the nauvoo legion

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by pallas

one thing ive noticed about the legion was that they all wore very "napoleonic" uniforms....i saw a painting of joseph smith reviewing the legion with a tricorner hat on that would not be out of place in the revolutionary period........my assumption from this would be that the mormons were outfitted with equipment that was already (becoming) obsolete in the 1840s...........

Actually that painting was reflective of a great deal of artistic license, and while officers would of course have worn uniforms with a considerable bit of flamboyance, the rank and file would likely have had simple uniformity in thier clothing. It should be noted that for the number of men mustered within the following three years, numbering over two thousand, there were only about 235 muskets issued, despite the 1808 Militia Act mandates.
The guns issued were very much the same as in use by the army at that time. though it was not as much a period of obsolescence as transition.
The M1816 flintlock musket was standard issue, and new cap and ball muskets were just becoming established.

The M1816 guns issued were all confiscated just after the murder of Joseph Smith in Illinois, and the charter for Nauvoo revoked. The remainder of the weapons in use, were of course the property of the men themselves.

There was some evidence of antiquation in one of the three cannon that was issued, which was a 12 pound mountain gun of War of 1812 vintage. That was hidden and kept by the Legion.


Thanks for responding Pallas! This has really become a fascinating topic

All best regards,
Jim

[Jim McDougall]

For those out there reading, and for future reference, from the week's research on this topic:

It appears there is only one known example of a gun which bears the making 'NAUVOO LEGION' and from what I understand it was documented some time ago in the Chicago area. As I have noted earlier, only a small number of these guns, the M1816' were issued to this unit. These were all confiscated shortly prior to the assassination of Joseph and Hyrum Smith at Carthage, Illinois in 1844.
It appears that these were reissued to other units by the state government, and while unclear if just a few or all these guns were stamped with this inscription, it appears the others have been lost to posterity.
There is little likelihood of personal arms being so marked, or if so, they do not seem known to those who have researched these arms, though the possibility certainly remains.

There are three known guns I believe, provenanced to the Mormon Battalion who fought during the Mexican War at the end, and I believe these are at a museum here in Salt Lake City.

The guns of the Nauvoo Legion in Utah, holding that title in honor of the Illinois unit of Joseph Smith, was officially the Utah Territorial Militia, and their weapons were privately purchased and owned.

Best regards,
Jim