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Show - 2 The United States was then at war with Hexico and officers were sent to intercept the caravan and issue an order for ~00 voltm tee~ s to take up arms in defense of thetr country Their country wtich had allowed them to be robbed of their homes , beaten and scourger, hunted and betrayed, and their beloved leaders murdered with the sanction of "ts oCficers . ~heir coun ry 7:ho had turned a deaf ear to their pleadit...gs for protection as l\Merican citizens and t h em perrr:.itted them to suffer untold hardships with only the frozen Io~a plains as a resting placeo The bitter cold of winter , Rith very little ~ood and tattered clothing o Huddled beneath the ~eather-beaten wagon covers like 2heep in a blizzard , alone to meet the ~iracles of birth and death as best they could , No one cared to hear their cry of distress . I o one came to rescue them , but now their country needed these exiles and quickly found t.h8m . But , surely , this extraordinary request , in x view of the foregoin~ fa c ts , must have seared the guilty con science of a great govern~ent , and surely a clouo of shame must have darkened the brow of the nation ' s Statue of Liberty , under whose majestic torch of liberty the children of freedom were fleeing befor~ a lawless mob for safety . On July 1~ , 1846 , the Battalion was mustered .into service The enrollment of volunteers took place under the sacred folds of the American flag brought from Nauvoo by Brigham Youngo A tall tree served as a mast . The bright summer sun shown down upon that pitiful s c ene , and touched it with immortal glory, and set it apart as the ~erfect example of loyalty to country, and obedience to its commands ~ Cibraham Da;v and his ·Nife 1 s brother , Newman Buckley , 1rere amon~ the firs t to write tbeir names upon this roll of honor and ac c ede to the terms of the enlistment~ The expedition to the ~est was so greatly handicapped . ~he strength and main sunport of the company was ~ithdrawn, leaving the burden of perilous journey to those unable to bear them , and 0 resident Yeung wisely decided to postpone the trip until the following sprin·', and settle the Saints in a place they called "inter Quarters , where they might rest and gather strength for the strenuous days aheado Abraham 1 s family remained with the camp and shared the hard life of that memorable ·1inter in the spirit of gratitude and Christian forebearan c e Poverty and physical distress was there , but their sting was softened by joys of peace and security , which for many years had been denied them , and made life almost unbearable . Here in this cold , desolate soot , with all its destitution and privations the camp of ~~dern Israel ~as wattjng , and preparing for the exodus to the pr omised land , and here the Lord continusd to chasten and test them against the day of further tribul ation in the future . |
