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One of the treasures of the Arizona Historian's office is a copy of a journal of about 12,000 words kept by Henry Standage, covering his service as a member of the Mormon Battalion from July 19, 1846, to July 19, 1847. The writer in his later years was a resident of Mesa, his home in Alma Ward. His manuscript descended to his grandsons, Orrin and Clarence Standage.
There is special mention, elsewhere, of Christopher Layton. In the same district, at Thatcher, lived and died Lieut. James Pace. Henry Standage was one of the first settlers of Alma Ward, near Mesa.
On November 1 satisfaction was expressed concerning substitution to the place of Philemon C. Merrill. When the sick were sent to Pueblo, November 10, Standage fervently wrote, "This does in reality make solemn times for us, so many divisions taking place. May the God of Heaven protect us all." George Cooke, Lieut. Col. Commanding 2 Lieut. George P. Dykes, Adjutant, succeeded by 3 Lieut.
1 Samuel H. Rogers 6 Hyrum Judd 2 Henry Standage 7 Samuel Thompson 3 Edward Bunker 8 Wm. 1 Rufus C. Allen 2 John Steele 3 Reuben Allred 4 Elzada Ford Allred 5 Wm. The enlistment term expired in January, but it was March, 1848, before the men were paid off and discharged.
Standage especially was impressed by the eating of a watermelon, for the day was Christmas. January 10, 1847, at the crossing of the Colorado, he was detailed to the gathering of mesquite beans, "a kind of sweet seed that grows on a tree resembling the honey locust, the mules and men being very fond of this.
The locality at first, and even unto this day, has borne the local name of Stringtown, for the houses are set along a beautiful country road, cottonwood-bordered for miles. N. Standage, with their families. These settlers constituted a party from Lewiston and Richmond, Cache County, Utah, and arrived at Mesa, January 19, 1880.
Here it was that Lieutenant Stoneman, accidentally shot himself in the hand. Two old deserted towns were passed. Standage tells that the Spanish soldiers had gone from Tucson when the Battalion arrived, but that, "we were kindly treated by the people, who brought flour, meal, tobacco and quinces to the camp for sale, and many of them gave such things to the soldiers.
We camped about a half mile from the town. The Colonel suffered no private property to be touched, neither was it in the heart of any man to my knowledge to do so." Considering the strength of the Spanish garrison, Standage was led to exclaim that, "the Lord God of Israel would save his people, inasmuch as he knoweth the causes of our being here in the United States."
Standage writes from the standpoint of the private soldier, with the soldier's usual little growl over conditions that affect his comfort; yet, throughout the narrative, there is evidence of strong integrity of purpose, of religious feeling and of sturdiness befitting a good soldier.
Sanford Porter, Co. E. Sunset. Wm. B. Mesa. David Pulsipher, Co. C. Concho. Samuel H. Rogers, Co. B. Snowflake. Henry Standage, Co. E. Mesa. George E. Steele, Co. A. Mesa. John Steele, Co. D. Moen Copie. Lot Smith, Co. E. Sunset and Tuba. Samuel Thompson, Co. C. Mesa. California's Mormon Pilgrims The Brooklyn Party at San Francisco
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