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History of the Donner Party, A Tragedy of the Sierra
This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1907
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
January 18, 2016
This book has convinced me that I am a soft, spongy, skilless young woman who if - as I sometimes daydreamed about as a young Little House on the Prairie reader - you dropped me down in a pioneer-days wagon train to live among them, would die in hours, if not minutes. Holy shit am I glad I went crosscountry in modern times.
January 12, 2020
History of the Donner Party, a Tragedy of the Sierra by Charles Fayette McGlashan was originally published in 1880. This is what I found out about the author who I've never heard of before and most of this was from his rather long obituary:
No one man was more prominent in the development of Truckee and Eastern Nevada County in California than Charles Fayette McGlashan. He was born in Beaver Dam, Wis., August 12, 1847, the one son of a family of eight children. His mother died in 1849 and five years later the father took his children to Healdsburg, Cal., where the boy received his early schooling, supplemented by a course at Williston academy in Massachusetts. Returning to California he taught school at Placerville, where he married Miss Jennie Munson, his first wife. In the early seventies he removed to Truckee, where he was principal of the grammar school, studied law, was admitted to practice and became editor of the Truckee Republican, into whose editorial columns he injected a vigor that made it one of the most widely quoted papers in the state. In 1879 he married Miss Leonora Keiser as his second wife, and two years later went to Santa Barbara as editor of the Press there, but returned to Truckee in 1883 to reside there until his death.
He was elected to the State Assembly in 1885 and was active in fraternal societies, having been grand chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and prominent in Freemasonry, of which he had been a member for more than fifty years. Truckee lodge recently presented him with a gold button to commemorate this. As an author, he wrote for the Sacramento Record-Union in 1877 the history of the Mountain Meadow massacre. In 1878, while editor of the Truckee Republican, a subscription to the Republican from a survivor of the Donner Party led to McGlashan's writing several articles on the subject. These he published serially as a history of the Donner Party and they resulted in correspondence and interviews with survivors and in 1879, the publication of his book "History of the Donner Party, A Tragedy of the Sierra" which is regarded as the final authority on the subject.
He organized the McGlashan Water Company, established the winter sports carnival at Truckee with the first Ice palace, was a leader in forming the Meadow Lake high school district and engaged in other civic and business activities. As private interests, he took up entomology and astronomy. In the former he created a butterfly farm with the aid of his daughter Ximens, where rare specimens were propagated for collectors and where a new specimen was discovered now known to science as Meletea mcglashanae. In astronomy he started a course of lectures and published a series of seasonal star and planet charts. He presented to Truckee high school a telescope and other astronomical apparatus. Geology and topography also interested him. Adjoining his home he build the noted rocking-stone museum, where there is a large collection of California historical relics, ancient native weapons and the like and which is especially notable for its Donner party remains.
I'm not sure if I mentioned it in all of this, but he was also a lawyer and a teacher. And I never would have come up with Meletea mcglashanae on my own. He also had unusual names for his children, some of them anyway. We have Undine, Nonette, Lotus, Zimena Bliss, and Ximena. There are others but they have names like Elizabeth and George. So on to the book he wrote and the things I learned from it.
Here's the quick part of the story, the Donner party is called that because a whole group of people followed George Donner and James Reed from Springfield, Illinois and a few other places to California. So in the spring of 1846 90 people (more or less) headed to California and since it was only 1846 they had a lot of wagons and horses and oxen and things like that with them, so it was called a wagon train. The journey usually took about 4 months up to 6 months, but not this time. Most wagon trains followed the Oregon Trail route from Independence, Missouri to the Continental Divide, traveling at about 15 miles a day. The trail generally followed rivers to South Pass, a mountain pass in Wyoming, which was relatively easy for wagons to pass through and from there, wagon trains had a choice of routes to their destination. There was an increase in people going to California and Oregon in these years and they all took the regular route, except the Donner party that is.
There were things that went wrong with the Donner's, broken wagon, stolen horses (by Indians I think) and it was taking them longer than they thought it would to get to the west coast. Unfortunately they heard about Lansford W. Hastings, and his short cut. Hastings went to California in 1842 and saw the promise of the undeveloped country. To encourage settlers, he published The Emigrants' Guide to Oregon and California and in it described a direct route across the Great Basin which would save them 300 miles, or something like that. However, Hastings had not traveled any part of his proposed shortcut until early 1846 on a trip from California to Fort Bridger. And as of 1846, Hastings was one of only two men documented to have crossed the southern part of the Great Salt Lake Desert, but neither had been accompanied by wagons. It went different when you were accompanied by wagons. We're told that it is crucial to cross the vast wilderness of the Sierra Nevada at a certain time to ensure that wagon trains would not be bogged down by mud created by spring rains, or by massive snowdrifts in the mountains from September and onwards. They didn't make it, well, at least they missed the mud. And now I'm skipping the rest of the story to tell you of the things I've learned reading the History of the Donner Party.
1. Don't take the shortcut. Ever.
2. If you are going across the country with a horse and wagon instead of a car, train, or plane; take food, lots of food. More than you would ever need. Just in case you will need it.
