in 1846 a group of families set out for California in search of a better life however their Journey took a tragic turn as they encountered brutal weather conditions dwindling supplies and unimaginable hardships along the way forced to resort to Extreme Measures for survival including cannibalism the Doner party's ordeal became a symbol of resilience and Desperation in the face of diversity despite the Grim circumstances this wild Western tale has captivated Generations serving is both a cautionary tale and a reminder of the enduring human will to survive no matter what join us as we explore the untold details and the lasting Legacy of this Unforgettable chapter in American frontier history this is the real story of the onor [Music] party in the 1840s many people from the Eastern United States decided to move to the Oregon Territory or California these places were hard to reach requiring either a very long boat trip or a tough journey across the American wilderness some like Patrick Breen wanted to live in a place where everyone shared their Catholic beliefs others were drawn by the chance to make money out west or by the idea that it was their Destiny As Americans to settle the land between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans most people traveled in groups known as wagon trains starting in Independence Missouri they traveled about 15 M A Day taking 4 to 6 months to reach their destination the route follow follow rivers to a pass in the Rocky Mountains called South pass which was easier for wagons to cross after that they had different ways to go one man named Lansford Hastings wrote a book called the immigrants guy to Oregon in California to help people go west he suggested a faster way through the Great Basin even though it was longer he hadn't even tried this route himself until in 1846 when he went from California to Fort Bridger in Wyoming he stayed at the Fort to convince others to take his shortcut one of the hardest parts of the journey was the last 100 miles across the Sierra Nevada mountains these mountains have many Peaks over 12,000 ft high and they get a lot of snow the Eastern side of the mountains is very steep timing was crucial for travelers to avoid getting stuck in mud or snow drifts they also needed to make sure that there was enough grass for their animals to eat George Donner originally from North Carolina moved gradually Westward to Kentucky Indiana and Illinois with a short stay in Texas by early 1846 he was around 60 years old and lived near Springfield Illinois his family included his 44-year-old wife tamson their three daughters Francis Georgia and Eliza as well as Georgia's daughters from a previous marriage eltha and lyanna George's younger brother Jacob aged 56 also joined the group with his wife Elizabeth stepsons Solomon and William hook and five children George Mary Isaac Lewis and Samuel they were accompanied by Teamsters ham o Miller Samuel Shoemaker Noah James Charles Burger John Denton and Augustus Spitzer James F Reed who migrated from Ireland to Illinois during childhood was 45 years old at the time his family included his wife Margaret stepdaughter Virginia daughter Martha Jane or Patty as she was better known Sons James and Thomas and Margaret's mother sarak kees who was very ill with tuberculosis Reed hoped California's climate would benefit Margaret's Health who was perpetually ill herself the Reeds hired three men to drive the ox teams Milford Milt Elliot James Smith and Walter Heron bis Williams also joined as a handyman with his sister Eliza serving as the family's cook although both the Reeds and the doners were known in their Community it's uncertain how well they knew each other Virginia Reed later mentioned that she had never met the Donner children before their Journey the Elders of the Reed and Donner Clan didn't share much in common regarding age background occupation or personality their decision to travel together might have been due to convenience rather than a deep friendship interestingly neither the doners nor the reads mentioned each other and their letters home in total there were 34 people at the start of the journey each family had three covered wagons and they hired Teamsters to drive the oxen that pulled them along with some other helpers their first destination was Independence where the Oregon Trail started the distance from Springfield to Independence was about 250 Mi or 400 km they planed to begin their Journey after the spring rains had stopped and there was enough grass for their animals to eat they wanted to arrive before snowfall blocked the sier Nevada mountains on April 15th 1846 the slow descent towards hell on Earth and folded from Springfield Illinois in May 1846 nine covered wagons started the plotting Trek from Springfield Illinois heading towards Independence Missouri on May 10th the Donner and Reed families reached Independence where they spent 2 days getting ready for their trip they bought extra supplies here for their long journey to California and on May 12th they set off from Independence about a week after their second departure on May 19th the Reeds and doners joined a group of 50 Wagons at Indian Creek roughly 100 Mil west of Independence this group was led by Colonel William Henry Russell on May 27th the Russell train was stopped by high water at the East Bank of the big blue River and what is now Kansas The Travelers built a raft to Ferry their wagons across on May 29th while the group was camped Mrs Reed's mother sarak kees passed away due to the advanced tuberculosis she was buried nearby with a memorial Rock marking her grave on May 31st the last of the wagons were fied across the river during the delay at the Big Blue River the Murphy family from Tennessee joined the The Wagon Train Lavina Murphy a widow led her family of 13 including her youngest five children John Landrum Mary and Mary lamel William and Simon Lina's two married daughters and their families also joined Sarah Murphy Foster her husband William M and Son Jeremiah George and Harriet Murphy Pike her husband William M and their daughters Naomi and Catherine other families joined the Wagon Train along the way William H Eddie a carriage maker from Illinois brought his wife Elanor and their two children James and Margaret the Breen family led by Patrick a farmer from Iowa included his wife Margaret Peggy and seven children Patrick Dolan a bachelor traveled with them German immigrant LS kber along with his wife Elizabeth Philippine and daughter a also joined their son Lewis Jr was born on the trail two single men named Spitzer and Reinhardt traveled with another German couple the wolf fingers who were rumored to be wealthy they also had a hired driver Dutch Charlie Berger an older man named hard coup rode with them too by June 16th the group had covered 450 Mi of their Journey with another 200 M left to reach fort laramy they faced delays due to rain and a rising River but tamson Donner wrote that they were currently at the Platt River about 200 miles away from Fort laramy in present day Wyoming she mentioned to a friend in Springfield that the journey had been smoother than expected so far saying if things don't get worse than they have been I'll say the hardest part is behind us young Virginia Reed remembered years later that she felt perfectly happy during the early part of the trip on June 18th Colonel William Russell stepped down as the leader of the Wagon Train because he along with Edwin Bryant and others decided to swap their wagons and oxen for mules to speed up their Journey they headed to Fort laramy to make this exchange on June 27th the group The doners and Reeds were traveling alongside now known as the bogs company