150 years ago today - Jul 7, 1861

[General] Heber C. Kimball, in a sermon recalling past persecutions of the Saints, preaches: "After all these hardships and trials we started for this country, and what did the Government then require of us? Five hundred men were called to go and take part in the Mexican war, and that too at a time when we were all living in our waggons: many were sick, and some were dying;" This perpetuates the myth that the Mormon Battalion was a favor that the Church did for the government when in reality it was a favor that the government did for the Mormons at Church leaders' request.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]