3. And lots of clothing, warm clothing. Sweaters, jackets, coats, boots, gloves, take them all.
4. Fill another wagon with nothing but wood, big logs, little sticks, take them all, don't forget matches either.
5. If you get really tired of carrying blankets out to the wagon before you go, too bad, keep carrying.
I think that may get you there, but just in case, stop at all the Wal-Mart's and grocery stores you see on the way before you get to the desert, spending the upcoming months in the upcoming mountains in the upcoming blizzards won't be fun without food. Unless there's a hotel there by now. I'm not sure I could bring myself to go check and see what's there this book was so creepy. And true.
One more thing, I'm not sure if I should tell you to make sure you don't die stuck out there in the snow or you'll get eaten, and not by wolves and bears; or if I should tell you to die so you won't have to be one of the people who were starving and had to eat to live. Everything else had already been eaten. And I mean everything. Animal hides, ground up bones, whatever you can think of. It was so sad, they tried so hard to stay alive.
I was thinking about giving the book four stars, but I won't read it again and it seems like four stars should be for something I would want to read again some day, although I found more books about this story that I would like to read. Three stars for now though.
I just thought of what you should do, take your car and a cell phone with you and you should be fine. And lots of books. Happy reading.
No one man was more prominent in the development of Truckee and Eastern Nevada County in California than Charles Fayette McGlashan. He was born in Beaver Dam, Wis., August 12, 1847, the one son of a family of eight children. His mother died in 1849 and five years later the father took his children to Healdsburg, Cal., where the boy received his early schooling, supplemented by a course at Williston academy in Massachusetts. Returning to California he taught school at Placerville, where he married Miss Jennie Munson, his first wife. In the early seventies he removed to Truckee, where he was principal of the grammar school, studied law, was admitted to practice and became editor of the Truckee Republican, into whose editorial columns he injected a vigor that made it one of the most widely quoted papers in the state. In 1879 he married Miss Leonora Keiser as his second wife, and two years later went to Santa Barbara as editor of the Press there, but returned to Truckee in 1883 to reside there until his death.
He was elected to the State Assembly in 1885 and was active in fraternal societies, having been grand chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and prominent in Freemasonry, of which he had been a member for more than fifty years. Truckee lodge recently presented him with a gold button to commemorate this. As an author, he wrote for the Sacramento Record-Union in 1877 the history of the Mountain Meadow massacre. In 1878, while editor of the Truckee Republican, a subscription to the Republican from a survivor of the Donner Party led to McGlashan's writing several articles on the subject. These he published serially as a history of the Donner Party and they resulted in correspondence and interviews with survivors and in 1879, the publication of his book "History of the Donner Party, A Tragedy of the Sierra" which is regarded as the final authority on the subject.
He organized the McGlashan Water Company, established the winter sports carnival at Truckee with the first Ice palace, was a leader in forming the Meadow Lake high school district and engaged in other civic and business activities. As private interests, he took up entomology and astronomy. In the former he created a butterfly farm with the aid of his daughter Ximens, where rare specimens were propagated for collectors and where a new specimen was discovered now known to science as Meletea mcglashanae. In astronomy he started a course of lectures and published a series of seasonal star and planet charts. He presented to Truckee high school a telescope and other astronomical apparatus. Geology and topography also interested him. Adjoining his home he build the noted rocking-stone museum, where there is a large collection of California historical relics, ancient native weapons and the like and which is especially notable for its Donner party remains.
I'm not sure if I mentioned it in all of this, but he was also a lawyer and a teacher. And I never would have come up with Meletea mcglashanae on my own. He also had unusual names for his children, some of them anyway. We have Undine, Nonette, Lotus, Zimena Bliss, and Ximena. There are others but they have names like Elizabeth and George. So on to the book he wrote and the things I learned from it.
Here's the quick part of the story, the Donner party is called that because a whole group of people followed George Donner and James Reed from Springfield, Illinois and a few other places to California. So in the spring of 1846 90 people (more or less) headed to California and since it was only 1846 they had a lot of wagons and horses and oxen and things like that with them, so it was called a wagon train. The journey usually took about 4 months up to 6 months, but not this time. Most wagon trains followed the Oregon Trail route from Independence, Missouri to the Continental Divide, traveling at about 15 miles a day. The trail generally followed rivers to South Pass, a mountain pass in Wyoming, which was relatively easy for wagons to pass through and from there, wagon trains had a choice of routes to their destination. There was an increase in people going to California and Oregon in these years and they all took the regular route, except the Donner party that is.
There were things that went wrong with the Donner's, broken wagon, stolen horses (by Indians I think) and it was taking them longer than they thought it would to get to the west coast. Unfortunately they heard about Lansford W. Hastings, and his short cut. Hastings went to California in 1842 and saw the promise of the undeveloped country. To encourage settlers, he published The Emigrants' Guide to Oregon and California and in it described a direct route across the Great Basin which would save them 300 miles, or something like that. However, Hastings had not traveled any part of his proposed shortcut until early 1846 on a trip from California to Fort Bridger. And as of 1846, Hastings was one of only two men documented to have crossed the southern part of the Great Salt Lake Desert, but neither had been accompanied by wagons. It went different when you were accompanied by wagons. We're told that it is crucial to cross the vast wilderness of the Sierra Nevada at a certain time to ensure that wagon trains would not be bogged down by mud created by spring rains, or by massive snowdrifts in the mountains from September and onwards. They didn't make it, well, at least they missed the mud. And now I'm skipping the rest of the story to tell you of the things I've learned reading the History of the Donner Party.
