Yuba-Sutter County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter 2 Tragedy Of The Sierras 1924
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Book Title: History Of Yuba And Sutter Counties

CHAPTER II 

THE "TRAGEDY OF THE SIERRAS" 

    A history of Yuba County without a chapter on the Donner Party, the "Tragedy
of the Sierras," would be incomplete, as a number of the survivors of that awful
experience were among the early settlers of this section. 

    William G. Murphy, member of the Yuba County bar in the earlier days of
Marysville, and father of the present assistant postmaster of the city, was one
of the survivors of the Donner Party who located here. In the family with Murphy
were his mother and six children. C. G. McGlashan, in his history of the Donner
Party, says Murphy described to him how the party at Donner Lake gathered up the
old castaway bones of the cattle — bones from which all the flesh had been
previously picked — and then boiled, and boiled, and boiled them until they
actually would crumble between the teeth as they ate them. The little children
playing upon the fire rug, in his mother's cabin used to cut up little pieces of
the rug, toast them crip upon the coals, and then eat them. In this manner,
before any one was fairly aware of the fact, the fire rug was entirely consumed.

    Murphy saw the hides that had served over the cabins in lieu of shingles
taken down and eaten. The green rawhides were cut into strips and laid upon the
coals, or held in the flames, until the hair was completely singed off. Either
side of the piece of hide was then scraped with a knife until completely
cleansed, placed in a kettle, and boiled until soft and pulpy. There was no salt
and only a little pepper, and yet this unsavory substance was all that stood
between them and starvation. When cold, the boiled hides and the water in which
they were cooked became jellied and exactly resembled glue. The tender stomachs
of many of the children revolted at this disagreeable diet, and the loathing
they felt at sight of this substance persisted for a long time in the minds of
the survivors. 

T    he terrible experiences of the Donner Party are given in Tuthill's History
of California, from which we quote: 

    "Of the overland emigration to California in 1846 about eighty wagons took a
new route, from Fort Bridger around the south end of Great Salt Lake. The
pioneers of the party arrived in good season over the mountains, but Mr. Reeves'
and Mr. Donner's companies opened a new route through the desert, lost a month's
time by their explorations, and reached the foot of the "Truckee Pass" in the
Sierras on October 31st instead of the first as intended. The snow began to fall
two or three weeks earlier than usual that year, and was already so piled up in
the pass that they could not proceed. They attempted it repeatedly but were as
often forced to return. One party built their cabin near Truckee (afterward
Donner) Lake, killed their cattle and went into winter quarters. The other
(Donner's party) still believed they could tread the pass, and so failed to
build their cabins before more snow came and buried their cattle alive. Of
course they were soon destitute of food, for they could not tell where the
cattle were buried and there was no hope of game on a desert so piled with snow
that nothing without wings could move. The number of those who were thus
storm-stayed at the very threshold of a land whose winters are one long spring,
was eighty, of whom thirty were women and children. The Mr. Donner who had
charge of one company was a native of Illinois, sixty years of age, and a man of
high respectability and abundant means. His wife was a woman of education and
refinement, and much younger than he. 

    "During November it snowed fifteen days; during December and January, eight
days each. Much of this time the props of the cabins were below the snow level.
It was six weeks after the halt was made that a party of fifteen, including five
women and two Indians, who acted as guides, set out on snowshoes to cross the
mountains and give notice to the people of California settlements of the
condition of their friends. At first the snow was so light and feathery that
even with snowshoes they sank nearly a foot at every step. On the second day
they crossed the 'divide,' finding the snow at the summit twelve feet deep.
Pushing forward with the courage of despair they made from four to eight miles a
day. 

    "Within a week they were entirely out of provisions, and three of them,
succumbing to cold, weariness and starvation, had died. Then a heavy snowstorm
came on, which compelled them to lie still, buried 'neath their blankets under
the snow for thirty-six hours. By evening of the tenth day three more had died,
and the living had been four days without food. The horrid alternative was
accepted — they took flesh from the bones of their dead, remained in camp two
days to dry it, and then pushed on. 

    "On New-year's Day, the sixteenth day since leaving Truckee Lake, they were
toiling up a steep mountain. Their feet were frozen. Every step was marked with
blood. On the second of January their food again gave out. On the third day they
had nothing to eat but the strings of their snowshoes. On the fourth the Indians
deserted, suspicious that they might be sacrificed for food. On the fifth one of
the party shot a deer, and that day there was another death. Soon after, three
others died, and every death served to prolong the existence of the survivors.
On the seventh all but one gave out, concluding that their wanderings were
useless. This one, guided by two friendly Indians, dragged himself on until he
reached a settlement on Bear River. By midnight the settlers had found and were
treating with all Christian kindness what remained of the little company that
after a month of most terrible sufferings, had halted to die. 