after its leader Lilburn W bogs reached Fort laramy James Reed met James kimman an experienced Mountaineer who had just arrived from California with Lansford Hastings using his new route that would later be called Hastings cutof kimman advised The Travelers to avoid Hastings cut off and stick to the regular route instead in July 1846 pivotal events unfolded for the Donner Party as they embarked on their Journey Westward the bogs company marked Independence Day at Beaver Creek while another family the graves fell behind at Fort laramy this was a momentous occasion filled with patriotic sentiment as they celebrated their nation's Independence amidst the vast expanse of the American wilderness as the bogs company journeyed on they reached Independence rock on July 11th a notable Landmark along their route here they encountered Wales B Bonnie who delivered letter from Lansford Hastings promoting his newly proposed route Hastings cut off Hastings warned of potential challenges in California and advocated for larger groups for safety he claimed to have discovered a shorter path via Fort Bridger south of the Great Salt Lake continuing their Trek the company crossed the Continental Divide on July 18th marking a significant milestone in their journey by this point they had traversed first 1,000 M with over 1,000 Mi still ahead their progress was both remarkable and daunting highlighting the immense distance they still had to cover at the Little Sandy River on July 19th The Travelers faced a crucial decision some opted to follow Hastings route forming what would later become known as the Doner party under the leadership of George Donner meanwhile others chose to stick to the established Trail via Fort Hall this decision would shape their fate in unforeseen ways setting them on Divergent paths toward their Shar destination while the group deliberated journalist Edwin Bryan cautioned against Hastings cutoff citing concerns about its feasibility for wagons however his warnings went unheeded allegedly concealed by Jim Bridger who had vested interests in promoting the shortcut for personal gain despite the advice of those who had traveled the route including warnings from Brian and others the Allure of a potentially easier Journey via Hastings cutof proved too enticing for some members of the party ultimately on July 31st 1846 the Darner party departed from Black's Fort joined by the McCutchen family and John Baptist Trudeau James Reed reported that Hastings cutoff was believed to save Travelers around 300 50 to 400 mil compared to the longer path despite concerns from others about this route Mr Bridger assured Reed that it was a good flat road with plenty of water and grass they estimated it would take about 700 miles to reach Captain Sutter's Fort in California and they H to arrive within 7 weeks upon reaching the fort the immigrants welcomed some new members increasing their group to 74 people with their numbers bolstered the Donner Party departed from Fort Bridger and set out on Hastings cut off now 11 days behind the leading group embarking on a perilous journey into the unknown the decisions made during this critical period would come to Define their arduous and tragic Expedition Westward from August 1st to August 5th the Donner Party initially made promising progress efficiently following the tracks left by the group led by Hastings however when they veered Southward to embark on Hastings cutoff they encountered terrain significantly more rugged and treacherous than anticipated the landscape proved to be a formidable obstacle with steep inclines forcing wagon drivers to resort to Desperate Measures such as locking their Wagon Wheels to prevent dangerous accidents unlike the well-defined and established Oregon Trail Hastings cutof presented a more challenging and less defined path making navigation considerably more difficult for the party despite the assurances from Hastings the reality of the terrain was much harsher the party found themselves traversing through Unforgiven Canon ions and facing numerous obstacles such as Boulders blocking their path and dangerously steep descents this made it apparent that Hastings cut off was not the straightforward and manageable route that they had been led to believe Hastings had left written instructions and messages attached to trees along the trail intended to guide and assist Travelers however on August 6th the party stumbled upon a letter from Hastings at advising them to Halt their progress until he could personally lead them through the alternate route different from the one taken by the Harland young party this unexpected development forced the party to reassess their situation and consider their options for the journey ahead James Reed Charles T Stanton and William Pike ventured ahead in search of Hastings to seek further guidance however their Journey was fraught with challenges as well as they encountered impassible canyons and obstacles that hindered their progress despite Hastings initial offer to guide them through the difficult terrain he provided only partial assistance before turning back leaving the party to navigate the rugged landscape on their own meanwhile the graves family who had embarked on a mission to locate the Donner Party eventually caught up with them their arrival swelled the ranks of the party to 8 7 members traveling in 60 to 80 wagons back at the main party Reed blazed a trail to lead them back with the company opting to follow his route instead of retracing their steps to Fort Bridger however progress was slow with the party advancing at a rate of only about 1 1/2 miles per day the men toiled tirelessly clearing brush felling trees and removing rocks to make way for the wagons as they pressed forward through the rugged terrain by August 20th the party reached a vantage point in the mountains offering a breathtaking view of the vast expanse of the Great Salt Lake below 2 days later on August 22nd they descended into Salt Lake Valley via Immigration Canyon having followed the route provided by East Canyon from the Weber River despite their continued progress they still faced a daunting journey ahead with approximately 6 miles remaining and only a month of Summer left as the days wore on tensions within the group began to mount Stanton and Pike having accompanied Reed on his journey became lost on the return to the group nearly resorting to consuming their horses before eventually being reunited with the party tragically on August 25th Luke howan succumbed to tuberculosis himself making a solemn moment for The Travelers his burial served as a somber reminder of the harsh realities of their journey and the tollet was taking on their group as they pressed onward the party encountered further challenges including a two-day journey through Barren and inhospitable terrain as warned by Hastings they prepared as best they could Gathering water and grass before embarking on the arduous trk however the harsh conditions proved relentless with scorching temperatures during the day and freezing temperatures at night taking a toll on both The Travelers and their resources by August 30th the party found themselves facing the most grueling leg of their Journey yet traversing a 1,000 ft Mountain they emerged to confront a vast desolate Salt Flat stretching out before them the landscape was unforgiving with the parched Earth and scorching Sun presenting formidable challenges the moisture trapped beneath the salt crust seeped upward transforming the ground into a sticky adhesive Mass despite their best efforts the party's water supply dwindled rapidly forcing some members to venture ahead on foot and search of additional Water Resources the days that followed