Utah, Mormons and the Civil War

“Over the last couple of years records have been digitized,” he said. “Doing this without digital records would have been almost impossible. As it was, it was still hard.”

The book, illustrated with period photographs and images, includes the stories of many Latter-day Saint veterans, both Union and Confederate, as well as new research regarding the Civil War legacy from the Utah War, an LDS/Civil War timeline, Abraham Lincoln’s connections to the Mormons, Joseph Smith’s prophecy of the war in Doctrine and Covenants 87, wartime LDS emigration, the establishment of Camp Douglas, how Civil War newspapers viewed Mormonism, and how the war’s aftermath affected Utah, among other interesting topics.

Alford hopes readers enjoy learning about these lesser-known aspects of the Civil War. The BYU professor will treasure what he has learned.

“This project deepened my sense of appreciation for the people who sacrificed tremendously to keep this country together,” Alford said. “It also gave me a new respect for the depth of conviction on both sides. This was an event that deeply divided the nation and still influences the makeup of the nation today. I’m grateful that we’re able to honor these people.”

If you have LDS Civil War ancestors not found in the book, Alford can be reached at alford@BYU.edu.

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