1. Don't take the shortcut. Ever.
2. If you are going across the country with a horse and wagon instead of a car, train, or plane; take food, lots of food. More than you would ever need. Just in case you will need it.
3. And lots of clothing, warm clothing. Sweaters, jackets, coats, boots, gloves, take them all.
4. Fill another wagon with nothing but wood, big logs, little sticks, take them all, don't forget matches either.
5. If you get really tired of carrying blankets out to the wagon before you go, too bad, keep carrying.
I think that may get you there, but just in case, stop at all the Wal-Mart's and grocery stores you see on the way before you get to the desert, spending the upcoming months in the upcoming mountains in the upcoming blizzards won't be fun without food. Unless there's a hotel there by now. I'm not sure I could bring myself to go check and see what's there this book was so creepy. And true.
One more thing, I'm not sure if I should tell you to make sure you don't die stuck out there in the snow or you'll get eaten, and not by wolves and bears; or if I should tell you to die so you won't have to be one of the people who were starving and had to eat to live. Everything else had already been eaten. And I mean everything. Animal hides, ground up bones, whatever you can think of. It was so sad, they tried so hard to stay alive.
I was thinking about giving the book four stars, but I won't read it again and it seems like four stars should be for something I would want to read again some day, although I found more books about this story that I would like to read. Three stars for now though.
I just thought of what you should do, take your car and a cell phone with you and you should be fine. And lots of books. Happy reading.
August 27, 2011
I read this as research for the family history I'm writing. My cousin, Jay Fosdick, was one of those who died and was consumed.
It is a very moving book about an epic American tragedy.
It is a very moving book about an epic American tragedy.
July 23, 2025
“ Has human pen power to express the shock of horror this sister received when she saw her brother’s heart thrust through with a stick , and broiling upon the coals” Pg 86
I’ve always been fascinated with the Donner party , so reading this book was very educational and page after page I was shocked on the amount of horrors they really did live through. I was worried at first since this was published in 1880 I would find it boring , but it’s a page turner because it’s filled with gripping facts and quotes from the survivors. However , there are some facts towards the end of the book where it talks about where the survivors are now , in time period of 1880, and that’s kind of boring. Overall , if you love learning about California history/ Donner party this is a great read.
I’ve always been fascinated with the Donner party , so reading this book was very educational and page after page I was shocked on the amount of horrors they really did live through. I was worried at first since this was published in 1880 I would find it boring , but it’s a page turner because it’s filled with gripping facts and quotes from the survivors. However , there are some facts towards the end of the book where it talks about where the survivors are now , in time period of 1880, and that’s kind of boring. Overall , if you love learning about California history/ Donner party this is a great read.
February 26, 2017
I can't imagine how anybody survived this ordeal, and I was just reminded how cold it could be while watching the news this morning. It is only November 9 and it was a winter wonderland at Donner Pass. This telling of this horrific story was written about 30 years after my interviewing survivors, going over letters, journals, and perhaps some newspaper reports. I'm not sure. The writing style goes back and forth, so it is not the easiest to follow, not to mention there are so many people involved in different places. I was also wondering what would be worse -- starving to death or freezing to death. I wouldn't do well with either and yet mothers and fathers were separated from their children, husbands and wives from each other, and yet everybody played a part. There were babies as well as older people who started out for California hoping they would be there by September. Unfortunately as most people know, many didn't make it, while others finally got there the following year after spending the winter in the mountains. A group of 15 went out ahead but only half of them survived as well. It doesn't really go into much detail about how they ate human flesh but some didn't and still survived even though they were eating bones, shoelaces, skins of animals and anything else they could find. As I am reading this story, I'm wondering whether the rugby team that crashed in the Andes back in 1972 got the idea that they could eat human flesh to survive from the Donner party?
I really wanted to give this story 4 stars or even 5, but I had to settle on 3. The first few pages of the book was really strange because it seemed more like titles following one after another. Then at the beginning of each chapter, the same thing took place only not as many. Still I could tell that the author did a great deal of research, and if the characters could have been further developed, this would be a real page turner. It is still one of the most amazing stories of human survival against the greatest of odds, and I'm going to have to look to see about getting a movie to make it more real, so I can understand a little more although what they went through was truly incomprehensible.
I really wanted to give this story 4 stars or even 5, but I had to settle on 3. The first few pages of the book was really strange because it seemed more like titles following one after another. Then at the beginning of each chapter, the same thing took place only not as many. Still I could tell that the author did a great deal of research, and if the characters could have been further developed, this would be a real page turner. It is still one of the most amazing stories of human survival against the greatest of odds, and I'm going to have to look to see about getting a movie to make it more real, so I can understand a little more although what they went through was truly incomprehensible.