were fraught with hardship and despair as the party struggled to navigate the unforgiving terrain some of the animals weakened by exhaustion and thirst were left behind While others bolted in a frantic bid for survival ultimately the journey across the Great Salt Lake Desert proved to be a harrowing ordeal lasting 6 days instead of the anticipated two by September 88th The Travelers completed a challenging 5-day journey across the 80 mile desert which was initially believed to be a half its actual width according to Hastings disillusioned by the difficult Trek none of the part members trusted Hastings cut off anymore upon reaching the springs on the other side they took time to recuperate however their losses were significant 36 cattle were lost with half belonging to Reed and four wagons had to be abandoned the following week was spent at the base of pilot Peak recovering from their ordeal searching for lost cattle retrieving abandoned wagons and redistributing their remaining supplies among the surviving wagons Reed's family suffered the most substantial losses prompting Reed to take a more assertive role he requested that all families provide an inventory of their possessions and food Reed proposed sending two men Charles Stanton and William McCutchen to Sutter's Fort in California as he had heard of suter's generosity towards stranded Travelers hoping they could acquire additional provisions with their livestock exhausted the remaining serviceable wagons were pulled by mixed teams of cows oxen and mules by mid-september Scouts reported that another 40 m of desert lie ahead despite their worn out cattle and lean oxen the Donner Party managed to cross the subsequent Desert stretch relatively unharmed progress seemed smoother especially as they traversed the valley near the Ruby mountains although though they harbored resentment towards Hastings they had no alternative but to follow his outdated tracks on September 26th 2 months after initially taking Hastings cut off the party rejoined the traditional Trail alongside a stream known as the Humbolt River interestingly this standard Trail turned out to be 125 M shorter than Hastings cut off indicating that the shortcut had actually delayed their journey by about a month while traveling along the humbo river the group encountered pyute Native Americans some of whom temporarily join them however these encounters were not without trouble as some piutes allegedly stole or shot several oxen and horses there were even suspicions that one of Mr grav shirts went missing one night likely taken by the puds by mid- October the Doner families decided to split up in hopes of making faster progress on October 5th tensions escalated when the teams led by Reed and Graves got tangled while struggling up a Sandy Hill at Iron Point Nevada a heated altercation ensued between Milt Elliott Reed's Teamster and JN Snyder who is driving the graves wagon Reed intervened with his knife to separate the teams but Snyder struck him on the head with his whip handle causing a severe injury in a desperate Act of self-defense Reed fatally stabbed Snider under the collar bone that evening the witnesses convened to decide the course of action with American laws not applicable in Mexican territory where they were at the time wagon trains often administered their own Justice George Donner the group's leader was a day ahead with his family leaving the main decision to the group although some believed Snyder had provoked Reed by hitting him opinions were divided leis kber proposed hanging Reed but a compromise was reached allowing Reed to leave the camp alone the next morning while his family remained under the care of the others however Reed's stepdaughter secretly provided him with a rifle and food before his departure on October 6th Reed set out Westward and caught up with the doners the following day one of Reed's Teamsters Walter Haron opted to accompany him to California aware of the dwindling time the immigrants hastened their Journey along the humbo river the challenges endured by the Donner Party led to fragmented groups each focused on self-preservation and wary of the others grass became scarce and the Animals weakened steadily prompting everyone to walk to lighten the load kber forced hard coup to walk resulting in severe foot injuries and he disappeared shortly thereafter despite pleas to search for him the others refused Native Americans raided Graves horses and more cattle were lost due to scarcity of grass and pyute raids nearly 100 oxen and cattle were lost and Food Supplies were nearly depleted the hardships continued as the party reunited with the doners another wagon was abandoned and the Eddies lost their oxen to Native American attacks forcing them to abandon their wagons and walk with rations exhausted they endured thirst and hunger Margaret Reed and her children also lost their wagon however their ordeal in the desert eventually Ended as they reached the trucky River in Lush surroundings as winter approached urgency gripped the company to cross the the Sierra Nevada before snowfall Stanton returned with mules and food from suter's Fort with Native American guides providing a glimmer of hope despite their bedraggled state Reed and Heron had made it to safety and despite the hardships the party persisted with the worst seemingly behind them as they faced the daunting Sierra Nevada Crossing facing the daunting Prospect of Crossing mountains even more challenging than the wasach range the Donner Party had to weigh their options push forward or give their cattle a rest it was late October and they had been assured that the pass now named Donner Pass wouldn't be blocked by snow until mid November on October 28th James Reed reached Sutter for shortly after tragedy struck when William Foster accidentally shot his brother-in-law William Pike during a negligent handling of a loaded gun Pike passed away and as he was laid to rest in trucky Canyon snow began to fall meanwhile Reed and McCutchen after acquiring horses and supplies from Suter ventured back into the mountains to reunite with their families however they encountered deep snow and were forced to stash the provisions before returning to the Fort to await another chance meanwhile the main group resumed their Journey with families progressing One By One The breens led the way followed by the kerg Stan with the Reeds Graves and Murphy's while the doners lagged behind however an axle on one of the Doner wagons broke leading George and Jacob Donner to fashional replacement in the woods unfortunately George injured his hand during the process slowing their progress further as November approached Patrick Breen described their struggle pushing forward as fast as their exhausted cattle could manage they've reached the foot of the main Ridge near trucky Lake despite clear weather a halo around the Moon hinted at an impending storm spending the night by the lake they awoke to find the summit already blanketed in 5 ft of snow though Stanton and a Native American guide reached the pass they were forced to turn back due to exhaustion the rest of the group retreated to the Eastern end of the lake as a fierce storm enveloped them defeated for the time being they retreated to trucky Lake just 150 mi from suter's Fort the brein and along with a few others attempted the Steep ascent to trucky Lake camping near a cabin built by earlier Travelers the Eddies and kbgs joined them but encountered impassible snow drifts forcing a retreat to trucky Lake meanwhile the Donner families delayed by the accident were still several miles behind with winter closing in the families prepared for the Long Haul at trucky Lake they took shelter in rough cabins