Just working on more on the topic. The items listed in the 1913 magazine in my previous post were as noted, holdings of the Deseret Museum, which apparantly ceased in 1919. The disposition of these weapons is uncertain at this point, but I am hoping the LDS Church Museum in Salt Lake City might have information.
I do know that they seem to have several of the M1816 flintlock muskets described. These are noted as being of the type issued later to the Mormon Battalion during the Mexican War, not to the Nauvoo Legion in Illinois.
These are of Type II and the casehardened lockplates are stamped Harpers Ferry, with 1827 date. These were .69 cal. flintlocks, and fitted for triangular blade bayonets.
The others used by the Mormon Battalion were the M1803, .54 cal. termed a 'halfstock' with no bayonet fittings.Only a few were issued and are not with holdings.
The only other were the M1841 Mississippi Rifle, known as a 'Jaeger' type rifle (the German term for hunting type rifles) and was a cap lock. Only a few of these issued, none among holdings.
Again, these guns issued to the Mormon Battalion, just over 500 men for service with the army in the Mexican War. On August 15,1847 as this unit was discharged, the men were ordered to leave the guns and by no means to take them to the states.
The Nauvoo Legion essentially ended in Illinois with the assassination of Joseph and Hyram Smith in 1844, and the government rescinsion of the city charter for Nauvoo in 1845. While the unit numbered over two thousand, only about 250 guns of the M1816 and M1803 type were ever issued as far as I have found. as mentioned, no markings are known, and these were believed collected by government.
The Legion began again under Brigham Young in the newly established provincial State of Deseret unofficially in 1849, then recognized in 1852. The name Nauvoo Legion was reestablished until 1870 when prohibited by the territorial governor, then by congress in 1887.
In various references it is noted that the Nauvoo Legion seldom had enough long guns to arms half of the territorial militia in the 1870's
In "The Rocky Mountain Saints" (T. Stenhaus, p.676) it is noted that the arms with which the saints are now equipped are thier own property.
This is of course much the same as it was in Illinois. Another reference noted the presence of Colt M1851 Navy which were of course cap and ball revolvers. There were likely a number of Hawken, or Kentucky long rifles probably brought from Illinois, as they were often readily available in those regions and times, usually about .40 cal.
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