On 19 September 1846, more than 500 men and officers of the Mormon Battalion arrived here after volunteering to fight in the war with Mexico and enlisting at Council Bluffs, Iowa, while en route to the Rocky Mountains. Their arrival marked the completion of the first third of the battalion's 2,000-mile trek to San Diego, California. Thirsty and weary from a forced march of 50 miles across "one of the most dreary deserts that ever man saw," where no moisture but contaminated and dirty rainwater could be found, they finally located sufficient water under the sand of this dry creek bed to quench their thirst. With water to drink, plenty of grass for livestock, and buffalo chips to fuel fires, man and beast refreshed themselves before continuing the long march.