The first relief party soon left with 23 refugees, but during the partys travels back to Sutters Fort, two more children died. Once everyone had been accounted for, they found only 15 people survived. They'd established a safe home in the Walla Walla Valley, and within the year the seven had been officially adopted by the couple who were killed in a massacre three years later, along with John and Francisco Sager, the eldest children. The others escaped after a hard run. One member of the party, Charles Stanton, snow-blind and exhausted was unable to keep up with the rest of the party and told them to go on. The journey was not an unpleasant one across the vast expanse of Plains. The next day, they arrived at Alder Creek to find that the Donners had also resorted to cannibalism. They estimate one in ten travelers didn't survive, and the National Oregon/California Trail Center says the 2,000-mile trail averaged 10 deaths per mile. Hilarity! W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) was a driver between Split Rock and Three Crossings, one of the most perilous sections. Occasionally the eight frisky mules would prove too much for their driver, and there would be a runaway, and a broken coach, to be repaired with whatever tools might be at hand. On the far side of the desert, an inventory of food was taken and found to be less than adequate for the 600-mile trek still ahead. On March 14ththey arrived at the Alder Creek camp to find George Donner was dying from an infection in the hand that he had injured months before. On their eighty mile journey through the Salt Lake Desert, they had lost a total of thirty-two oxen; Reed was forced to abandon two of his wagons, and the Donners, as well as man named Louis Keseberg, lost one wagon each. Montpelier, Idaho 83254, document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) National Oregon/California Trail Center. Hide hunters, hunters who kill buffalo for their hides only, have temporarily joined up with the wagon train. Jim Bridger and his partner Louis Vasquez assured the Donner Party that the Hastings Cutoff was a good route. Even as they started ferrying wagons across, they found they couldn't keep up dozens of wagons were lined up waiting for their turn to cross. Heroically struggling through the deep snow, seven men reached the lake camp on February 18. His wife Tamzene, though in comparatively good health, refused to leave him; sending her three little girls on without her. Hastings, who had promised to lead migrants along the trail, left Fort Bridger with a different company of wagons, and it fell to Reed to act as the companys guide. Animals could cause very serious injury to their owners. However, what they didnt know was that the desert sand was moist and deep, where wagons quickly got bogged down, severely slowing their progress. Sell everything that doesn't fit into your wagon, and set out with no guidance from Google Maps? The Reeds, the Donners, and a number of others chose to head southwest toward Fort Bridger. Also in the group were the families of George and Jacob Donner. who were witness to this tragedy. The oxen moved slowly forwardand the long journey had begun.. When it was obvious a person wouldnt last the day, the train would often hold up moving in order to wait for the end. More than 40 whites were killed, and the destruction of property was extensive. However, upon their arrival at Fort Bridger, of Lansford Hastings, there was no sign, only a note left with other emigrants resting at the fort. Soldiers were used to guarding the stagecoaches, yet attacks were frequent, and the loss in property and lives was large. This new route enticed travelers by advertising that it would save the pioneers 350-400 miles on easy terrain. While on a scout with his troop from Fort Union, New Mexico, Bell came upon White Wolf and an equal number of Apache. He was tracked to Denver, Colorado, and hanged with very little ceremony. The pioneers lost valuable days conducting a fruitless search for the missing oxen before beginning a circuitous navigation of the Ruby Mountains in modern northeastern Nevada. While becoming so desperate as to eat tree bark seems like the worst part of the trail, there was one instance where it became worse for one wagon train party in the 1840s. Did you always pick the banker because you'd start with the most money? The Donner Partycontinued to travel along the Humboldt River with their remaining draft animals exhausted. Some members of the party suggested that Reed be hanged, but he was instead banished from the company. The Donner Party is One of the Most Disturbing Stories from the Oregon Trail. About 55 miles of the telegraph line was destroyed, stage stations razed, and employees killed, for long distances east and west. The