Bliss (Robert) Journal, 1846-1928

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Summary

Title:
Robert Bliss Journal
Dates:
1846-1928
Creators:
Bliss, Robert Stanton
Abstract:
This collection contains a journal written by Robert Stanton Bliss that records his activities as a private of Company B in the Mormon Battalion between 1846 and 1848, as well as correspondence related to the journal.
Extent:
0.25 Linear feet (1 box)
Language:
Preferred citation:

Robert Bliss Journal, MS 79, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Background

Scope and content:

The journal in this collection covers the period between August 18, 1846, to January 13, 1848. The journal begins on August 18, 1846 with the Battalion already en route to Leavenworth, KS where they would spend two weeks organizing and gathering supplies. From there, they marched to Santa Fe, New Mexico and then on to the Colorado River by way of the Rio Grande. Bliss records daily entries of various lengths regarding their march in which he discusses his personal activities, work, and the changing landscape. The journal ends abruptly half way through an entry dated January 13, 1848. At this point, Bliss and his travel party had reached winter quarters in the Salt Lake Valley, but he has still not been reunited with his family as he had planned. A photocopy of the missing journal pages included in the collection completes the January 13th entry and ends on May 3, 1848.

The collection also includes correspondence dated 1915-1928 between Mary J. Clawson, Margaret Allen, and George Putnam regarding the journal and its missing pages. It might also be of interest that while it is not apparent in any of Bliss’ journal entries, Putnam remarks to Clawson in his January 26, 1928 letter that he is glad to learn that Bliss was indeed reunited with his family.

Biographical / historical:

The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in the history of the United States Army, serving from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. A volunteer unit of roughly 550 Latter-day Saints men led by U.S. Army officers, the combat battalion made a 2,000 mile trek from Council Bluffs, Iowa to San Diego, California as reinforcements to the troops led by General Stephen Kearny. The Battalion left July 21, 1846 and arrived in San Diego 6 months later on January 29, 1847, completing the longest infantry march in military history. The arduous trek took them through hostile Indian territory, and the Battalion was consistently short on food and water. Of the original 550 men who left Council Bluffs, only 360 members reached San Diego.

Robert Stanton Bliss served as a private in B Company of the Mormon Battalion. He was born August 1, 1805 in Montville, Connecticut to Captain John Bliss and his wife, Lucretia. Bliss married Mary Anne Paine in 1833, with whom he had two children. In July of 1846, he enlisted in the Army, a month before the Mormon Battalion left on their journey. He would go on to complete the full 2,000 mile march and was discharged from military service on July 16, 1847. Bliss died in Cold Springs, California in 1851.

Acquisition information:
Accession number 590622.
Processing information:

Collection processed by Lauren Rasmussen on June 15, 2012.

Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.

Arrangement:

Items in the collection are arranged by subject.

Physical / technical requirements:

The original journal (Box 1, folder 1) is very fragile and access is restricted to copy of the original only. Pages are brittle are detached from spine. Three small holes are on back cover. (June 15, 2012)

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Lauren Rasmussen
Sponsor:
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Date Prepared:
June 15, 2012
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2012-08-30T12:17-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to journal is restricted to copy of original.

Terms of access:

The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.

Preferred citation:

Robert Bliss Journal, MS 79, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.

Location of this collection:
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA 92101, US
Contact:
(619) 232-6203
Website