patched with whatever materials they could find and endured leaky roofs and the lack of basic amenities the winter population of 60 included men women and children living in makeshift cabins or tents despite their efforts they faced a harsh reality as an 8-day storm began signaling the start of a brutal winter ordeal as the party settled into their Camp they found themselves running low on Food Supplies brought back by Stanton from Sutter fort The Oxen began perishing and their Frozen carcasses were piled up nearby while the lake itself hadn't frozen over yet the Pioneer struggled to figure out how to catch lake trout despite being the most skilled Hunter Eddie managed to kill a bear but struggled to find more game both the Reed and Eddie families had lost almost everything that they had brought with them Margaret Reed promised to compensate the graves and Breen families for their borrowed oxin once they reached California however Graves demanded an exorbitant fee of $25 from Eddie for the carcasses of an ox that had already died of starvation it was plain to see desperation spread throughout the camp leading some to believe that individuals might far better crossing the pass alone rather than with the wagons however each attempt by small groups ended in failure a severe storm lasting more than a week buried the area under so much snow that the cattle and horses which were their only remaining source of food perished and were now lost in the snow Patrick Breen began documenting their struggles in a diary on November 20th initially focusing on the weather conditions but gradually incorporating references to God and religion into his entries here are a few examples November 20th came to this place on the 31st of last month that it snowed we went on to the pass the snow so deep we were unable to find the road when within 3 Mi of the summit then turn back to The Shanty on the lake we now have killed most of our cattle having to stay here until next spring and live on poor beef without bread or salt it snowed during the space of 8 days with little intermission after our arrival here November 25th wind about West Northwest cloudy looks like the eve of a snowstorm our Mountaineers intend trying to cross the mountain tomorrow if the weather is fair froze hard last night November 29th still snowing now about 3 ft deep wind West killed my last oxin today will skinn them tomorrow gave another Yol to Fosters hard to get wood member 6th the morning fine and clear now some clouds wind Southeast not much in the sunshine Stanton Eng Graves manufacturing snowshoes for another Mountain Scrabble no account of mules December 20th night clear froze a little now clear and pleasant wind northwest thawing a little Mrs Reed here no account of mil yet Dutch Charlie started for doners turned back back not able to proceed tough times but not discouraged our hopes are in God Amen life at trucky Lake was incredibly tough the cabins were small and dirty and the heavy snowfall kept everyone indoors for days on end their diets quickly became limited to whatever they could scr up they boiled strips of oxide to make a gel-like substance that tasted terrible Bones from oxen and horses were boiled over and over to make soup but they became so fragile that they would break apart when chewed sometimes they resorted to charring the bones to make them edible the Murphy children even resorted to tearing apart the oxide rug by the fireplace roasting it over the open flames and eating it after the group of snowshoes left nearly 2third of the people at trucky Lake were children Miss Graves looked after eight of them while Lina Murphy and Elanor Eddie took care of nine some of the migrants caught and eight mice that wandered into their cabins out of desperation many became weak and spent most of their time in bed occasionally someone would make the arduous journey to visit the daers however news soon arrived that Jacob Donner and three hired men had died one of the men Joseph Reinhardt confessed on his deathbed to murdering another member of the group named wolfinger to add to their troubles George donor's hand became infected leaving only four men able to work at the Doner Camp Margaret Reed managed to save enough food to make a pot of soup for Christmas which brought some joy to her children however by January they were facing starvation they even considered eating the oxides that served as their roof Margaret her daughter Virginia Milt Elliot and a servant girl named Eliza Williams attempted to walk out to find food after 4 days in the snow they had to turn back their cabin was no longer livable so they moved in with the breens the servants went to live with other families and one day the graves family came to collect a debt owed by the Reeds and took the oxides leaving the family with nothing to eat eat by all accounts the darkest part of night had arrived or so they thought the group stranded at trucky Lake faced increasing difficulties two members Augustus Spitzer and bis Williams passed away due to severe malnutrition rather than outright starvation Franklin Graves then took the initiative to craft 14 pairs of makeshift snowshoes using Ox bows and hide something had to be done so on December 16th A desperate party of 17 individuals including men women and children embarked on foot to cross the mountain pass remarkably four of the men were fathers while three mothers entrusted their young children to other women carrying only 6 days worth of food along with basic supplies like a rifle blanket Hatchet and pistols they aimed to reach be Valley historian Charles mcglashan later dubbed this Brave yet desperate group the four Lauren hope during their journey two members without snowshoes Charles Berger and 10-year-old William Murphy turned back early on others in the party improvised a pair of snowshoes for 12-year-old lemel Murphy on the first night using one of the pack titles They Carried though the snowshoes helped they faced numerous challenges in the harsh conditions lacking proper nourishment and experience with deep snow most members were Afflicted with snow blindness by the third day on the sixth day a fortunate Discovery was made when Eddie found his wife had a small hidden amount of bare meat in his pack pressing onward on December 21st one member Stanton fell behind and was later found deceased in the same spot the following year as they trudged on the group became disoriented and disheartened with Food Supplies depleted and Desperation setting in Patrick Dolan suggested a morbid Solution One member should volunteer to sacrifice themselves in order to feed the others while some proposed a duel others considered a lottery to select the unfortunate individual Patrick Dole and himself lost the draw but the group couldn't bring themselves to go through with it at night a blizzard extinguished their fire forcing them to huddle together under the blankets in what would later be known as the camp of death despite William Eddie's suggestion to keep moving until exhaustion took its toll a fierce blizzard compelled them to Halt their progress tragically the first casualties were Antonio the animal Handler followed by Franklin Graves as the blizzard intensified Dolan sanity Slipped Away he tore off his clothes and dashed into the woods claiming it was as warm as a summer day shortly after his return he passed away struggling with hunger and The Nearness of death some members of the group resorted to consuming flesh from Dolan's body meanwhile young lemel Murphy succumbed to starvation desperate attempts were made by lmu's sister to feed him but he passed away shortly thereafter despite their dire situation Eddie Salvador and Luise refused to