So first cousin-led Company F, 51st Enrolled Missouri Militia Captain David P. Whitmer/1Lt. John D. Page, was a primary nemesis of Bill Anderson et al and one of the highest casualty-suffered units in Missouri during the Civil War. In addition to Whitmer and Page, a large number of the rank and file troops of this company were also members of the Whitmer/Page family.

Both of the fathers of Capt. Whitmer and Lt. Page, brother-in-law Jacob Whitmer and Hiram Page, were two of the "Eight Witnesses" of Mormonism who, according to tradition, handled the golden tablets translated into the Book of Mormon, along with additional uncles, Christian Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr., and John Whitmer. Completing the count of the Eight, the other three witnesses of the were Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith and Samuel Smith.

But before there were the Eight Witnesses, there were the "Three Witnesses" who reputedly heard God's voice and were shown the Golden Plates by an angel near the Fayette, New York, farm of Whitmer Family patriarch, Peter Whitmer Sr. The Three Witnesses were Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris. Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer were two more uncles of F/51 EMM Capt. David P. Whitmer and 1Lt. John D. Page.

With the plates then taken into the care of the Eight Witnesses, they were brought to the home of Peter Whitmer Sr., grandfather of Capt. Whitmer and 1Lt. Page, where Joseph Smith is said to have translated the golden plates into the Book of Mormon.

Not proselytizing here -- I'm a lifelong Methodist. That's all just my clumsy historical analysis of the interesting connection to the founding of Mormonism by the family of the leaders of this Civil War combat unit. Without straying too far from the mission of this board I welcome a better analysis, and am respectfully aware that surely one exists.