happened in
the Battle of the Bulls?
What took place at
Tucson, Arizona and at Box Canyon?
10. What Indians were traded with? How large
were these Tribes?
11. What total distance did the main Battalion
travel?
How many
total days were used on this march?
What were
some of the greatest distances covered in one day's march?
12. What wagon roadway was made by the Battalion?
13. What were three contributions of the Battalion to
the Californians?
2. Visits to Historic Points and Museums
- Visit a Mormon Battalion monument, museum or a point of historic interest connected with
the Battalion. (Where this is impractical, write for information brochures and study them,
and then give your report.)
- Visit another museum that displays artifacts of that era, paying special attention to
wagons, harnesses, saddles, tenting, clothing, cooking utensils and weapons.
3. Hiking a Section Of the Battalion Trails
These include:
- The Westbound Trail, Council Bluffs to San Diego
- Return trails to Utah, Iowa, or Ft. Leavenworth
- And sick detachment trails in New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.
a. Overnight backpack of at least 15 miles. (5-mile day hike for
Cubs and 11 year-old Scouts.)
b. A BOY SCOUTS QF AMERICA TOUR PERMIT IS REQUIRED!
c. Where possible, obtain a detailed map of the area where you plan to
hike, and
plot the route you will take.
d. Where parts of the original trail are not practical or safe, or are
closed
to the hiker, a detour trail may be
substituted.
e. Backpack all food, water and equipment for the entire hike.
f. Where open fires and/or fuel gathering is prohibited, use
backpacking
chemical fuel stoves to prepare meals.
g. Use rations such as meat jerky, biscuits and water similar to that
of
Battalion soldiers for lunch.
4. Search for Additional Historical Information
- Battalion members' diaries.
- Family histories that include information about the Battalion.
- Locate points of interest such as campsites, centers of special events and gravesites of
Battalion members.
- Submit a copy of all information discovered with this Trail Award Completion Report.
5. Search for Living Descendants Of Battalion Members
- Have the Battalion descendant give a report to the unit on his ancestry going back to
the Battalion period.
- List the names and addresses of descendants you have located and attach to this Trail
Award Completion Report.
Please Note:
Requirements 1, 2 and 3 must be completed for a unit to earn the Trail Certificate.
Efforts made on the Enrichment Activities 4 and 5 above must be reported as well.
PLEASE SEND or bring into Our office the following:
1. Your Trail Award Completion Report, filled out and signed as a leader.
2. Your check made payable to LDS Relationships - BSA (or cash)
$2.00 for each individual patch --- (Leaders may also earn patch)
3. Attach all information to your report, Including map of trail hiked. |