partake in such gruesome acts the following day recognizing the harsh reality of their circumstances the remaining survivors made the difficult decision to harvest flesh from the deceased to preserve for future sustenance they took great care to ensure that no one would have to consume the Flesh of their own kin after a brief period of rest they resumed their Journey hoping to find the trail however hunger continued to knot them eventually leading Eddie to reluctantly consume human flesh but their meager supplies soon ran out in a desperate bid to survive they disassembled their snowshoes using the oxide webbing as food the conversation turned Grim as they discussed the possibility of killing Luis and Salvador for sustenance sensing the danger the two men silently departed tragedy struck again as Jay fosic passed away during the night leaving only seven survivors Eddie and Mary Graves ventured out to hunt but upon their return with deer meat they discovered that fosdick's body had already been dismembered for food after enduring several more days 25 in total since their departure from trucky Lake the forlorn hope encountered Salvador and Louis who had gone without food for about 9 days and were on the brink of death themselves William Foster having harbored intentions since before their departure shot both men their bodies were then dismembered and their flesh preserved for sustenance while the Act of Killing the two young men was not kept secret Foster faced minimal repercussions and lived out the remainder of his life without legal consequences this can be attributed to the prevailing sentiment as articulated by historians that the lives of Native Americans were often under valued only a few days later the group stumbled upon a Native American settlement appearing so emaciated and warn that the inhabitants initially fled in fear however the Native Americans eventually provided with little sustenance they could offer acorns grass and pine nuts and after spending a few days there Eddie pressed on with the assistance of tribe members eventually reaching a ranch in a small farming community on the outskirts of the Sacramento Valley a hastily organized rescue party located the other six survivors on January 17th their arduous Journey from trucky Lake had spanned 33 days in total in late October of 1846 James Reed successfully made his way out of the Sierra Nevada and reached Rancho Johnson while he was safe and recovering at Sutter's Fort his concern for the fate of his family and friends grew with each passing day Reed urgently appealed to Colonel John C Fremont requesting assistance and assembling a team to cross the pass and Aid the stranded party in exchange for this assistance Reed pledged to join Fremont's forces and participate in the Mexican-American War accompanying Reed was McCutchen who had been unable to return with Stanton along with several members of the Harland young party the Harland young Wagon Train consisting of approximately 30 horses and a dozen men had arrived at Sutter's Fort on October 8th marking the last successful passage over the Sierra Nevada for the season Laden with Food Supplies they anticipated encountering the daor party on the western side of the mountain near the be River albeit in Dire Straits however upon reaching the river valley they discovered only a Pioneer couple who had become separated from their company and were on the brink of starvation despite facing desertion by two guides who absconded with some of their horses Reed and McCutchen persisted venturing further up the valley to Yuba bottoms ultimately covering the last mile on foot standing at the base of immigrant Gap a mere 12 mi from the summit they were confronted with an imp passible barrier of snow their hopes dashed Reed and McCutchen reluctantly retraced their steps to suter's Fort their rescue mission unfulfilled during the Mexican-American War much of the military force in California was occupied leaving few able-bodied men available for other tasks for instance Fremont's Personnel were busy capturing Santa Barbara during the same period this war effort resulted in blocked roads disrupted community communication and a shortage of supplies across the region despite calls for volunteers to Aid the Donner Party only three men responded initially James Reed found himself delayed in San Jose until February due to local uprisings and widespread confusion during this time he engaged in discussions with fellow pioneers and acquaintances in response to the dire situation the people of San Jose drafted a petition urging the United States Navy to intervene and assist the stranded individuals back at trucky Lake reports circulated in two local newspapers regarding members of the Snowshoe party resorting to cannibalism which stirred sympathy for those still trapped in the mountains motivated by compassion residents of yab Buena many of whom were recent migrants themselves raised $1,300 in organized relief efforts these funds were used to establish two camps aimed at providing support for a rescue mission to Aid the stranded refugees on February 4th a team led by William Eddie set out from the Sacramento Valley to rescue the stranded Doner party they fac challenges like rain and a swollen River causing some delays while Eddie stayed at be Valley others in the group pushed through snowstorms to reach trucky Lake storing food along the way to lighten their load although three members turned back seven persevered by February 18th the seven-man team reached Fremont Pass now known as Donner Pass as they approached where Eddie had directed them to find the cabins they shouted out a weary Mrs Murphy emerged from a snowcovered shelter questioning if they were Californians or Angels The Rescuers rationed out food cautiously fearing that too much could harm the starving migrants all the cabins were buried under snow with their oxide roofs decaying and emitting a foul odor 13 individuals had passed away at the camps and they were laid to rest in the snow near the cabin roofs some of the survivors appeared to be struggling emotionally a trio from the rescue team journeyed to the Doner family's location and escorted back four emaciated children and three adults Lanna Donner faced significant challenges climbing from Alder Creek to trucky Lake describing the ordeal as indescribably painful filled with suffering George Donner's arm was severely infected still rendering him immobile from the group 23 individuals were selected to accompany the rescue team leaving 21 at trucky Lake and 12 at Alder Creek The Rescuers kept the truth about the Snowshoe party's fate hidden informing the survivors only that they hadn't returned due to frostbite Patty and Tommy Reid grew too weak to Traverse the snow dress and no one was strong enough to carry them Margaret Reed confronted a heart-wrenching decision she accompanied her two older children to Bear Valley while her two frail children remained at trucky Lake before parting ways Patty told her mother if you never see me again do the best you can upon the return to the lake the breens initially refused them shelter but after Glover left additional Provisions they reluctantly allowed the children inside the rescue team meanwhile was disheartened to discover that animals had raided the first food cache leaving them without Provisions for 4 days during the challenging Journey over the pass John Denton slipped into a coma and passed away shortly after AA kber also succumbed leaving her mother devastated and unwilling to part with her child's body as The Rescuers continued through rough terrain for several more days they grew increasingly worried about the children's survival some of the children