Mormon Revolution

The Mormon Revolution (: Revolución mormona, : 𐐣𐐫𐑉𐑋𐐲𐑌 𐐡𐐯𐑂𐐲𐑊𐐭𐑇𐐲𐑌), was a conflict fought between the Province of Alta California under the British Empire against the Deseretan Free State.

Brigham Young and other Mormon leaders believed that the isolation of the land they had arrived within, Utah, would secure the rights of Mormons, and ensure the free practice of their religion. Although the United Kingdom had gained control of the settled parts of Alta California, Baja California, and Sonora in 1851, in the early stages of the Mexican–British War, legal transfer of the territories to the Empire came only with the Treaty of London ending the war in 1857. This acquisition was met with heavy outrage from the Mormon settlers of the Utah Valley, who feared religious and cultural persecution from British rule, who they deemed as "corrupt, bloodthirsty tyrants". In 1859, the Mormons proposed that the Province of Alta California be divided into the provinces of Alta California and a new autonomous province based in the isolated northeastern part of the province, Deseret, believing that only a land run by its own church leadership could maintain religious freedom. The British, however, ignored these complaints as the relationship between Mormons and imperial rule broke down. In addition, the leadership of the LDS church, at the time, also supported the practice of polygamy, with 20-25% estimated members of the church being members of polygamous churches, viewing polygamy as religious doctrine. However, the rest of Alta Californian society - and British society as a whole, rejected the practice, and some commentators accused the Mormons of committing "gross immorality".

The war began when Elmer McFadden, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Alta California, decided to send a force of 3,000 to build a post in Utah and to act as a posse comitatus for a period of time until the region would be stabilized. They were ordered not to take offensive action against the Mormons, but to enforce the laws and to defend themselves, should they be attacked. As the Mormons' lack of information of the specific mission of this expeditionary force created apprehension, the Mormons began to make defensive preparations. While rumorus spread that this army would be coming to Utah, it was nevertheless unconfirmed until August. Brigham Young was warned of this approaching army, and he announced this march to a large group of Mormons, fearing persecution and possible annihilation by a large body of imperial troops, recalling this event to previous Mormon conflicts and persecution, such as the destruction of Nauvoo or the infamous Extermination Order. Fearing the worst, Young had ordered evacuation preparations across the Utah region, preparing a scorched earth policy along with the manufacturing of guns and ammunition, consolidating outlying Mormon settlers back into Utah, preparing for war. Young's strategy also involved a critical alliance with the Ute tribe, meeting with their deligation and attempting to win their support, though, to no avail. Young re-activated the Nauvoo Legion in early august, launching a campaign of guerilla-style harassment tactics to delay the imperial troops' arrival into Utah.

[wip]