    "The story that there were emigrants perishing on the other side of the
snowy barrier ran swiftly down the Sacramento Valley to New Helvetia, and
Captain Sutter, at his own expense, fitted out an expedition of men and of mules
laden with provisions, to cross the mountains and relieve them. The story ran to
San Francisco; and the people, rallying in public meeting, raised $1500 and with
it fitted out another expedition. The naval commandant of the port fitted out
others. 

    "The first of the relief parties reached Truckee Lake on the 19th of
February. Ten of the people in the nearest camp were dead. For four days those
still alive had fed on bullocks' hides. At Donner's camp but one hide remained.
The visitors left a small supply of provisions with the twenty-nine whom they
could not take with them and started back with the remainder. Four of the
children they carried on their backs. 

    "Another of the relief parties reached the lake about the first of March.
They at once started back with seventeen of the sufferers; but a heavy snowstorm
overtaking them, they left all, except three of the children, on the road.
Another party went after those left on the way, found three of them dead and the
rest sustaining life by eating the flesh of the dead. 

    "The last relief party reached Donner's camp late in April, when the snows
had melted so much that the earth appeared in spots. The main cabin was empty,
but some miles distant they found the last survivor of all lying on the cabin
floor smoking a pipe. He was ferocious in aspect, savage and repulsive in
manner. His camp kettle was over the fire, and in it his meal of human flesh
preparing. The stripped bones of his fellow sufferers lay around him. He refused
to return with the party, and only consented when he saw there was no escape.
Mrs. Jacob Donner was the last to die. Her husband's body was found at his tent.
Circumstances led to the suspicion that the survivor had killed Mrs. Donner for
the flesh and money, and when he was threatened with hanging he produced $500,
which he had probably appropriated from her store." 

    Many books have been written on the subject, no two giving precisely the
same facts. One of the most interesting accounts is that of James F. Reed, who
for years was one of the prominent and reputable citizens of San Jose. 
He left Springfield, Ill., in the middle of 1846 and was accompanied by George
and Jacob Donner and their families. George Donner was elected captain. At Fort
Bridger, William McCutcheon, wife and family joined the party. Leaving the fort,
they unfortunately took a new route, and had many vicissitudes, not the least
being the loss of cattle. Other would-be settlers joined them before they
reached California. The narrative now continues in Mr. Reed's own words: 

    "After crossing the desert, it became known that some families had not
enough provisions to carry them through. As a member of the company, I advised
them to make an estimate of the provisions on hand and what amount each family
would need. After receiving the estimate, I then suggested that if two gentlemen
of the company would volunteer to go in advance to Sutter's Fort near
Sacramento, I would write a letter to the Captain for the whole amount of
provisions wanted, also stating that I would become personally responsible to
him for the amount. I thought, from the generous character of Captain Sutter,
that provisions would be sent. Mr. McCutcheon came forward and said that if they
would take care of his family he would go. This the company agreed to. Mr.
Stanton, a single man, volunteered to go with McCutcheon if they would furnish
him with a horse. McCutcheon, having 
a horse and mule, generously gave the mule. Taking blankets and provisions, the
two men started to California. After their leaving us we traveled for weeks,
none of us knowing how far we were from California, and soon all became anxious
to know what had become of McCutcheon and Stanton. It was now suggested that I
go in advance to California and hurry up the supplies. This was agreed to and I
started, taking with me three days' provisions, expecting to kill game on the
way. The Messrs. Donner were two days in advance of the party when I overtook
them. With George Donner there was a young man named Walter Herren, who joined
me. With all the economy I could use, our provisions gave out in a few days; so
I supplied our wants by shooting wild geese and other game. 

    "The day after I was joined by Herren I proposed, as I had the only horse,
that he should ride half the time. The proposition was joyfully accepted. Soon
no game was to be seen, hunger began to be felt, and for days we traveled
without hope or help. We reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I believed I could
have made a stop here, hunted and found game. But as this would have delayed our
progress and success might not have rewarded my hunting efforts, I kept on. The
second day before we found relief, Herren wanted to kill the horse. I persuaded
him from the deed, promising that if relief did not come soon I would kill the
horse myself  Soon afterward he became, delirious. That afternoon I found a bean
and gave it to him, and then never was a road examined more closely than this
one. We found in all five-beans. Herren's share was three of them. We camped
that night in a patch of grass a short distance off the road. Next morning,
after traveling a few miles, we saw some deserted wagons. 

