Battalion Trek - Adventures and Aha Moments Hiking the Mormon Battalion Trail

After our last episode about music of the Battalion, we are happy to have Miriam Andrus share the story of her ancestor, George Washington Taggart. He was a gifted musician in the Battalion and the blessing of music has continued on through his descendants even today.

The photo used for this episode is a picture of one of the instruments that belonged to GW Taggart housed in the Mormon Battalion Historic site in San Diego, California.

What music did the Battalion sing, hear, use? A conversation with Margaret Larson, about her research and the delightful stories behind the tunes battalion members would have known.

Sheet music for: We Wept When We Remembered Zion ⁠https://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/collection/121/096⁠ 

Carl and Margaret Larson share his efforts to identify burial locations for all Battalion members - which is still ongoing today. Listen to his dedicated efforts and perhaps you'll be inspired to help fill in some of the blanks for men's burial locations that are still unknown.

If you know of a battalion grave that does NOT have a battalion plaque, please contact the Mormon Battalion Association or comment in this podcast feedback form.

In the next episode you'll hear how Margaret's mind caught a hold of some trivia that she found in Carl's research.

Carl Larson's research was absolutely critical to Kevin Henson's modern delination of the trail. His years of diligent research also serves as the basis for the Battalion Association's current efforts to identify an accurate battalion roster. We think you'll enjoy meeting Carl and his wife Margaret and be amazed at the effort it took to obtain the information described in this interview.

The next episode shares how the burial site project came to be.

Kevin & Denny were asked to present a fireside on the Spiritual lessons they learned from walking The Mormon Battalion Trail. This is the recording of that fireside given on April 23, 2023 in Midland Michigan.

As ordinary people who found themselves in an extraordinary situation, they reflect on the things that touched their hearts & blessings that came to them through God's love. Many times those blessings came in the form of earthly angels such as those present at the fireside and many others who supported them along the trail.

It may have been started in the 1950's - but when you hear this interiew with current President, Greg Christofferson, you'll realize the Mormon Battalion Association is transforming itself into a well respected academic and historical group with new research, new leadership, new website, and new projects designed to make them the "Go-To Repository of Mormon Battalion History."

Everyone who is interested in the Battalion Story (or connected to it) is invited to join the Association and contribute skills, talent, time, or monetary donations to help with the many exciting projects designed to help preserve and share this great history - a story that Greg says "generates enthusiasm for people that hear it."

Visit their website and share the link with your family & friends: www.mormonbattalion.com to join today.

A true "Battalion Trek artifact", this porta-potty was a fond (and fun) memory of all who trekked with us.   So....Where in the World IS it today?   Laugh along with us as we remember "The Porta-Potty" and learn the back-story we didn't know.   

Being in San Diego surrounded by so many of the people who had been cheerleaders, fellow-hikers, blog readers, SPOT trackers, and rescuers in more ways than you can imagine was a sweet and tender time for us.  What a finish to an incredible Battalion Trail adventure! The only thing that could have made it better was having ALL our Trek Friends there.  This podcast, as Kevin says, "Is just as much their story as it is ours" and we cannot thank them enough. 

Thank you for listening - STAY TUNED: there will be more podcasts   

Season 3:  A Woman's perspective:   Denny's experiences & insights along the trail

Season 4: People & Projects:  Meet people who are engaging in the story using their own interests and talents sharing their expertise/experience to benefit us all.  

Please consider becoming a member of the Mormon Battalion Association and helping them further this great outreach.  We encourage you to contact them to see how you can be involved.  There is something everyone can do! 

Becky and Mark Woodbury join us again to share their memories of traveling to San Diego with their tipi and participating in the mult-stake event at Old Town State Park.  Mark went on the Night Hike with Kevin & Peter near Yuma, AZ and Becky didn't want to miss San Diego.

Taking pride in and having fun learning about the Battalion history - ancestors, and educating others has helped these dedicated reenactors make connections to their ancestors.  They share what the experience of walking into Old Town meant to them, and we relish in the memories we have of that day.  Jerry Gardner, Smokey Bassett, Bob Tingey, and Peter & Virginia Guilbert will share how they learned they were related to Battalion members and others tied to California history and how that has impacted who they portray at reenactments.