resorted to eating the buck skin Fringe from one rescuer pants and the shoelaces from another much to the surprise of the relief party on their descent from the mountains they encountered the next group of Rescuers including James Reed Margaret upon hearing Reed's voice collapsed into the snow overwhelmed with emotion once the rescued migrants safely reached be Valley tragedy struck when William hook Jacob Donner's stepson broke into the food stores and overindulged resulting in his death the remaining survivors continued on to Sutter's Fort where Virginia Reed expressed feeling as though she had entered Paradise she found Amusement in the fact that one young man proposed marriage to her despite her being only 13 years old and recovering from starvation though she did decline his offer at the time when the initial rescue mission was being arranged George C Yun a nearby California settler experienced troubling dreams about a group of starving Pioneers struggling in deep snow so upon hearing this y along with Mariana Guadalupe Vallejo and others gathered $500 to fund another rescue effort on March 1st the second Rescue Team reached trucky Lake among them were season mountain men notably John Turner who accompanied Reed and McCutchen on their return Reed was joyously reunited with his daughter Patty and his ailing son Tommy upon inspection the Breen cabin appeared relatively well but the condition of the Murphy cabin as described by Author George R Stewart was beyond description and almost beyond belief Lavina Murphy caring for her 8-year-old son Simon and the two young children of William Eddie and Foster was mentally deteriorating and nearly blind the children were lethargic and neglected having gone days without proper care leis kber with an injured leg could barely move and had taken up residence in the cabin During the period between the departure of the first rescue party and the arrival of the second no one at trucky Lake had died however Patrick Breen recounted a disturbing visit in late February from Mrs Murphy who mentioned that her family was considering resorting to cannibalism involving Milt Elliot Reed and McCutchen later discovered Elliott's mutilated body at the Alder Creek Camp the situation was equally grim the first two members of the relief party to arrive witnessed Trudeau carrying a human leg upon being discovered he disposed of it in a hole in the snow alongside the mostly dismembered remains of Jacob Donner inside one tent Elizabeth Donner refused to eat while her children were being sustained by their father's organs three other bodies had already been consumed in the other tent tamson Donner appeared to be in relatively good health but George was severely ill due to an infection that had spread to his shoulder the second Rescue Mission successfully evacuated 17 individuals from trucky lake with only three of them being adults both the Breen and Graves families decided to leave at trucky Lake only five people remained kber Mrs Murphy and her son Simon along with the young Eddie and foster children tamson Don chose to stay with her sick husband after Reed assured her that a third rescue team was on its way Mrs Donner opted to keep her daughters Eliza Georgia and Francis with her the journey back to be Valley progressed slowly for the second rescue team at one point Reed sent two men ahead to retrieve the first batch of stored food anticipating the arrival of the third rescue party led by a man named Mr Woodworth however a fierce blizzard stru after they crossed the pass tragically 5-year-old Isaac Donner froze to death and Reed himself nearly met the same fate Mary Donner suffered severe burns on her feet because they were so frostbitten that she didn't realize that she was resting them in the fire while sleeping when the storm subsided the Breen and Gray's family were too drained and weary to move having Gone without food for days consequently the rescue party had had to leave without them the location where the breens and Graves were left became known as starved Camp Margaret Breen reportedly took charge in trying to sustain the camp members after the others departed down the mountain despite her efforts Elizabeth Graves and her son Franklin succumbed to death before the arrival of the next Rescue Team leading the remaining members to consume the Flesh of the deceased in order to live even one more day three members of the rescue team stayed behind to assist those still at the camps Charles Stone at trucky Lake and Charles ktie and Nicholas Clark at Alder Creek while Clark was out hunting Stone journeyed to Alder Creek and coordinated with Katie to return to California according to Stuart tamson Donner arranged for them to take her daughters Eliza Georgia and Francis with them possibly for $500 in cashh stone and Katie escorted the three girls to trucky Lake but left them at a cabin with kber and Levina Murphy when they set off for Bear Valley Katie later recalled that after 2 days on the trail they noticed and passed starved camp but they didn't stop to offer assistance instead they caught up with Reed and the others within a few days several days later at the Alder Creek Camp Clark and Trudeau decided to journey to California together and upon reaching trucky Lake Lake and finding the Donner girls still there they returned to aler Creek to inform Tansen Donner the girl's mother William Foster and William Eddie survivors of the Snowshoe party departed from Bear Valley to intercept Reed accompanied by a man named John Stark after a day they encountered Reed helping his children struggle toward Bear Valley frostbitten in bleeding but alive driven by the desperate need to rescue their own children Foster and Eddie convinced four men through persuasion and financial incentives to uncompany them back to trucky Lake during their Journey they stumbled upon the 11 survivors at Starved Camp gathered around a fire that had sunk into a pit the rescue team then split up with Foster Eddie and two others heading back toward Chucky Lake two of The Rescuers hoping to save some of the starved Camp survivors each took a child and headed back to be Valley however John Stark refused to leave the others he picked up two children along with all the provisions and aided the remaining Brees and Graves to safety sometimes carrying the children in stages along the trail setting them down and then returning to a tree of the other weakened children Foster and Eddie meanwhile reached trucky Lake on March 14th where they tragically discovered that their children had perished C kber informed Eddie that he had consumed the remains of Eddie's son prompting Eddie to vow revenge on kber if they ever crossed paths in California meanwhile George Donner and one of Jacob Donner's children were still alive at Alder Creek tamson Donner had just returned to the Murphy cabin to attend to her daughters despite being informed that another rescue party was unlikely to arrive soon tamson chose to stay with her husband Foster Eddie and the others from the third rescue party departed with the Doner girls young Simon Murphy Trudeau and Clark Lavina Murphy was too weak to leave and kber refused to accompany them two additional rescue parties were assembled to save any surviving adults however both turned back before reaching Bear Valley and no further attempts were made on April 10th nearly a month after the third relief had dep parted from trucky Lake the local official near Sutter Fort organized a team to salvage what they could of the Donner's belongings the proceeds from the sale of these items would be used to support the orphan Doner children the Salvage team found the Alder Creek tents deserted except for George Donner's