February 16, 2012
I THOUGHT i knew the story of the donner party, but there was so much left out and skewed from retelling over time and summarized in history books. i really enjoyed this very dated yet factual account taken mostly from letters and court transcripts. what stood out for me mostly were the number of mothers and children involved - and the number of mothers who decided to risk the trip over the summit alone for their children (and survived! unlike many of the men who undertook the journey!). i thought that "the living" by annie dillard was quite possibly the most depressing book of human perseverance, but this (being nonfiction and recounting the detailed death of almost everyone, many of them children, in the 400 or so party of travellers) was by far worse. imagine living on (and feeding your baby) tiny strips of boiled cowhide (hide!) for over three months in a cabin made out of four posts in the subfreezing temperatures!
still, that said, this was quite possibly the most inspiring and incredibly heroic story of human existence that i have ever read. it got me thinking about many americans today: with all our fancy gortex sportswear and sorrel sub freezing boots available, we still may not survive such a situation if faced with it today. there is something in the mindset and drive that existed in these pioneers that i can't imagine in most people today.
still, that said, this was quite possibly the most inspiring and incredibly heroic story of human existence that i have ever read. it got me thinking about many americans today: with all our fancy gortex sportswear and sorrel sub freezing boots available, we still may not survive such a situation if faced with it today. there is something in the mindset and drive that existed in these pioneers that i can't imagine in most people today.
April 5, 2021
185 pages
4 stars
This is an excellent telling of the awful story of the Donner party. Lost and trapped in the Sierras in winter, several of them didn't stand a chance.
Convinced by what I would term a con man (Hastings) to take a “shortcut” through the Sierras, they took a chance and about ninety people – men, women and children – headed out. While crossing the burning desert, losing most of their cattle along the way, tempers began to flare. People began to die from a combination of thirst or being old or sickly.
The route was a real travail. They had to hitch multiple teams to get through over some of the unbelievable inclines. The oxen pulling the wagons were exhausted and suffering from a lack of water.
Mostly, the Indians they encountered were friendly, but they were not above a bit of harassment or thievery – especially the cattle.
They were unable to go further than the Truckee Lake area. Most of the party ended yp about five miles ahead of the Donner party.
Slowly, they began to die. Some made a horrible choice to resort to cannibalism.
This is a very well told tale extracted from primary sources such as letters and diaries. Mr. McGlashan wrote a fair and succinct story of the heartbreaking conditions and sheer hopelessness of the situation.
4 stars
This is an excellent telling of the awful story of the Donner party. Lost and trapped in the Sierras in winter, several of them didn't stand a chance.
Convinced by what I would term a con man (Hastings) to take a “shortcut” through the Sierras, they took a chance and about ninety people – men, women and children – headed out. While crossing the burning desert, losing most of their cattle along the way, tempers began to flare. People began to die from a combination of thirst or being old or sickly.
The route was a real travail. They had to hitch multiple teams to get through over some of the unbelievable inclines. The oxen pulling the wagons were exhausted and suffering from a lack of water.
Mostly, the Indians they encountered were friendly, but they were not above a bit of harassment or thievery – especially the cattle.
They were unable to go further than the Truckee Lake area. Most of the party ended yp about five miles ahead of the Donner party.
Slowly, they began to die. Some made a horrible choice to resort to cannibalism.
This is a very well told tale extracted from primary sources such as letters and diaries. Mr. McGlashan wrote a fair and succinct story of the heartbreaking conditions and sheer hopelessness of the situation.
August 25, 2015
I only knew the most basic facts about this tragedy before reading this book. I had no idea that nearly half of the people died, or that there were so many infants and young children. Thankfully, the author didn't focus heavily on the disturbing parts, but told the entire story in a matter of fact, yet compassionate, way.
The travelers were hit with misfortune and tragedy from the start, and by the time they reached the mountains, they had already been through a lot. The early arrival of winter storms sealed their doom. Unable to go forward or back, they were forced to make camp with very little in the way of supplies, and barely adequate shelter. It was heart-wrenching to read about their slow starvation, particularly regarding the children. Knowing what they went through, it's a miracle any of them survived at all.
I'll never read it again, but I'm glad to know the true stories of this group of emigrants; and not just the disturbing act that a few of those starving souls were driven to out of utter desperation. Their story is about much more than that.
The travelers were hit with misfortune and tragedy from the start, and by the time they reached the mountains, they had already been through a lot. The early arrival of winter storms sealed their doom. Unable to go forward or back, they were forced to make camp with very little in the way of supplies, and barely adequate shelter. It was heart-wrenching to read about their slow starvation, particularly regarding the children. Knowing what they went through, it's a miracle any of them survived at all.
I'll never read it again, but I'm glad to know the true stories of this group of emigrants; and not just the disturbing act that a few of those starving souls were driven to out of utter desperation. Their story is about much more than that.
December 5, 2020
McGlashan wrote the book 32 years after the Donner Party and was able to interview many of the survivors and references published accounts of what happened to that doomed wagon train from the time of their journey. He highlights many of the heroes- Reed, Stanton, Stark, Mrs. Breen, Tamsen Donner, W. Eddy and Cap'n Sutter. He doesn't discuss Keseberg, Hastings and the other supposed villains as much as others have done. Although the story has been told and retold since it first occurred, it's still a page turner.
