Statewide County CA Archives History - Books .....The Ill-Fated Donner Party 1891
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of Northern California

THE ILL-FATED DONNER PARTY.

  Three miles from Truckee, and resting in the green lap of the Sierras, lies
one of the loveliest sheets of water on the Pacific coast. Tall mountain peaks
are reflected in the clear water, revealing a picture of extreme loveliness and
quiet peace. Yet this peaceful scene was the amphitheater of the most tragic
event in the annals of early California. "The Donner Party" was organized in
Sangamon County, Illinois, by George and Jacob Donner and James F. Reed, in the
spring of 1846. In April, 1846, the party set out from Springfield, Illinois,
and by the first week in May had reached Independence, Missouri, where the party
was increased until the train numbered about two or three hundred wagons, the
Donner family numbering sixteen; the Reed family, seven; the Graves family,
twelve; the Murphy family, thirteen: these were the principal families of the
Donner party proper. At Independence provisions were laid in for the trip, and
the line of journey taken up. In the occasional glimpses we have of the party,
features of but little interest present themselves, beyond the ordinary
experiences of pioneer life. A letter from Mrs. George Donner, written near the
junction of the North and South Platte, dated June 16, 1846, reports a favorable
journey of 450 miles from Independence, Missouri, and with no forebodings of the
terrible disasters so soon to burst upon them. At Fort Laramie a portion of the
party celebrated the Fourth of July Thereafter the train passed unmolested, upon
its journey. George Donner was elected captain of the train at the Little Sandy
River, on the 20th of July, 1846, from which act it took the name of the "Donner
Party."

  At Fort Bridger, then a mere trading post, the fatal choice was made of the
route that led to such fearful disasters and tragic death. A new route, via Salt
Lake, known as Hastings' Cut-off, was recommended to the party as shortening the
distance by 300 miles. After due deliberation, the Donner party of eighty-seven
souls (three having died) were induced to separate from the larger portion of
the train (which afterward arrived in California safely), and commenced their
journey by way of Hastings' Cutoff. They reached Weber, near the bend of the
canon, in safety. From this point in their journey, to Salt Lake, almost
insurmountable difficulties were encountered, and instead of reaching Salt Lake
in one week, as anticipated, over thirty days of perilous journey were consumed
in making the trip—most precious time in view of the dangers imminent in the
rapidly approaching storms of winter. The story of their trials and sufferings,
in their journey to the fatal camp at Donner Lake, is terrible; nature, and
stern necessity seemed arrayed against them. On the 19th of October, near the
present site of Wadsworth, Nevada, the destitute company were happily
reprovisioned by C. T. Stanton; furnished with food and mules, together with two
Indian vaqueros, by Captain Sutter without recompensation.

  At the present site of Reno it was decided to rest. Three or four days' time
was lost. This was the fatal act. The storm-clouds were already brewing upon the
mountains, only a few miles distant. The ascent was ominous. Thick and thicker
grew the clouds, outstripping in threatening battalions the now eager feet of
the alarmed emigrants, until, at Prosser Creek, three miles below Truekee,
October 28, 1846, a month earlier than usual, the storm set in, and they found
themselves in six inches of newly-fallen snow. On the summit it was already from
two to five feet deep. The party, in much confusion, finally reached Donner
Lake, in disordered fragments. Frequent and desperate attempts were made to
cross the mountain tops, but at last, baffled and despairing, they returned to
camp at the lake. The storm now descended in all its pitiless fury upon the
ill-fated emigrants. Its dreadful import was well understood, as laden with
omens of suffering and death. With slight interruptions the storm continued for
several days. The animals were literally buried alive and frozen in the drifts.
Meat was hastily prepared from their frozen carcasses, and cabins rudely built.
One, the Schallenberger cabin, erected November, 1844, was already standing,
about a quarter of a mile below the lake. This the Breen family appropriated.
The Murphys erected one 300 yards from the lake, marked by a large stone twelve
feet high. The Graves family built theirs near Donner Creek, three-quarters of a
mile further down the stream, the three forming the apexes of a triangle; the
Breen and Murphy cabins were distant from each other about 150 yards. The Donner
brothers, with their families, hastily constructed a brush shed in Alder Creek
valley, six or seven miles from the lake. Their provisions were speedily
consumed, and starvation, with all its grim attendant horrors, stared the poor
emigrants in the face. Day by day, with aching hearts and paralyzed energies,
they awaited, amid the beating storms of the Sierras, the dreadful revelations
of the morrow, "hoping against hope" for some welcome sign. On the 16th of
December, 1846, a party of seventeen were enrolled to attempt the hazardous
journey across the mountains, to press into the valley beyond for relief. Two
returned and the remaining fifteen pressed on, including Mary Graves and her
sister; Mrs. Sarah Fosdick, and several other women, the heroic C. T. Stanton
and the noble F. W. Graves (who left his wife and seven children at the lakes to
wait in vain for his return) being the leaders. This was the "Forlorn Hope
Party," over whose dreadful sufferings and disasters we must throw a veil. A
detailed account of this party is given from the pen of C. F. McGlashan, and
lately published in book form from the press of Crowley & McGlashan, proprietors
of the Truckee Republican, to which we take pleasure in referring the reader.
Death in its most awful form reduced the suffering company to seven—two men and
five women—when suddenly tracks were discovered imprinted on the snow. "Can any
one imagine," says Mary Graves in her recital, "the joy these footsteps gave us?
We ran as fast as our strength would carry us." Turning a sharp point they
suddenly came upon an Indian rancheria. The acorn-bread offered them by the kind
and awe-stricken savages was eagerly devoured. But on they pressed with their
Indian guides, only to repeat their dreadful sufferings, until at last, one
evening about the last of January, Mr. Eddy, with his Indian guide, preceding
the party fifteen miles, reached Johnson's ranch on Bear River, the first
settlement on the western slope of the Sierras, when relief was sent back as
soon as possible, and the remaining six survivors were brought in the next day.
It had been thirty-two days since they left Donner Lake. No tongue can tell, no
pen portray, the awful sufferings, the terrible and appalling straits, as well
as the noble deeds of heroism that characterized this march of death. The
eternal mountains, whose granite face bore witness to their sufferings, are fit
monuments to make the last resting place of Charles T. Stanton, that cultured,
heroic soul, who groped his way through the blinding snows of the Sierras to
immortality. The divine encomium: "He gave His life as a ranson for many," is
his epitaph, foreshadawed in his own noble words, "I will bring aid to these
famishing people or lay down my life."

