History Lesson at the San Juan Chapel

The LDS chapel next to San Juan Hills High School in San Juan Capistrano has a really interesting tile mural and two plaques.

Text of plaque one:

THE MORMON BATTALION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, 1846-47
MADE UP ENTIRELY OF MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, THE MORMON BATTALION IS THE ONLY MILITARY UNIT IN AMERICAN HISTORY TO BE COMPRISED OF A SINGLE RELIGIOUS DENOMINATION. UNDER THE COMMAND OF LT. COL. PHILIP ST, GEORGE COOKE, THE ALL-VOLUNTEER BATTALION OF 559 MEN AND 34 WOMEN COMPLETED A GRUELING MARCH OF NEARLY 2,000 MILES FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, THE LONGEST INFANTRY MARCH IN U.S. MILITARY HISTORY.

BEGINNINGS
THE BATTALION WAS RECRUITED TO FULFILL U.S. PRESIDENT JAMES K. POLK'S REQUEST FOR 500 VOLUNTEERS TO REINFORCE THE U.S. ARMY OF THE WEST DURING THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR. CHURCH PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG ASKED CHURCH MEMBERS TO ENLIST, PROPHESYING THAT NOT A SINGLE BATTALION MEMBER WOULD BE LOST TO HOSTILE ACTION. FAITHFUL MEMBERS ANSWERED THE CALL, AND WHILE SOME BATTALION MEMBERS DIED OF DISEASE AND OTHER CAUSES, NONE DIED IN BATTLE, AS PROMISED BY PRESIDENT YOUNG.

MILITARY CONTRIBUTIONS
ALTHOUGH THE BATTALION NEVER HAD TO ENGAGE IN BATTLE, THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN PROJECTING FORCE. FOR GENERAL STEPHEN W. KEARNY'S ARMY OF THE WEST. IN DECEMBER 1846, THE BATTALION CONFRONTED A SMALL DETACHMENT OF MEXICAN SOLDIERS AT TUCSON, PRESENT-DAY ARIZONA. THE DEFENDERS ELECTED TO RETREAT AS THE BATTALION APPROACHED, ALLOWING THE BATTALION TO CAPTURE TUCSON WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT, IN ANOTHER NEAR-CONFRONTATION, THE BATTALION ARRIVED IN TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE TEMECULA MASSACRE, A CONFLICT BETWEEN MEXICAN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND THE LUISENO TRIBE, THE BATTALION STOOD GUARD TO PREVENT FURTHER BLOODSHED WHILE THE LUISENO PEOPLE GATHERED THEIR DEAD. BATTALION MEMBERS ALSO HELPED TO ERECT FORT MOORE IN LOS ANGELES.

Text of plaque two:

THE BATTALION IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
IN THE SPRING OF 1847, THE BATTALION MARCHED UP THE EL CAMINO REAL

FROM SAN DIEGO TO LOS ANGELES, CAMPING ON THE GROUNDS OF THE JUAN AVILA RANCHERO ON MARCH 19-20, 1847 AND STOPPING AT MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO. ONE BATTALION MEMBER RECORDED IN HIS JOURNAL, WE THEN TURNED OFF THE COAST AND PAST ST. JOHN'S MISSION AND TRAVELED TWO MILES AND ENCAMPED AT A LARGE RANCHO WHERE [WE] BOUGHT SOME BEEF CATTLE AND HORSES. THIS MURAL BY AMERICAN ARTIST JOHN ENRIGHT DEPICTS THE BATTALION'S ENCOUNTER WITH SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO'S LEADERS.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WESTWARD EXPANSION
THE BATTALION AND ITS MEMBERS MADE IMPORTANT AND LONG-LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SETTLEMENT OF CALIFORNIA. THE 433-MILE ROAD THEY BUILT, KNOWN AS COOKE'S WAGON ROAD OR THE SOUTHERN TRAIL, BECAME A MAJOR EMIGRATION AND FREIGHTING ROUTE. OTHERS HELPED BUILD SUTTER'S MILL AND WITNESSED THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD THERE, WHICH PROMPTED THOUSANDS TO EMIGRATE TO THE STATE. EVERY MARCH SINCE 2002, BATTALION RE-ENACTORS HAVE COMMEMORATED THE BATTALION'S HISTORIC SERVICE BY PROUDLY MARCHING IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO'S YEARLY SWALLOWS DAY PARADE.

DEDICATION OF THE SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO MEETINGHOUSE
171 YEARS AFTER THE BATTALION'S HISTORIC MARCH THROUGH SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, THE OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO MEETINGHOUSE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS TOOK PLACE ON MARCH 17, 2018. THE STRUCTURE, DESIGNED TO HOUSE UP TO FOUR SEPARATE CONGREGATIONS OR "WARDS," WAS DEDICATED ON AUGUST 29TH, 2021.

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