October 26, 2017
This is among the great early works in the historiography of the American West. McGlashan's details are brutal and the book is quite gruesome. But its important. Nature itself seemed set against the Donner Party. Intellectually there is now emerging a school of thought that is questioning the heroism of westward expansion. Among traditionalist academics, it seems important to ask if the Donners were more hubristic than they were pioneering. Read the book.
June 19, 2011
Such a sad story, the whole thing but very informative too. My heart goes out to all those that were involved in this part in our history.
July 3, 2012
It's very old but quite a good history of this tragedy.
May 1, 2016
The Audiobook was not unlike the ill-fated Donner Party. It started off with an interesting premise, but folly after folly kept befelling the narrative and became a convoluted mess trapped in a storm of boring asides and actual errors that wasn't the author's original doing. While the author supplied plenty of old timey narratives that didn't hold up well under my modern-day 2 second attention span by himself, the Audiobook presented one noticeable and amusing problem in that they completely forgot to edit chapter 7. I was given the pleasure of listening to the author reread lines several times to try to find the right tone she wanted to convey, awkward pauses as she recited the lines inside her head, and at the very end, heard her drop something big and heavy. Judging from the way the pages fluttered in the microphone, it was probably this very book.
There was only one line that stuck with me as powerful imagery. It is contained in this paragraph:
The rest of the time the author had opted to tell the reader to imagine the situation themselves, robbing most of the narrative of any potential emotion as he tells the reader to frame it with the question: could there be anything in human existence more awful or horrible than this scene?
Well, yes. There were likely a lot of things before the Donner party that was at least equally horrible or moreso, and even more afterwards. I could provide examples, but that would mean agreeing with the same things I find horrible, and what horrifies me will not be consistent with someone else who doesn't share my same mindset. I could not connect with the tragedies of the settlers because the author preferred to go into huge lists rather than make the narrative about anyone in particular. Example:
None of these names mean anything. Rather than let us connect with any specific people, we are instead given lists. Rather than allowing the horror to unfold by itself, we are told instead to feel something specific. Maybe my mistake was expecting a well-written story, but instead I got Wikipedia.
There was only one line that stuck with me as powerful imagery. It is contained in this paragraph:
The rest of the time the author had opted to tell the reader to imagine the situation themselves, robbing most of the narrative of any potential emotion as he tells the reader to frame it with the question: could there be anything in human existence more awful or horrible than this scene?
Well, yes. There were likely a lot of things before the Donner party that was at least equally horrible or moreso, and even more afterwards. I could provide examples, but that would mean agreeing with the same things I find horrible, and what horrifies me will not be consistent with someone else who doesn't share my same mindset. I could not connect with the tragedies of the settlers because the author preferred to go into huge lists rather than make the narrative about anyone in particular. Example:
None of these names mean anything. Rather than let us connect with any specific people, we are instead given lists. Rather than allowing the horror to unfold by itself, we are told instead to feel something specific. Maybe my mistake was expecting a well-written story, but instead I got Wikipedia.
March 28, 2022
Very interesting read from peoples perspectives that were there.
February 26, 2015
"To forever supplant these distorted and fabulous reports--which have usually been sensational newspaper articles--the survivors have deemed it wise to contribute the truth. The truth is suffiently terrible."
I'm not normally into reading about history, but this was a recommendation from my dad and I've been in kind of a dark/tragic story mood for a while so it sounded interesting. I've known of the Donner Party for a long time, but I didn't know anything outside of them being trapped somewhere cold and having to eat each other.
I can't imagine that level of starvation, where you're eating bits of rug and ground-up bone jelly to survive. While the book was interesting, I probably won't be reading a historical story for a while.
Not sure if it was because the book was written in the early 1900s, but the author's way of writing wasn't my cup of tea. He used exclamation points constantly, like he was trying to bash you over the head with how crazy or awful things were, as if you couldn't come to that conclusion yourself. I think more than once he actually said "Oh the horror!" after he finished describing something. He also was big on lists of names, and because there was like 90 people in the Donner Party I couldn't tell you a single person's name or really distinguish them from each other. My eyes would glaze over whenever he would get on his listing tangents. But the author seemed very dedicated to researching and telling the truest story, and had a ton of sources (some first-hand from survivors) to back up what he said. I'm sure at the time when the book was published, all of those names probably meant something to people so it makes sense that he would want to mention everyone involved.
All in all it was a good history lesson, so if you want to read about what happened with the Donner Party, then this seems like the book to read.
I'm not normally into reading about history, but this was a recommendation from my dad and I've been in kind of a dark/tragic story mood for a while so it sounded interesting. I've known of the Donner Party for a long time, but I didn't know anything outside of them being trapped somewhere cold and having to eat each other.
I can't imagine that level of starvation, where you're eating bits of rug and ground-up bone jelly to survive. While the book was interesting, I probably won't be reading a historical story for a while.
Not sure if it was because the book was written in the early 1900s, but the author's way of writing wasn't my cup of tea. He used exclamation points constantly, like he was trying to bash you over the head with how crazy or awful things were, as if you couldn't come to that conclusion yourself. I think more than once he actually said "Oh the horror!" after he finished describing something. He also was big on lists of names, and because there was like 90 people in the Donner Party I couldn't tell you a single person's name or really distinguish them from each other. My eyes would glaze over whenever he would get on his listing tangents. But the author seemed very dedicated to researching and telling the truest story, and had a ton of sources (some first-hand from survivors) to back up what he said. I'm sure at the time when the book was published, all of those names probably meant something to people so it makes sense that he would want to mention everyone involved.