researchers themselves clarified, however, that the absence of archaeological evidence did not rule out the possibility that cannibalism had occurred, especially given the extensive contemporary accounts by members of the rescue parties and the survivors themselves. In four weeks, they had killed and captured 45 whites between Sage Creek and Virginia Dale in Colorado. Wagon Train cast list, including photos of the actors when available. By this point, the members of the company had cached, or buried, virtually all their personal possessionsexcept for food, clothing, and the barest essentials necessary for survivalin an effort to minimize the load on their exhausted animals. Not everyone could be taken out at one time and since no pack animals could be brought in, few food supplies were brought in. A history project by Sandy Wilbur. A few days later, the party was caught in a blizzard and had great difficulty getting and keeping a fire lit. The next day five men, nine women, and one child departed on snowshoes for the summit, determined to travel the 100 miles to Sutters Fort. It was a horrific road trip. Continuing to encounter multiple obstacles, on October 16th,they reached the gateway to the Sierra Nevada on the Truckee River (present-day Reno) almost completely depleted of food supplies. Major threats to pioneer life and limb came from accidents, exhaustion, and disease. George P. Belden, well known in those days as The White Chief, thus describes the disagreeable duties: Troops were stationed in small squads at every station, about ten miles apart, and they rode from station to station on the top of all coaches, holding their guns ever ready for action. Instantly they were fiercely attacked by an ambushed party of Apache under White Wolf. The wagon train encountered riders urging emigrants on the road to travel down to Fort Bridger and take a shortcut called the "Hastings . They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. As the conversation ensued, the controversy grew so heated that suddenly the two leaders exchanged shots, the chief sinking on one knee to aim and Bell throwing his body forward and causing his horse to rear. However, the successful Reed was determined his family would not suffer on the long journey as his wagon was an extravagant two-story affair with a built-in iron stove, spring-cushioned seats, and bunks for sleeping. Two rescuers, Jean-Baptiste Trudeau and Nicholas Clark were left behind to care for the Donners, but soon abandon them to catch up with the relief party. The latter was finally poisoned by a Mexican woman in 1876. When he sees an opportuni Don Brooke is desperate for money for his pregnant wife Bonnie, whose condition is too delicate for the long trip without more medical care so he seeks a bank loan. National Oregon/California Trail Center There were two coaches loaded with mail and nine men, the leaders being Lem Flowers, a division agent, and the conductor named Brown. Indian Attack on a Wagon Train by Charles Marion Russell The first notable tragedy on the Santa Fe Trail connected to stage coaching occurred almost with the first effort to establish the line. Bell was not hit, but four or five of his men were killed or wounded. The tale of the Donner Party is one of tragedy, hardship, and gruesome details. Invariably such a storm meant a stampede of the mules, nor would a man dare to desert his shelter to seek them. Susannah succumbed to "milk sickness," and while we don't know how many babies died from it, we do know livestock were forced to forage some seriously overgrazed land. Some of the men tried to hunt with little success. The troopers charged twice, killing and wounding more than a hundred Indians, but the chief escaped, and, when the soldiers finally captured the village, they found there the body of Mrs. White, yet warm, with three arrows in her breast. I can not describe the unutterable repugnance with which I tasted that first mouthful of flesh. The originator of this group was a man named James Frasier Reed, an Illinois businessman, eager to build a greater fortune in the rich land of California. However, what was not known by Reed was that the Hastings Route had never been tested, written by Hastings who had visions of building an empire at Sutters Fort (nowSacramento.) Photo courtesy of Hansen Wheel & Wagon Shop https://www.hansenwheel.com . He offered restitution to both parties, but he sent Grattan to negotiate. The letter successfully allayed any fears that the party might have had regarding the Hastings cutoff. Sure, there are a lot of ways to go on the trail, but no one wants to be remembered like that (and he definitely wasn't the only one). The passengers were all old frontiersmen and were prepared for a desperate defense, anticipating a possible