"For many Latter-day Saints, the outbreak of the Civil War was seen as a fulfillment of a prophecy made by the Prophet Joseph Smith nearly thirty years before (D&C 87).(https://rsc.byu.edu/civil-war-saints/latter-day-saints-civil-war#_note-4) Of course, most of the fighting occurred over a thousand miles away... "The modest number of soldier Saints is partially due to the decided lack of enthusiasm demonstrated by Mormon leadership regarding the conflict. Strong and able young men were not encouraged to fight for a nation that only a few years earlier had essentially banished the Mormon people from her borders. Church leaders spoke out often about the war, and the opinions expressed were generally negative toward both the North and the South."