  Nothing could be done, in the meantime, for the relief of the sufferers at
Donner Lake, without securing help from Fort Sutter, which was speedily
accomplished by John Rhodes. In a week, six men, fully provisioned, with Captain
Reasin P. Tucker at their head, reached Johnson's ranch, and in ten or twelve
days' time, with provisions, mules, etc., the first relief party started for the
scene at Donner Lake. It was a fearful undertaking, but on the morning of the
19th of February, 1847, the above party began the descent of the gorge leading
to Donner Lake.

  We have purposely thrown a veil over the dreadful sufferings of the stricken
band left in their wretched hovels at Donner Lake. Reduced to the verge of
starvation, many died (including numerous children, seven of whom were nursing
babes) who, in this dreadful state of necessity, were summarily disposed of.
Rawhides, moccasins, strings, etc., were eaten. But relief was now close at hand
for the poor, stricken sufferers. On the evening of the 19th of February, 1847,
the stillness of death that had settled upon the scene was broken by prolonged
shouts. In an instant the painfully sensitive ears of the despairing watchers
caught the welcome sound. Captain Tucker, with his relief party, had at last
arrived upon the scene. Every face was bathed in tears, and the strongest men of
the relief party melted at the appalling eight, sat down and wept with the rest.

  But time was precious, as storms were imminent. The return party was quickly
gathered. Twenty-three members started, among them several women and children.
Of this number two were compelled to return and three perished on the journey.
Many hardships and privations were experienced, and their provisions were soon
entirely exhausted. Death once more stared them in the face, and despair settled
upon them. But assistance was near at hand. James F. Reed, who had preceded the
Donner party by some months, suddenly appeared with the second relief party, on
the 25th. The joy of the meeting was indescribable, especially between the
family and the long absent father. Re-provisioned, the party pressed on and
gained their destination after severe suffering, with eighteen members, only
three having perished. Reed continued his journey to the cabins at Donner Lake.
There the scene was simply indescribable; starvation and disease were fast
claiming their victims. March 1, Reed and his party arrived at the camp.
Proceeding directly to his cabin, he was espied by his little daughter (who,
with her sister, was carried back by the previous party) and immediately
recognized with a cry of joy. Provisions were carefully dealt out to the
famishing people and immediate steps were taken for their return. Seventeen
comprised this party. Half starved and completely exhausted they were compelled
to camp in the midst of the furious storm, in which Mr. Heed barely escaped with
his life. This was "Starved Camp," and from this point Mr. Reed, with his two
little children and another person, struggled ahead to obtain hasty relief if
possible.

  On the second day after leaving Starved Camp Mr. Reed and the three companies
were overtaken by Cady and Stone, and on the night of the third day reached
Woodworth's camp at Bear Valley, in safety. The horrors of Starved Camp beggar
all description,—indeed require none. The third relief party, composed of John
Stark, Howard Oakley and Charles Stone, were nearing the rescue, while W. H.
Foster and W. H. Eddy (rescued by a former party) were bent on the same mission.
These, with Hiram Miller, set out from Woodworth's camp on the following morning
after Reed's arrival. The eleven were duly reached, but were in a starving
condition, and nine of the eleven were unable to walk. By the noble resolution
and herculean efforts of Mr. Stark, a part of the number were borne and urged
onward to their destination, while the other portion were compelled to remain
and await another relief party. When the third relief party, under Foster and
Eddy, arrived at Donner Lake, the sole survivors of Alder Creek were George
Donner, the captain of the company and his heroic and faithful wife, whose
devotion to her dying husband caused her own death during the last and fearful
days of waiting for the fourth relief. George Donner knew he was dying, and
urged his wife to save her life and go with her little ones with the third
relief party, but she refused. Nothing was more heart-rending than her sad
parting with her beloved little ones, who wound their childish arms lovingly
around her neck and besought her with mingled tears and kisses to join them. But
duty prevailed over affection and she retraced the weary distance to die with
him whom she had promised to love and honor to the end. Such scenes of anguish
are seldom witnessed on this sorrowing earth, and such acts of triumphant
devotion are among her most golden deeds. The snowy cerements of Donner Lake
enshrouded in its stilly whiteness no purer life, no nobler heart than Mrs.
George Donner's. The terrible recitals that closed this awful tragedy we
willingly omit.

  The third relief party rescued four of the last five survivors; the fourth and
last relief party rescued the last survivor, Lewis Keseberg, on the 7th of
April, 1847. Ninety names are given as members of the Donner party. Of these,
forty-two perished, six did not live to reach the mountains, and forty-eight
survived, some of whom are still living.

  Thus ends this narrative of horrors, without a parallel in the annals of
American history of appalling disasters, fearful sufferings, heroic fortitudes,
self-denial and heroism.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.


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