THE MORMON BATTALION ASSOCIATION™
Kristine Forbes Presentations
KRISTINE SHOREY FORBES IS A PASSIONATE
HISTORIAN WITH A DEEP CONNECTION
TO THE MORMON BATTALION.
The Mormon Battalion Association
Presents
Kristine Forbes
Correcting the Record
When Norma Ricketts published her groundbreaking book about the Mormon Battalion in 1996 she wrote “Perhaps historians will find this work a starting point to which they can add new pieces of the battalion puzzle as they are found.”
With access to many more sources than were available to Ricketts, we have built upon –and in many instances, corrected–her work. From enlistment to discharge and return to families, we discovered more fluidity and nuance than her account of events revealed. Much of what actually transpired was not what was planned as they set out from Council Bluffs. A good deal of responding and adapting to shifting circumstances occurred along the way.
The presentations are ordered chronologically. While each stands alone and has its own surprises, together they tell a compelling story that is bigger than has been told before.
The Presentations
Kristine Forbes
Building the Definitive
Battalion Roster:
What the Records Reveal
Ricketts’ account of the movements of the men post-discharge has been over-simplified; not recognizing that the disharmony in the Battalion that had been present during their trek to California remained at discharge. Hunt’s company was independent from Hancock’s and had different intentions. Using numerous factors and techniques we were able to determine which of the men were in which group, and which remained in California—more than Ricketts had estimated. We will show that whatever choice the men made, most of them they did so believing they were following the directive Brigham Young had given them. They just had different understandings of what that was.
Interestingly, neither group was headed to Sutter’s Fort. That a large group of them remained another year near Sutter’s Fort and participated in the gold rush was an even bigger accident of history than you may have realized.
We have also updated the movements of those who were detached to Pueblo. The most surprising element is how many of those who arrived in Salt Lake City with Capt. Brown’s company soon returned to the Bluffs and how few remained that winter.
Decisions at Discharge –
The Mormon Battalion in 1847
We also uncover the story behind the decisions made by the discharged members in California, providing a fresh perspective on the narrative of the Mormon Battalion’s service.
Findings derived from journals and letters shed new light on the decisions made by the Mormon Battalion at the time of their discharge. Meticulous research shows that almost all of those who were stationed at Pueblo successfully made their way to Salt Lake City. Surprisingly, 75% of the detachment members who arrived in Salt Lake City immediately returned to Winter Quarters. Understanding the significance of these numbers deepens our understanding of the challenges faced by the battalion during their discharge.
By examining the motivations and circumstances surrounding their choices, we gain insight into the unique challenges they faced and the broader impact on the larger story of their journey.
Mormon Battalion in
California in 1848:
Men on the Move
Property records, gold accounts and other lists were being created in Salt Lake City just as these 1848 companies were arriving. These records were remarkably useful in helping us place the men into the correct 1848 company and revealed the events unfolding around them as they arrived in Salt Lake at this pivotal time.
About
Kristine Forbes
Kristine holds an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree from Harvard Business School. She enjoyed a career as a business executive at the Clorox Co, the Walt Disney Company, and Microsoft before her longstanding passion for history drew her attention. Kristine obtained a certificate in family history and genealogy from the University of Washington.