The best of the narratives concerning the march of the Battalion is in a
book printed in 1881 by Daniel Tyler, an amplification of a remarkable
diary kept by him while a member of the organization. This book has an
exceptionally important introduction, written by John Taylor, President
of the Mormon Church, detailing at length the circumstances that led to
the western migration of his people. He is especially graphic in his
description of the riots of the summer of 1844, culminating in the
assassination of Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum at Carthage,
Illinois, on June 27th. Taylor was with the Prophet at the time and was
badly wounded. There also is an interesting introductory chapter, written
by Col. Thos. L. Kane, not a Mormon, dramatically dwelling upon the
circumstances of the exodus from Nauvoo and the later dedication there
of the beautiful temple, abandoned immediately thereafter. He wrote also
of the Mormon camps that were then working westward, describing the high
spirit and even cheerfulness in which the people were accepting exile
from a grade of civilization that had made them prefer the wilds. Colonel
Kane helped in the organization of the Battalion, in bringing influence
to bear upon the President and in carrying to Fort Leavenworth the orders
under which the then Colonel Kearny proceeded.