| 515 Wilson Law, Brigadier General of the First Cohort; 5 D. C. Smith, Brigadier General of the Second Cohort. 6 The Lieutenant General chose as his staff Captain A. P. Rockwood, Drill Officer; Captains William Law and R. B. Thompson, aids-de-camp; for guards and assistant aids-de-camp; James Allred, Thomas Grover, C. M. Kreymeyer, John L Butler, John Snider, Alpheus Cutler, Reynolds Cahoon, Elias Higbee, H. G. Sherwood, Shadrach Roundy, Samuel H. Smith, and Vinson Knight.
We mention this military organization because many of the church authorities were engaged in it, and thereby closely associated it with church history; but as it was in fact an organization separate and distinct from the church, and in its government essentially different, we shall not hereafter write the details of its history, but only mention it incidentally as it concerns the historical narrative.
It was authorized by the legislature of the State and was without question legal, and every citizen had the legal right to enlist in its service. And it should be remembered that under the law all able-bodied men were required to do military duty.
As to the wisdom and expediency of high church officials holding military office and receiving military honors, we have nothing to say in this connection. We think it very inconsistent to claim that it was wise because Joseph Smith did it; but on the other hand, we think it just as inconsistent to condemn in Joseph Smith what we justify in other American citizens.
On February 13, 1841, Orson Hyde sailed from New York for Liverpool, on his way to Jerusalem, accompanied by George J. Adams. John E. Page, for some causes hereafter explained, failed to go.
The City Council, composed mostly of church members, on February 15, 1841, passed a resolution which shows them to have been fully abreast if not in
5 Horse troop.
6 Foot troop.
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