body who had passed away just days earlier during their return journey to trucky Lake the Salvage team stumbled upon Lewis kesper who was miraculously still alive according to kber Mrs Murphy had passed away a week after the third relief party's departure he claimed that tamson Donner had sought refuge in his cabin weeks later but it tragically died overnight however the Salvage team became suspicious when they discovered a pot containing human flesh in kg's cabin along with George Donner's belongings including his pistols jewelry and $50 in Gold threatened with lynching Kasper confessed that at tamson's suggestion he had hidden $273 in the Donner's money to benefit her children in the future the complete story of what truly happened to The Donna Reed party was only just beginning to be written word of the Donner party's tragic fate began to spread Eastward thanks to Samuel Brandon a journalist and leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who encountered the Salvage team as they were descending the mountain pass with kesper reports the ordeal reached New York City by July 1847 the coverage of the event across the United States was heavily influenced by the widespread enthusiasm for westward expansion while some newspapers mention the tragedy briefly many sensationalized the story several newspapers including those in California described the cannibalism in graphic and exaggerated detail some reports portrayed the members of the Donner Party as courageous Heroes and depicted California as a land worth significant sacrifices following the Donner Party incident there was a decline in the number of people migrating Westward but this decreas was likely more due to concerns about the ongoing Mexican-American war than the cautionary tale of the Donner Party in 1846 approximately 1500 individuals migrated to California this number decreased to 450 in 1847 and further to 400 in 1848 however the California Gold Rush sparked a significant surge in migration with 25,000 people heading west and 1849 most of these migrants traveled along the Carson River although some 49ers followed the same route as the Donner Party leaving behind records and descriptions of the area in late June 1847 members of the Mormon Battalion led by General Steven W Carney buried the human remains and partially burned two of the cabins left behind by the Donner party over the following years only a few individuals dared to to Journey over the pass where they discovered bones various items and the cabin once occupied by the Reed and Graves families in 1891 a stash of money was Unearthed near the lake likely hidden by Mrs graves in haste as she departed with the second relief party and intended to retrieve it later lanceford Hastings who played a role in the disaster by suggesting a risky shortcut faced death threats as a consequence one migrant who had crossed the area before the Doner party encountered Hastings and confronted him about the hardships they had endured to which Hastings could only express regret and claim good intentions most historians agree there were 87 members in the Donner Party although some include Sarah Keys Margaret Reed's mother as well as Louis and Salvador which would bring the total to 90 five of these individuals died before reaching trucky Lake due to various reasons such as illness accidents and exposure to the cold between December 1846 and April 1847 an additional 34 members perished with more men than women among the deceased researchers have analyze these deaths to understand the factors influencing survival in such harsh conditions the fatalities at trucky Lake Alder Creek and among the Snowshoe party were likely due to a combination of factors including prolonged malnutrition strenuous labor and exposure to the elements starvation made individuals more susceptible to infections which contributed to Deaths like in the case of George Doner however age gender and family size played the most significant roles in determining who survived survivors tended to be younger with children between 6 and 14 having higher chances of survival compared to infants and adult over 35 none of the individuals over 49 years old survived and mortality rates were particularly High among men age 20 to 39 biological differences between men and women also influence survival rates men metabolized protein faster and were often assigned more physically demanding tasks which left them more vulnerable to starvation and exhaustion conversely women's bodies store more fat providing buffer against starvation and physical decline traveling with family members increased the likelihood of survival as families shared resources and supported each other during the ordeal out of the 87 individuals who entered the wasach mountains only 48 managed to survive the Donner Party incident among the survivors only the Reed and Breen families remained whole while the children of Jacob Donner George Donner and Franklin Graves were left without parents William Eddie found himself alone after most of the Murphy family perished and only three mules made it to California with the rest of the animals dying along the way many of the belongings of the Donner Party were left behind or discarded some of the widowed men remarried shortly after the tragedy as eligible Partners were scarce in California at the time the Reeds settled in San Jose where two of the her children also lived with them James Reed found success during the California Gold Rush and became prosperous Virginia Reed penned a detailed letter to her cousin in Illinois recounting the challenges faced during their journey to California with her father providing some editorial input journalist Edwin Bryant carried the letter back to Illinois in June 1847 and it was published in the Illinois journal on December 16th 1847 albeit with some modifications made by the editors additionally Virginia fulfilled a personal vow by converting to Catholicism a decision she made while witnessing Patrick Breen's devout prayers in his cabin the Murphy survivors found their new home in Maryville California meanwhile the Breen settled in San Juan Bautista in 1848 the Breen family acquired the Castro Adobe with funds earned by 16-year-old John Breen and Cal California's Gold Country they transformed the Adobe into an inn their story became the focus of J Ross Brown's article in Harper's magazine in 1862 where he expressed discomfort upon realizing he was lodging with individuals rumored to have resorted to cannibalism during the Donner Party incident similar reactions greeted many other survivors the youngest member of the Breen family Isabella was only one year old during the harsh winter of 1846 to 47 she ultimately became the last surviving member of the Donner Party passing away in San Francisco on March 25th 1935 following the tragedy the children of George and tamson Donner were taken in by an elderly couple near Sutter's Fort Eliza who is merely 3 years old during the Fateful winter was the youngest among the Doner children in 1911 she authored an account of the donor party based on printed records and the Recollections of her sisters the graves children pursued diverse paths in life following the Donner Party tragedy Mary Graves married early but her first husband met a tragic fate himself he was murdered and remarkably Mary took on the solemn duty of preparing meals for her husband's killer while he awaited his execution in prison ensuring he didn't go hungry before facing ing his punishment reflecting on her experiences one of Mary's grandchildren recalled her as a solemn figure unable to shed tears even when she wished she could her brother William led a varied life engaging in several occupations