All in all it was a good history lesson, so if you want to read about what happened with the Donner Party, then this seems like the book to read.
February 3, 2012
What do you think of when Donner's Pass is mentioned?
Cannibalism? This group of about ninety people including men, women and children, struck westward to Calfornia from east of the Mississippi River in early 1846. They took a short cut that led them through the Bonneville salt flats where they nearly perished from thirst, the elements and breakdowns of their wagon trains. Some of their animals ran off searching for water. The animals were never found.As they srarted across the Sierra Nevadas, their luck worsened. If the weather in the mountains had followed the normal pattern, so much tragedy would have been avoided.
The snows usually began in the latter part of November. In 1846 the snows started on October 31. The party coud neither turn back nor go foward. The trouble on the salt flats caused them to be short of food and animals. The stronger of the group traveled on to Sutter's fort where a rescue party would form to take the necessities of life to those stranded in the mountains. From that point on, the travelers were struck with ill luck. The elderly, the sick and the young were the first to die. Dunner's group was dying of starvation even as calamities piled up for the settlers and the rescuers.
This book is old and most likely on the must read list. I have reviewed only a portion of the book trying to pique the interest of readers. The author writes smoothly and makes the reader feel the cold, the hunger, the desolation and the guilt. An interesting point is that as conditions worsened and people died, those still alive did not fully grieve for their lost loved ones. Their hunger and despondency and lack of hope caused apathy.
Cannibalism? This group of about ninety people including men, women and children, struck westward to Calfornia from east of the Mississippi River in early 1846. They took a short cut that led them through the Bonneville salt flats where they nearly perished from thirst, the elements and breakdowns of their wagon trains. Some of their animals ran off searching for water. The animals were never found.As they srarted across the Sierra Nevadas, their luck worsened. If the weather in the mountains had followed the normal pattern, so much tragedy would have been avoided.
The snows usually began in the latter part of November. In 1846 the snows started on October 31. The party coud neither turn back nor go foward. The trouble on the salt flats caused them to be short of food and animals. The stronger of the group traveled on to Sutter's fort where a rescue party would form to take the necessities of life to those stranded in the mountains. From that point on, the travelers were struck with ill luck. The elderly, the sick and the young were the first to die. Dunner's group was dying of starvation even as calamities piled up for the settlers and the rescuers.
This book is old and most likely on the must read list. I have reviewed only a portion of the book trying to pique the interest of readers. The author writes smoothly and makes the reader feel the cold, the hunger, the desolation and the guilt. An interesting point is that as conditions worsened and people died, those still alive did not fully grieve for their lost loved ones. Their hunger and despondency and lack of hope caused apathy.
December 4, 2015
This book, originally published in 1880, is still considered the most reliable history of the original events that befell the Donner wagon train while it was trying to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the fall and winter of 1846-47. The author, who was alive at the time of the events he records, has taken his narrative from reports made by actual survivors of the episode. Though not the first time during the colonization of the North American continent that starvation had led to such suffering and desperate measures, it was the one most largely reported in the press of the time. The book was actually originally written in order to refute some of the sensationalism that surrounded that reporting.
Since it was written at the end of the 19th century, the vocabulary used and the method of the writing is somewhat more flowery than what the average reader may be used to. However, with that consideration, it is an excellent read for those interested in the history of the western United States. It tells the story of a group of people, thrown together by fate and completely unprepared for the journey they have committed themselves to, that, through misjudgment, bad advice, and bickering among themselves, become unwitting players in a drama that has excited and intrigued the imagination of people the world over for more than a century. Come to this book ready to cry, shudder, and be totally amazed that people could be so foolhardy, and yet so courageous, in the face of complete deprivation. This is a book that will give the student of history a real sense of what it was like to face the dangers and triumphs of the pioneer days of California.
Since it was written at the end of the 19th century, the vocabulary used and the method of the writing is somewhat more flowery than what the average reader may be used to. However, with that consideration, it is an excellent read for those interested in the history of the western United States. It tells the story of a group of people, thrown together by fate and completely unprepared for the journey they have committed themselves to, that, through misjudgment, bad advice, and bickering among themselves, become unwitting players in a drama that has excited and intrigued the imagination of people the world over for more than a century. Come to this book ready to cry, shudder, and be totally amazed that people could be so foolhardy, and yet so courageous, in the face of complete deprivation. This is a book that will give the student of history a real sense of what it was like to face the dangers and triumphs of the pioneer days of California.
March 21, 2009
I recently read a children's book called "Patty Reed's Doll" which told the story of one family in the Donner Party through the eyes of a doll one of the little girls managed to carry all the way to California. Remarkably, the entire Reed family survived their ordeal in the mountains.
