Donner Party Diary Nov-Dec 1846

Patrick Breen's Diary: November 20 - December 31, 1846

• The diary chronicles the Donner Party's struggles during the winter of 1846-47.
• The diary was first published in the spring of 1847 and later in a book in 1879.
• The Donner Party arrived at Truckey's Lake blocked pass three weeks before the diary entries begin.
• The party initially attempted to cross the pass but turned back due to deep snow after being within three miles of the summit.
• The group killed most of their cattle and were forced to subsist on "lean beef, without bread or salt".
• It snowed for eight days straight after their arrival.
• On November 21, twenty-two of the company, including Stanton and his Indians, attempted to cross the mountains.
• On November 23, the mountain expedition returned unsuccessfully.
• By November 27, the snow was approximately three feet deep.
• On November 27, the last oxen was killed and used for wood.
• By December 1, the snow depth reached six or seven and a half feet.
• It became difficult to gather wood, and their cattle were nearly all killed.
• All hope was lost for the horses and Stanton's mules which were presumed lost in the snow.
• On December 5, the snow was seven or eight feet deep.
• December 6 mentions Stanton and Graves making snowshoes, no mules were present.
• December 8 talks about the difficulty of finding wood to keep warm and cook beef.
• On December 9, Spitzer was taken in, suffering from starvation and unable to rise without assistance.
• On December 9, Stanton tried to find beef for himself and the Indians but was not likely to get much.
• By December 10, the snow depth was about seven feet.
• December 14 mentions Stanton and Graves making preparations to cross the mountains on snowshoes, with the snow at eight feet on a level.
• December 16 notes that the company started on snowshoes to cross the mountains.
• December 17 notes Baylis Williams died the night before last.
• December 17 notes Milton and Noah had started for Donner's eight days prior and hadn't returned.
• December 20 records that Charles Burger started for Donner's but turned back as he was unable to proceed, Mrs. Reed arrived.
• December 21 reports Jacob Donner, Samuel Shoemaker, Rhinehart, and Smith are dead.
• December 23 mentions Milton taking some of his meat to Donner's camp and the beginning of reading "Thirty Days' Prayers".
• December 24 states it rained all night and continued to rain with poor prospects.
• December 25 notes that it snowed all night and was extremely difficult to find wood.
• December 27 mentions the snow was nine feet deep.
• December 31 reflects on the past year and hopes for deliverance in the coming year, noting the snow is very deep.

Patrick Breen's Diary: January 1 - January 15, 1847

• On January 1, provisions were getting very scanty, so a hide was dug up from under the snow.
• On January 3, Mrs. Reed was talking about crossing the mountains with her children.
• On January 4, Mrs. Reed, Virginia, Milton Elliot, and Eliza Williams started to cross the mountains, leaving the other children behind.
• On January 8, Eliza came back from the mountains, unable to proceed.
• On January 15, Mrs. Reed and the others came back, unable to find their way.

Distressing News from the California Star, February 13, 1847

• The article reports on the situation of the emigrants in the mountains and a party of eleven who attempted to reach the valley on foot.
• Twenty-three wagons from Col. Russell's company left Indian Creek near the Missouri line on May 13th.
• The company took the new road by the south end of the Great Salt Lake, guided by Messrs. Hastings and Headspath.
• Reed, Stanton, and Pike were sent to request Mr. Hastings to show them the pack trail from the Red Fork of Weber River to the Lake.
• They spent sixteen days making the road, as the men would not work.
• Two men (Messrs. Stanton and McCutcher.) were sent to Capt. J.A. Sutter's Fort asking for help.
• Capt. Sutter provided seven mules, two Indian vaqueros, flour, and beef.
• C.S. Stanton took charge of the vaqueros and provisions.
• Reed was supplied with more horses, mules, and provisions, but could not reach the company due to deep snow.
• Five women and two men were reached Capt Wm. Johnson's settlement almost entirely naked with frost bite.
• Sixteen of the strongest (11 males and 5 females) started on foot towards the settlement.
• After wandering in the snow and running out of provisions, they resorted to cannibalism after lots were casted but people starting dying first so lots were not required.
• After thirty days, 7 out of 16 arrived within 15 miles of Capt. Johnson's, all five women and 2 men.
• Nine of the men died and were eaten, one of which was C.S. Stanton.
• Capt. Sutter's two Indian vaqueros died and were eaten.
• The company left numbers sixty odd souls behind because.
• Those who came in said Capt. Sutter's mules were stolen by the Indians.
• The party that came in were in a snowstorm for 36 hours without fire.
• Seven men were raised to go to Johnson's to assist the party with provisions from Capt. J.A. Sutter.

The Hastings Cutoff From The Emigrants' Guide

• The California mountains are a continuation of the Cascade or Presidents' Range of Oregon.
• The California Mountain range is less elevated than the Cordilleras or Rocky Mountains, but has several elevated peaks.
• Latitude 40 deg. North is the principal pass through the California range.
• The 38 deg. North pass affords a very eligible route for wagons, but won't be as extensive (as the 40 deg route).
• The 38 deg. North pass is of importance, affording means of intercommunication between the east and west sections of the California mountains.
• The 34 deg. North pass also connects the valleys on either side of the California mountains.
• The California mountains are more fertile than the Cordilleras or the Rocky Mountains.
• California can be reached from Fort hall in 15 days.
• California from Fort Hall is easily travelled by wagon.
• The most direct route would be to leave the Oregon route about 200 miles east from Fort Hall and bearing down towards salt lake.