robbery attempt. From Walnut Creek to the mountains, no traveler was safe from attack by the dog soldiers, Often, a caravan started forth having the disguised George Bent as a guide, for his plans usually involved treachery. title role in this Wagon Train story. The tales of suffering, desperate fighting, and incredible endurance cling to every mile from the Little Blue River to the Laramie River. When they finally reached the end of the grueling desert five days later on September 4th, the emigrants rested near the base of Pilot Peak for several days. Crossing rivers were probably the most dangerous thing pioneers did. Along the way, William Russell resigned as the captain of the wagon train and the position was assumed by a man named William M. Boggs. Wagon Train is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957-1962), and then on ABC (1962-1965). Stanton and the two Indians who were traveling ahead made it as far as the summit but could go no further. Some things like using peppermint essence to calm an upset stomach actually worked (via Fort Morgan Times), but the problem was that it was only the women who knew these remedies. and brush to protect themselves from the harsh conditions. The wagon train party is now known as the Donner Party or the Donner-Reed Party. With over 100 men under him, he robbed ranches and attacked wagon trains, coaches, and army caravans. In April of that year occurred a terrible fight between the mail-stage and Indians on the Sweetwater River. As a protection for both lines, the Government later erected Fort Sedgwick on the South Fork of the Platte River. Reed soon found others seeking adventure and fortune in the vast West, including the Donner family, Graves, Breens, Murphys, Eddys, McCutcheons, Kesebergs, and the Wolfingers, as well as seven teamsters and a number of bachelors. . Passengers and employees had to crowd into the coach and use every effort to keep from freezing, and at the end, often found themselves minus mules with which to complete the journey. S8, Ep2. Road agents also became very much in evidence, and the robbery of stages was not uncommon. The Donner Party soon reached the junction with theCalifornia Trail, about seven miles west of present-day Elko, Nevada and spent the next two weeks traveling along the Humboldt River. On the Trail - The Akin Wagon Train - 1852. He found a camp of 15 people, including five dead who had been partially eaten by the starving living. The note indicated that Hastings had left with another group and that later travelers should follow and catch up. Tales and Trails of the American Frontier, Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Easy Travel Organization Tips You Will Love, Bidwell-Bartleson Party Blazing the California Trail. Also dumped? While the party camped near modern-day Henefer,Utah,James Reed, along with two other men forged ahead on horses to catch up with Hastings. The party lost dozens of cattle in the desert, and several wagons had to be abandoned. When he sees an opportunity at the bank, it leads to tragedy. The surviving members had differing viewpoints, biases and recollections so what actually happened was never extremely clear. Hastings had claimed that his route would shave more than 300 miles (480 km) from the journey to California. Cholera was the main scourge of the trail. There are many examples of bungling, bad decisions and charlatans who conned the settlers, but the tragedy that befell the Donner Party in 1846 outranks them all. 1. It was a west-bound Concord, containing a full complement of passengers, including a Mr. White, his wife, child, and colored nurse. Rumors started circulating that he was the first to dig into the not-so-scrumptious meal consisting of his fellow settlers, that he killed others for their meat, and that he preferred human meat to beef. With James and Margaret Reed were their four children, Virginia, Patty, James, and Thomas, as well as Margarets 70-year-old mother, Sarah Keyes, and two hired servants. The movement began in 1856 and continued until 1860. Leave late, and you'd be waiting on the shores of a river where people and animals had been doing their business for months and months, and yes, you were drinking that water, too. Newspapers printed letters and diaries and accused the travelers of bad conduct, cannibalism, and even murder. Passengers took their lives in their hands, and only the most daring and reckless men volunteered for the desperate service of driver or messenger. Mail coaches, freight caravans, ranches, and parties putting up hay were attacked simultaneously. Not a mile of prairie between the upper Missouri River and the Arkansas River was safe for a white traveler. The terrible summer storms sweeping the level Plains, or driving desert sand in clouds, would