and living a multifaceted lifestyle described by his nieces as eccentric and easily irritated William passed away in 1907 and was laid to rest in Coga Nancy Graves who was just 9 years old during the tragic winter refused to acknowledge her involvement in the Donner Party incident even when approached by historians seeking to document accurate accounts of the events it's said that Nancy struggled to come to terms with her part in the cannibalism that claimed the lives of her mother and her own brother William Eddie remarried and established a family in California despite his initial intention to carry out his vow to exact revenge on Lewis kber he was persuaded otherwise by James Reed and Edwin Bryan a year later William Eddie recounted his harrowing experiences to Jay Quinn thoron who penned one of the earliest written narratives of the Doner party tragedy thoron also Drew from James Reed's Recollections Eddie passed away and Petaluma on December 24th 1859 Lewis kper meanwhile took legal action against several members of the relief party who accused him of killing tamson Donner the Court ruled in cas's favor awarding him a symbolic $1 in Damages but he was also ordered to cover the court expenses an 1847 article published in the California star depicted kg's actions in a gruesome light detailing a near lynching incident by the Salvage party it alleged that kber showed a preference for cons assuming human flesh over the cattle and horses exposed during the Spring thaw historian Charles mcglashen collected substantial evidence that seemed to implicate kber in tamson Donner's death but after conducting an interview with him M glashan concluded that no murder had occurred Eliza Donner also maintained KB's innocence regardless as kber aged he became increasingly reclusive shunned by Society and frequently threatened unfortunately life after the daer party tragedy for the survivors wasn't all it was cracked up to be while some survivors of the Donner Party incident contested the reports of cannibalism the aformentioned Charles mcglashan who corresponded with many survivors over four decades collected numerous accounts confirming its occurrence some survivors initially hesitated to discuss their involvement due to shame but eventually opened up about it in his 1879 book history of the Donner Party mcglashan chose not to include certain distressing details like the suffering of children before death or Mrs Murphy's resignation when the last children left in the third rescue effort he also admitted any mention of cannibalism at Alder Creek however in a letter to mcglashan Georgia Donner clarified that human flesh was indeed prepared and served in both tents at Alder Creek but it was primarily given to the youngest children she recalled her father crying during this time Elizabeth Donner Jacob's wife reportedly announced one morning that she had cooked the arm of Samuel Shoemaker a 25-year-old Teamster Eliza Donner's 1911 account of the ordeal did not reference cannibalism at Alder Creek evidence from archaological excavations at the Alder Creek Camp also did not definitively confirm cannibalism none of the bones found at the cooking area could be positively identified as human according to Ric only cooked bones would have survived and it is unlikely that the Donner Party members would have had to cook human bones Eliza farnum's 1856 retelling of the Donner party's ordeal relied heavily on an interview with Margaret Breen and her narrative farum describes the challenges faced by the graves and Breen families after James Reed and the second relief team left them stranded in the snow according to farnham's version 7-year-old Mary Donner proposed that they consume Isaac Donner Franklin Graves Jr and Elizabeth Graves as the Donner family had already resorted to cannibalism at Alder Creek including Mary's father Jacob Margaret Breen adamantly denied that she and her family partook in cannibalism but Scholars like Christen Johnson Ethan rck and Joseph King whose account sympathizes with the Breen family question The credibility of this denial they argue that considering the breens had gone without food for 9 days it seems improbable that they could have survived without consuming human flesh King speculates that farum included this detail in her narrative independently of Margaret Breen's testimony in 1847 ha wise published an account where Trudeau claimed heroic acts but also confessed to eating Jacob Donner and even a baby raw in disturbing detail many years later Trudeau denied cannibalism when he met Eliza Donner one of the few survivors he repeated this Denial in an interview with a St Louis newspaper in 1891 when he was 60 years old despite their difficult circumstances and Trudeau eventually leaving tamson Donner alone Eliza and the other Donner children held affection for Trudeau and he for them Author George Stewart believed Trudeau's story to wise was more truthful than what he told to Eliza in 1884 suggesting that he had deserted the Donner family conversely Kristen Johnson suggested that Trudeau's interview with wise might have been a result of seeking attention and shocking his Elders typical behavior for adolescents later in life he may have altered his story to avoid upsetting Eliza historians Joseph King and Jack Ste criticized Stuart's portrayal of Trudeau's actions as desertion labeling it as exaggerated moral judgment especially since all members of the party face tough decisions Ethan rck supported this view emphasizing that the Doner party story is more about the difficult decisions made under extreme circumstances than about heroism or villainy the Donner Party incident remains a topic of Interest due to the reliable records detailing the events as stated by Stuart although cannibalism is often highlighted it's just one part of the story that captures people's attentions to due to its taboo nature this incident focuses on ordinary families rather than extraordinary individuals which adds to its appeal according to Johnson it's a tragic irony that many who sought a better life in California found only suffering and death instead of prosperity and health the site where the cabin stood became a tourist attraction as early as 1854 and by the 1880s Charles mcglashan advocated for a monument to honor the Doner party's memory he played a key role in obtaining the land for the monument in June 1918 a statue depicting a Pioneer Family dedicated to the Donner party was erected at the location believed to be the site of the Breen kber cabin the spot was designated as a California historical landmark in 1934 in 1927 the state of California founded the Donner Memorial state park and initially covering 11 acres around the monument two decades later they acquired the Murphy cabin site expanding the park and in 1962 the imigrant Trail Museum was built to showcase the history of people migrating to California the Murphy cabin and Donner Monument gained National Historic Landmark status in 1963 a large Rock once part of the fireplace in Murphy's cabin Now features a bronze pla black listing the Donner Party members and their Fates California sees fit to honor this site because it represents a significant event in American history transformed into a well-known tale as of the new Millennia the park attracts around 200,000 visitors annually and for a good reason too without the artifacts and detailed records standing the test of time America and the World At Large may not have ever known about the Donner Party incident undoubtedly one of the most terrifying and gruesome ordeals in Old West history it's not mythology it's not folklore it's not a fable or Frontier fairy tale it's the truth albeit a horrifying piece of it