sometime after the utah battalion left san francisco for the philippines the author conceived the idea of writing a history of that organization after its return from the war. with this purpose in view he kept a diary during the entire campaign and also collected what other material that could be utilized for such a work. immediately upon the arrival in salt lake city of the discharged volunteers he, with others, set to work to bring about a completion of this plan. this little volume represents the result of the labor expended at intervals between that date and the present time. the author claims no more for it than its title assumes—a brief history of the utah batteries. it is no more. there may be some works in the future which will command, to a greater extent, the attention of the reading public. this is not written with the idea that it will become a standard work, but that while those events which happened are yet green in the memories of the utah artillerymen, they may be recorded and not be consigned to oblivion. the author trusts he may not be asserting too much when he affirms that the book is written with a strict adherence to facts, as he has had access both to public and private data in the compiling of the work, and he has been scrupulously careful in guarding against errors of every description. at this opportunity he takes pleasure in thanking those officers and men who have helped him in bringing about an accomplishment of his plans, and furthermore, he wishes to extend his thanks to angus k. nicholson for his contributions and a like communication to those friends who have given him timely advice and aid in disposing of difficulties which have arisen from time to time.

bountiful, january 25, 1900.