delay the weary travelers for days in the utmost discomfort. I use these web pages to make available the sources of information that I run across - wagon . Patriarch Henry Sager took ill by the time they reached the Rockies, and they buried him alongside Green River. George Bent had for father the famous Colonel William Bentof Bents Fort, but his mother was a Cheyenne woman. Edwin Bryant told the tale of a boy who had his leg crushed by a wagon wheel, and it was treated by a quack who tied some linen and a few planks around it. As the disillusionment of the party increased, tempers began to flare in the group. Finding the party at the south shore of the Great Salt Lake, Hastings accompanied Reed partway back to point out the new route, which he said would take them about one week to travel. They lived, met, married, and had a son you probably know of: Butch Cassidy. The boy died as they hacked off the leg with a butcher knife and a handsaw, and it wasn't a happy ending. Early contact between settlers and Native Americans was relatively peaceful, according to WyoHistory. Yet, even more, a summer hailstorm was to be dreaded, for nowhere else do such ice-chunks descend from the sky. It's an undeniable fact: the cycle of life doesn't stop for anyone or anything, and there were a surprising number of newborn babies traveling the trail. On August 11th, the wagon train began the arduous journey through the Wasatch Mountains, clearing trees and other obstructions along the new path of their journey. Cholera was the main scourge of the trail. Swollen rivers could tip over and drown both people and oxen. They were attacked on September 9, 1860, and 11 died in the two-day confrontation. The Mormon handcart pioneers were participants in the migration of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Salt Lake City, Utah, who used two-wheeled handcarts to transport their belongings. On April 17th, the relief party reached the camps to find only Louis Keseberg alive among the mutilated remains of his former companions. Realizing that the difficult journey through the mountains and the desert had depleted their supplies, two of the young men traveling with the party, William McCutcheon and Charles Stanton, were sent ahead to Sutters Fort, California to bring back supplies. In nine brand new wagons, the group estimated the trip would take four months to cross the plains, deserts, mountain ranges and rivers in their quest for California. They took full advantage of the opportunity and poured in the first volley, Greer being struck in the breast, his life saved by a suspender buckle. On the Trail - Asa McCully's 1853 Wagon Train. The families of brothers George and Jacob Donner and local businessman James Reed left Springfield on April 14, 1846. Between early September and late October 1860, 34 of the 44 would die, including Elijah and his entire family. The dragoons turned short about and again charged through and over their enemies, the fire being continuous. It was usually safer to keep rifles unloaded.and the third cause was stampeding livestock.Indians proved not to be any real danger to most pioneers. On the Trail - The Westward Movement. Children were especially susceptible to being run over by heavy wagons. However, many would linger in misery for weeks in the bouncy wagons. Another memorable raid was made all along the 200 miles between Julesburg, Colorado, and Liberty Farm, at the head of the Little Blue River in Nebraska, in August 1864. Ever feel like you have the worst luck on the planet? The Sioux came out on top during that skirmish, and Grattan's body was recovered riddled with arrows. At Fort Laramie, James Reed ran into an old friend fromIllinoisby the name of James Clyman, who had just traveled the new route eastwardly with Lansford Hastings. S8, Ep2. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Swollen rivers could tip over and drown both people and oxen. By late 1849 more than 100,000 people had come to California in search of gold near the streams and canyons where theDonner Partyhad suffered. They reached the Humboldt River on September 26th. Time was supposed to heal all wounds, he wrote, but that was B.S. The most important of these, situated in the very heart of this blood-stained territory, was Julesburg, Colorado. The first notable tragedy on the Santa Fe Trail connected to stage coaching occurred almost with the first effort to establish the line. It took two months and four relief parties to rescue the entire surviving Donner Party. In 1856, a series of poor harvests left the church with only a meager fund to . According to Brian Altonen, the settlers carried were standard medicines like castor oil, rum, peppermint essence, opium, and whiskey, because if you're dying, at least you wouldn't know it.