C. McGlashan's book is one of the earliest accounts of the Donner Pary. Originally published in 1880, McGlashan was able to interview 24 of the remaining 26 survivors and was given access to private letters and diaries. He also had vast personal knowledge of the Sierra area and visited the actual sites where the Donner party was trapped for the winter. His was the first book to attempt to tell the complete Donner Party story, in which it succeeds to a great extent. On the other hand, it is apparent that McGlashan has left out many (gory) details perhaps in deference to the survivors (who he became friends with) or perhaps because when he was writing (1880's) terrible details were better left to the reader's imagination.
This is a remarkable account of suffering and hardship. It is difficult to believe that anyone, especially children, managed to survive. That they were forced to eat human flesh is the most well known part of the Donner Saga, but there is much more to the story and it is well worth reading!
C. McGlashan's book is one of the earliest accounts of the Donner Pary. Originally published in 1880, McGlashan was able to interview 24 of the remaining 26 survivors and was given access to private letters and diaries. He also had vast personal knowledge of the Sierra area and visited the actual sites where the Donner party was trapped for the winter. His was the first book to attempt to tell the complete Donner Party story, in which it succeeds to a great extent. On the other hand, it is apparent that McGlashan has left out many (gory) details perhaps in deference to the survivors (who he became friends with) or perhaps because when he was writing (1880's) terrible details were better left to the reader's imagination.
This is a remarkable account of suffering and hardship. It is difficult to believe that anyone, especially children, managed to survive. That they were forced to eat human flesh is the most well known part of the Donner Saga, but there is much more to the story and it is well worth reading!
September 9, 2012
I enjoyed this account of the Donner Party especially because it was written
closely to the time of the actual tragedy and contains some input from actual survivors. Sadly many facts of this event must be left open to interpretation with the scarcity of artifacts and recorded history. Much drama and sensationalism has eaten away at this heart breaking moment in history, even if Hollywood has yet to assign it it's own Jack and Rose. This book was a more basic interpretation of the story based on diary entries and comments from survivors. The author is compassionate to these people and lends understanding to both their grave mistakes and their triumphs as human beings. I enjoyed the the book and the authors point of view, one that existed in a similar time and world to that of the actual event. This is a sad and dark story that doesn't make for light reading, and is not for those looking for light reading or the happiest ending.
closely to the time of the actual tragedy and contains some input from actual survivors. Sadly many facts of this event must be left open to interpretation with the scarcity of artifacts and recorded history. Much drama and sensationalism has eaten away at this heart breaking moment in history, even if Hollywood has yet to assign it it's own Jack and Rose. This book was a more basic interpretation of the story based on diary entries and comments from survivors. The author is compassionate to these people and lends understanding to both their grave mistakes and their triumphs as human beings. I enjoyed the the book and the authors point of view, one that existed in a similar time and world to that of the actual event. This is a sad and dark story that doesn't make for light reading, and is not for those looking for light reading or the happiest ending.
January 3, 2018
This history can be hard to read tone-wise. McGlashan writes an extremely melodramatic sentence. McGlashan is also not very objective, and he makes many excuses for less than admirable behavior. Once you get past those problems, though, it is the first big history of the tragedy. McGlashan interviewed over 20 survivors (and maintained friendships with them), which doesn't help with his subjective point of view, but does lend a certain immediacy and sense of really being there to his narrative.
I found the editors' notes in the preface to be extremely informative, and I especially liked the map outlining the emigrant trail compared to the route of the "Forlorn Hope" (they didn't call themselves that, btw) and the relief parties. This is a good addition to my collection of Donner-related media.
I found the editors' notes in the preface to be extremely informative, and I especially liked the map outlining the emigrant trail compared to the route of the "Forlorn Hope" (they didn't call themselves that, btw) and the relief parties. This is a good addition to my collection of Donner-related media.
June 3, 2015
The most amazing parts of this story are the facts that dispel the myths and legends surrounding the Donner party. What truly amazes me is the courage and ambition of the party members to move west to California during such a difficult time where life was so uncertain. The other thing that struck me as remarkable is the number of people who did everything they could to come to their aid--from slaughtering their own winter store of cattle to try to bring food to the starving to crossing the mountains in 20+ feet of snow and nearly starving themselves to try to bring relief. Also, the man who was accused and acquitted of killing his fellow humans for the pleasure of eating them--the poor man was slandered all his life, and such accusations were entirely unmerited. The hardships the Donner party endured, that winter and for the rest of their lives, are truly beyond my imagination.
January 7, 2013
Incredible story of human survival under the most dire and unsurvivable circumstances. I wanted to read this because after witnessing some Sierra winters firsthand, I could not imagine anyone surviving such exposure to the elements for so many months. The writing style is old-fashioned and lovely. The sympathy of the author to these emigrants' hardships is palpable. He was able to interview actual survivors and that establishes a very credible factual base. There are many characters in the story and it is somewhat difficult to keep up with who is who as this long story unfolds. Nonetheless, it is a fascinating account of one of the main events in the history of an area of the country I have grown to love.
April 30, 2014
Excellent Read!
I was afraid that the writing would be hard to understand because of the time period it was written in. It wasn't at all. I love history and this book provided an incredibly descriptive picture of this tragic occurrence in American history.
Some have stated that they became bored with the second half of the story but I certainly don't know why...I couldn't stop reading no matter how late it got!
