The Mormon Battalion stopped here on March 20, 1847, while marching from San Diego to Los Angeles. Part of the U.S. Army of the West, its 500 men had been recruited from camps of Mormon pioneers who had just been driven from the United States and enlisted to serve in the war with Mexico. After leaving their families on July 20, 1846, they marched 2,000 miles on foot, the longest march in U.S. history, and arrived in San Diego on January 29, 1847. They later built a wagon road to the West, fortified old Ft. Stockton in San Diego, constructed Ft. Moore in Los Angeles, performed community service projects, and played a major role in maintaining peace, establishing political stability in the territory, and shaping early California history.