    "We soon reached and ransacked the wagons, hoping to find something to eat,
but found nothing. Taking the tar bucket that was hanging under one of the
wagons, I scraped the tar off and found a streak of rancid tallow at the bottom.
I remember well that when I announced what I had found, Herren, who was sitting
on a rock near by, got up hallooing with all the strength he had and came to me.
I handed the tar paddle to him. It had on it some of the tallow about the size
of a walnut. This he swallowed without giving it a smell. I then took a piece
myself, but it was very repulsive. Herren craved more and I gave him another
piece. Still wanting more, I positively refused, stating that it would kill him.
After leaving the wagons, probably fifty yards, I became deadly sick and blind.
In resting myself against a rock I leaned my head on the muzzle of my gun.
Herren, seeing my condition, came to me and said, 'My God, Mr. Reed, are you
dying?' After resting a few minutes I recovered, much to his joy. 

    "The wagons were within a short distance of the steep hill going down into
Bear Valley. After descending the first steep pitch, I discovered wagons in the
valley below us. 'Herren,' said I, 'there are wagons in the valley.' When he saw
them he gave vent to his joy, hallooing at the top of his voice; but on account
of weakness he could not have been heard ten rods off. On reaching the wagons we
found several families of emigrants, who supplied us with bread. I here met Mr.
Stanton with two Indians, on his return to the company with provisions supplied
by Captain Sutter. Next morning they started for the company and I went on to
Sutter's Fort." 

    At the fort, Reed found McCutcheon, who had been prevented by illness from
accompanying Stanton. Captain Sutter furnished horses and saddles with which to
bring the women and children out of the mountains. The expedition failed on
account of the snow, which at some points was eighteen feet deep. The party
returned for more help, but unfortunately the Mexican War was on and every
able-bodied man was away. At Captain Sutter's suggestion Mr. Reed went to San
Francisco to see if he could not procure help there. He was compelled to make
the journey by land and reached San Jose when it was in a state of siege.
Arrived at San Francisco, a public meeting was held and relief parties fitted
out. Mr. Reed, with Mr. McCutcheon, accompanied the first of these, which went
by the river. On the route he met his wife and children rescued by a relief
party that had gone ahead of them. He only stopped a few minutes for greetings
and then pushed on to the relief of the other sufferers, whom they reached about
the middle of the next day. The first camp was that of Mr. Breen. Mr. Reed says: 

    "If we left any provisions here it was a small amount, he and his family not
being in want. We then proceeded to the camp of Mrs. Murphy, where Kessburg and
some children were. Here we left provisions and one of our company to cook for
and attend to them. From here we visited the camp of Mrs. Graves, some distance
further east. A number of the relief party remained here, while Messrs. Miller,
McCutcheon, another, and myself proceeded to the Donner camp. We found Mrs.
Jacob Donner in a feeble condition. She died after we left. Her husband had died
early in the winter. We removed the tent and placed it in a more comfortable
position. I then visited the tent of George Donner, close by, and found him and
his wife. He was helpless. Their children and two of Jacob's had come out with
the party that went ahead of us. I requested Mrs. Donner to come with us,
stating that I would leave a man to take care of both George Donner and Mrs.
Jacob Donner. She positively refused, declaring that she would not leave her
husband in his enfeebled condition. 

    "We took the remaining three children of Jacob Donner, leaving a man to take
care of the two camps. Leaving all the provisions we could spare. and expecting
a party from Sutter's Fort would be in in a few days, we returned to the camp of
Mrs. Graves. Notice was given in all the camps that we would start on our return
to Sutter's early next day. About the middle of the day we started, taking with
us all who were able to travel." 

    The relief party that came after Mr. Reed, did not reach the sufferers as
soon as expected and disasters occurred in consequence. The full details of the
sufferings of the unfortunate party would fill a book. Each of the relief
parties, especially that conducted by Mr. Reed, endured sufferings equal to
those experienced by the unfortunates in the winter camp. History has no
parallel to the heroism displayed by these people in their efforts to rescue
suffering relatives and friends. 


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF YUBA and SUTTER COUNTIES 
CALIFORNIA 
WITH 
Biographical Sketches OF 
The Leading Men and Women of the Counties Who Have Been Identified with Their
Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present 

HISTORY BY 
PETER J. DELAY 

ILLUSTRATED 
COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME 

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1924


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