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Show Albert Miles Tanner 279 probability he was not far from his father, John, sixty-eight years old and less vigorous than formerly. In all who was With the request of the United States government for volunteers to serve in the war with Mexico, it would be natural to expect that members of the Tanner family would be included iii the Mormon Battalion. How the choices were made is not related, but Albert, who was then twenty-one, and Myron, who was twenty, were the logical choices. Neither was married and their going would not work hardships those remaining." suggested that there was any special significance to the fact, but the boys were in different companies, which may have been just as well since they were known to be competitive. Albert was in the last of the companies to be formed, Company "E." This com pany also included Lot Smith, later to distinguish himself in the on It is not Canyon war. The term of enlistment in the Battalion was for after which they were to be dis July 1846 to July 1847 year California. in charged As Albert left with his fellow soldiers that warm July day, did he realize he was seeing his father and other members of the family Echo one - - for the last time? He would be reunited with some of them in San Bernardino, but Father Tanner and perhaps John Joshua and Nathan and their families would never see him again. hardships in the Battalion, both real and imagined, have been sufficiently written up and will not be detailed here. Another chapter in this volume explains that Myron became ill and did not The go all the way to the coast, but Albert finished his term. of enlistment 10 and was discharged in California. It should be noted that the discharge of the Battalion in Cali fornia occurred at about the time of the arrival of the Mormon vanguard in Utah." Brigham Young managed, through special courier, to keep in touch with the Battalion members, and he advised those who wished, to remain in California for the winter and secur.e work. This was the winter that gold was discovered on the American River and changed the history of America and perhaps of Albert Tanner as well. The scanty information available does not permit following Albert's movements after his military discharge in any detail. The John Tanner Family indicates that he went to San Bernardino where he "farmed and did teamwork," and later went to the gold fields. This is most unlikely, as the San Bernardino Mission did not go to |
