Nauvoo Legion Senior Officers, August–December 1843
The charter
for the city of , Illinois, enacted
in December 1840 to take effect in February 1841, allowed for the
formation of a unit of the state militia in
Nauvoo. On 3
February 1841, the city council passed an ordinance officially
organizing the . On the following day, JS and other commissioned officers of the Illinois state
militia elected the general officers of the legion. Additional
positions were created and staffed at various points between 1841 and
1843.
The Nauvoo
Legion was headed by a lieutenant general, with a major general under
him. Under the major general were two brigades, or cohorts, each headed
by a brigadier general. The first cohort consisted of two cavalry
regiments and the second cohort of five infantry and artillery regiments
(regiments were commanded by colonels). The regiments were subdivided
into battalions (commanded by a lieutenant colonel or a major) and then
companies (commanded by a captain). Officers retained their rank unless
they were terminated by resignation, death, or cashiering out of the
Nauvoo Legion. At times when officers of the legion were absent or had
been cashiered from the legion but not officially replaced, persons in
lower ranks could be appointed to act temporarily in their place.
The
following chart identifies the lieutenant general, major general,
brigadier generals, and colonels of the Nauvoo Legion during the period
covered in this volume; it does not include the general officers’
staffs.
| August–December 1843 | |
| Lieutenant General | Joseph Smith |
| Major General | |
| Brigadier General (First Cohort) | (absent circa October 1842–March 1844) |
| (colonel, December 1843) | |
| Colonel of First Regiment | |
| Colonel of Second Regiment | George Coulson |
| Brigadier General (Second Cohort) | |
| Colonel of First Regiment | |
| Colonel of Second Regiment | |
| Colonel of Third Regiment | Henry J. Young |
| Colonel of Fourth Regiment | |
| Colonel of Fifth Regiment | |