This book was based on diaries and testimonies of those who lived this tragedy. That often means you get a lot of facts with no heart but I'm pleased to say that is not the case here. It reads like a novel in many ways while still providing the reader with the truth.
I was afraid that the writing would be hard to understand because of the time period it was written in. It wasn't at all. I love history and this book provided an incredibly descriptive picture of this tragic occurrence in American history.
Some have stated that they became bored with the second half of the story but I certainly don't know why...I couldn't stop reading no matter how late it got!
This book was based on diaries and testimonies of those who lived this tragedy. That often means you get a lot of facts with no heart but I'm pleased to say that is not the case here. It reads like a novel in many ways while still providing the reader with the truth.
October 15, 2014
I have read other accounts of the Donner Party and this one seemed to cover more of the interpersonal conflicts that occurred during the long journey, although I still finished the book with a lot of questions. One of my biggest questions was why the families all settled so far from each other when they were stuck at Donner Pass. I also found the story a little confusing when many of the parties began to split up and go for help. It was difficult to read because of the unrelenting tragedy and hardships that were on almost every page, but much of this book is from diaries,letters,and first hand experience, and it makes you feel the reality of what it would have been like to try and endure their situation.
October 17, 2015
Perks of being written in 1907: the author has living subjects to draw from in his research of the Donner party. The events of this tragedy were also relatively recent to the publication of this book, so he documents many primary sources.
Non-perks of being written in 1907: I wanted to spork my eyeballs out with some of the attitudes (especially the author's) surrounding Native Americans and other non-whites. Also, the author takes what could have been an excellent time to utilize primary letters, journals, and records from the party, but instead the book---on too many occasions to count---will take a side road into the author's dramatic commentary on events, which are for narrative effect, but destroy much of the book's validity as a historical account.
Non-perks of being written in 1907: I wanted to spork my eyeballs out with some of the attitudes (especially the author's) surrounding Native Americans and other non-whites. Also, the author takes what could have been an excellent time to utilize primary letters, journals, and records from the party, but instead the book---on too many occasions to count---will take a side road into the author's dramatic commentary on events, which are for narrative effect, but destroy much of the book's validity as a historical account.
December 26, 2015
Best Donner narrative I have read
This was written close enough in time to the Donner Party tragedies that the survivors were still alive and those who were willing were interviewed by the author. The writing reveals the somewhat flowery prose and sentiments of the time, which I feel adds, rather than detracts, from the story. The author took the time to research and relate the lives of principal characters before and after the historical events, which I found refreshing. He manages to humanize characters, some of whom committed what to many of us seem to be inhuman acts. The author has compassion for all the participants, but nonetheless gives the cold, hard facts which allow the reader to make his own decisions about who the hero(ines) and villains were.
This was written close enough in time to the Donner Party tragedies that the survivors were still alive and those who were willing were interviewed by the author. The writing reveals the somewhat flowery prose and sentiments of the time, which I feel adds, rather than detracts, from the story. The author took the time to research and relate the lives of principal characters before and after the historical events, which I found refreshing. He manages to humanize characters, some of whom committed what to many of us seem to be inhuman acts. The author has compassion for all the participants, but nonetheless gives the cold, hard facts which allow the reader to make his own decisions about who the hero(ines) and villains were.
January 11, 2017
Just finished reading "History of the Donner Party" by "McGlashan, C.F." from 1847. What a mess. Sad story. But interesting reading. They had the path recommended by a business person who had financial interests in sending them that way and might have deliberately removed all warnings that the path was dangerous. Also very few people with training in survival for that kind of environment in the party. The one person who ended up going back and saving them was the one person they exiled. Weird, but fascinating.
February 21, 2012
Not exactly what I'd call the cheeriest read of my life, but it's an amazing account of what these people endured, and written at a time when some of the survivors were still around to give the author a firsthand account.
Not for the squeamish, but it also doesn't overly dramatize the inevitable.
Unbelievable to me what they endured, considering I'm not sure I could survive without cable TV and Air conditioning.
Not for the squeamish, but it also doesn't overly dramatize the inevitable.
Unbelievable to me what they endured, considering I'm not sure I could survive without cable TV and Air conditioning.
May 12, 2015
A sad story of human frailty
The 19th century language is a little overblown for modern taste, but the writer seemed to make an honest attempt to research from available sources. Certainly there was enough heroism, villainy, and downright foolish human behavior to make quite a fascinating history. Stories of the West all too frequently ignore how very ill-prepared many pioneers were.
This was a real page-turner, and kept me up at night. Not for the weak stomach.
The 19th century language is a little overblown for modern taste, but the writer seemed to make an honest attempt to research from available sources. Certainly there was enough heroism, villainy, and downright foolish human behavior to make quite a fascinating history. Stories of the West all too frequently ignore how very ill-prepared many pioneers were.
This was a real page-turner, and kept me up at night. Not for the weak stomach.
April 30, 2011
"Five of my companions had died in my cabin, and their stark and ghastly bodies lay there day and night, seemingly gazing at me with their glazed and staring eyes. I was too weak to move them had I tried".
"I was not the cause of my misfortune, and God Almighty had provided only this one horrible way for me to subsist".
"I was not the cause of my misfortune, and God Almighty had provided only this one horrible way for me to subsist".
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