Mormon Battalion Trail Marker No. 7, (sculpture).

Mormon Battalion Trail Marker No. 7, (sculpture).

Reese, Ralph, sculptor.

Mormon Battalion Trail Marker No. 7, (sculpture).

Dedicated Nov. 1, 1986.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: wood; Base: stone.

Sculpture: approx. 4 ft. x 8 ft. x 4 in.; Base: approx. 8 ft. x 12 in. x 4 ft.

(On front, incised:) HISTORICAL MARKER NO. 7 / U.S. MORMON BATTALION TRAIL / HISTORY OF TREK THROUGH MOUNTAINS / On November 28, 1896 the Mormon Battalion of the U. S. Army West crossed these mountains near this summit enroute to California during the Mexican War. Col. Cooke had dispatched scouts ahead to find the best route. An Indian guide, Charonneau, while scouting ahead was attacked by three grizzly bears. He killed one bear which provided meat for the troops. Lt. Stoneman with 21 men could not find a suitable route down the mountain. The began cutting a road but the task was to laborious and the progress to slow. Col. Cooke then ordered the wagons unloaded and the supplies packed on horses and the mules for transport down the mountain. The wagons were lowered down the 40% grade by ropes. One wagon crashed to the canyon bottom. Henry Bigler wrote, "no other man but Cooke would attempt to cross wagons at such a place. Cooke had the spirit of a Bonaparte." / Dedicated to the Soldiers of the U. S. Mormon Battalion / Col. Fred M. Reese - C&CH US Mormon Battalion / Project Supervisors - Marvin E. Follet and Ralph Mangum. Masonry - Dennis Gregg. / Sponsors - Douglas Boy Scouts. / Scout Troup 414. / Lumber by Kiabab Lumber Inc. / Dedicated Nov. 1, 1986 / Wagon being lowered down steep slope with ropes. Artist - Ralph Reese / Sign built and designed / by Robin Button / Thomas L. Kane Company unsigned

A flat wooden monument in the shape of the United States is incised on the right side with an image of the Mormon Battalion soldiers, horses, and pack mules making their way down the steep trail as a wagon is lowered down the mountainside by rope. The lower center of the monument is incised with an image of a soldier carrying a bedroll on his back and a walking stick over his right shoulder. The upper left of the monument is incised with an image of a buffalo head containing the dates "1846" and "1848" and "U.S. Mormon Battalion Trail."

History -- United States -- Mexican War

Religion -- Mormonism

Landscape -- Mountain

Figure group -- Male

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Animal -- Horse

Architecture -- Vehicle -- Wagon

Outdoor Sculpture -- New Mexico -- South Hidalgo

Coronado National Forest, Geronimo Trail, South Hidalgo, New Mexico 88020

This monument marking the trail of the U.S. Mormon Battalion Army of the West during the Mexican War was sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 414 of Douglas, Arizona.

Nuti, Jim, 2012.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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