That the Mormon Battalion did not always rigidly obey orders is shown in
another story detailed by Roberts:

"While the Battalion was at Santa Fe, Colonel Cooke ordered Lot Smith to
guard a Mexican corral, and, having a company of United States cavalry
camped by, he told Lot if the men came to steal the poles to bayonet
them. The men came and surrounded the corral, and while Lot was guarding
one side, they would hitch to a pole on the other and ride off with it.
When the Colonel saw the poles were gone, he asked Lot why he did not
obey orders and bayonet the thieves. Lot replied, 'If you expect me to
bayonet United States troops for taking a pole on the enemy's ground to
make a fire of, you mistake your man.' Lot expected to be punished, and
he was placed under guard; but nothing further was done about it."


Western Dash of the Kearny Dragoons

Of collateral interest is the record of the Kearny expedition. The
Colonel, raised to General at Santa Fe, left that point September 25,
1846, with 300 dragoons, under Col. E.V. Sumner. The historians of the
party were Lieut. W.H. Emory of the Corps of Topographical Engineers
(later in charge of the Boundary Survey) and Capt. A. R. Johnston, the
latter killed at San Pascual. Kearny was piloted by the noted Kit Carson,
who was turned back as he was traveling eastward with dispatches from
Fremont. The Gila route was taken, though there had to be a detour at the
box canyon above the mouth of the San Pedro. Emory and Johnston wrote
much of the friendly Pima. The former made prophecy, since sustained,
concerning the development of the Salt and other river valleys, and the
working of great copper deposits noted by him on the Gila, at Mineral
Creek. The Colorado was crossed November 24. On December 6 the small