Wagons West: The Epic Story of America's Overland Trails

by Frank McLynn

In what The Washington Post has called “fascinating,” Frank McLynn has penned a year-by-year account of the pioneering efforts to conquer and settle the American West. Wagons West is a stirring history of the years from 1840 to 1849--the years between the era of the fur trappers and the beginning of the gold rush. In all the sagas of human migration, few can top the drama of the journey by Midwestern farmers to Oregon and California in those years. Although they used mountain men as guides, they went almost literally into the unknown, braving dangers from hunger, thirst, disease, and drowning.

Using original diaries and memoirs, McLynn “provides intimate, perceptive insights into that time”(The Baltimore Sun) and underscores the incredible heroism and dangerous folly on the overland trails. His well-informed and authoritative narrative investigates the events leading up to the opening of the trails, the wagons and animals used by the pioneers, the role of women, relations with Native Americans, and much else. The climax arrives in McLynn's expertly re-created tale of the dreadful Donner party, and he closes with Brigham Young and the Mormons beginning communites of their own. Full of high drama, tragedy, and triumph, it brilliantly chronicles one of the principal chapters in the creation of the United States as we know it today.

The Anglo-Americans were the last people to arrive in the West. The British had penetrated the Oregon Territory, the Spanish had occupied Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California, and even the Russians and Chinese had traveled to the Pacific seaboard. But until the 1840s, the West was a mere backwater in the life of the United States. The U.S. interest in the West didn’t begin until the 1840s, years after the Lewis and Clark expedition, commissioned by the US President Thomas Jefferson after he purchased the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon in 1803. This new territory doubled the size of the United States, and Lewis and Clark were to explore the newly acquired and unfamiliar land. However, exploring the vast area between the Mississippi and the Pacific was largely the work of the “mountain men,” who between 1820 and 1840 reconnoitered the routes that would later be recognized as the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon trails.

Whereas in 1841 just thirty-four people had made it overland to California and in 1842 a mere 125 had reached Oregon, in 1844 1,528 people reached the west coast on the Oregon and California trails. Though the 1844 emigrants were very well organized and equipped, they faced problems no previous Pacific-bound emigrants had had to contend torrential rain and tremendous flooding. Having scarcely survived the high waters, the originally combined Oregon-bound and California-bound parties decided to go their separate ways at Fort Laramie. The Oregon-bound party then endured many deaths from disease, and largely degenerated into a free-for-all, with individual riders heading as fast as their horses would take them for the Columbia River. Though the first snows were not expected for a month, they came unseasonably early and caused starvation. One group did however get safely over the Blue Mountains. Around the same time, the Stephens-Murphy party reached Sutter’s Fort and was subsequently the first party to prove that wagons could be taken all the way to the Pacific Coast in California.

The Donner party unknowingly headed into the most unimaginable disaster. Moving too slowly to avoid the coming snowstorms, the Donner party proceeded without maps, direct trails or guides. After weeks of starvation due to the snow, members of the Donner party began to discuss cannibalism as an option. Those who did not survive the starvation were eaten by some of the survivors. When relief parties finally found the survivors, they learned to their horror that some of the party’s members, including infants and children, had been murdered for their flesh. But the press purposely silenced and suppressed news of the Donner party so as not to discourage overland pioneers. By the time the news reached the Midwest it was too late to deter the emigrants of 1847, and by 1848 the gold strike in California had swept aside all other considerations.

The most dramatic emigration of 1847 was that of the Mormons from Illinois to their new Zion in Oregon. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was killed by a mob of anti-Mormon militiamen in June of 1844. Brigham Young, one of his appointed “apostles,” became the new leader of the Mormons after his death. In March of 1846 he led 5,000 Mormon emigrants on their westward trail. To ensure the loyalty of the Mormons in territory that was still technically Mexican, President Polk demanded that the Mormons furnish a battalion of five hundred men to serve in the Mexican war, specifically to march against Santa Fe and California with US forces. By complying with the President’s request, Young got the US government to...

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Westerns, Historical, 19th Century, Unfinished

528 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Frank McLynn is an English author, biographer, historian and journalist. He is noted for critically acclaimed biographies of Napoleon Bonaparte, Robert Louis Stevenson, Carl Jung, Richard Francis Burton and Henry Morton Stanley.

McLynn was educated at Wadham College, Oxford and the University of London. He was Alistair Horne Research Fellow at St Antony's College, Oxford (1987–88) and was visiting professor in the Department of Literature at the University of Strathclyde (1996–2001) and professorial fellow at Goldsmiths College London (2000 - 2002) before becoming a full-time writer.

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book

Readers who like, true, well researched, history of the west would certainly do themselves a favor by reading this book.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

543 pages

4 stars

Mr. McLynn goes into great detail the items recommended for the pioneers on their journey to the West. (California and Oregon mostly.) In spite of copious information available, most travelers took treasured items and even furniture with them. Most ran out of food and had to wind up eating their livestock. Planning and/or listening to good advice was not their strong point.

The parties were quarrelsome and bickered almost constantly. There were those who wouldn’t be told what to do, those who were lazy and those who were uncomplainingly generous. These differences in personality types often caused conflict and even caused deaths.

Mr. McLynn takes the reader on several of the journeys. Starting about 1840, the yearly trips usually started out well, but managed to quickly deteriorate into divisive factions. The groups would splinter and come back together. Grudges were fomented. Hard feelings and frustrations ran high.

Then there was the environment itself. The weather, the terrain, the fragility of the wagon trains and the local natives were all additional hardships. While some of the Natives were friendly and helpful, others begged and dogged the travelers, while still others were warlike. The author beautifully describes crossing rivers and the barrenness of the Great Salt Lake area and the desert. The awful time the pioneers had going over the mountains with their wagons. Many were to leave their wagons behind and ride mules or horses the rest of the way to their destinations.

The scenery must have been beautiful, however. And to give credit to Mr. McLynn, he describes the surroundings well.

Of course, the author includes the sad saga of the Donner Party. Convinced of a “short cut” that had not been explored or travelled, they broke off from the main body of the wagon train and set out to the mountains by themselves, along with a number of other people. Trapped by feet of snow, they starved and some were to resort to horrible lengths to survive. Many died and many went mad.

The Donners spent far too much time lazing about and not traveling hard like they should have. They waited on departed members and just sat around. They would find a nice spring and just waste time enjoying themselves there.

Several relief parties were sent from California to locate and aid the stranded, but some would not go and others were too weak to make the journey back in the deep snow.
Only forty-seven of the large party were to survive. The author gives a grief description of what happened to them. He also includes a bibliography for those who would like to further explore the subject

Mr. McLynn writes a very good, descriptive and rousing tale of the various journeys westward. I went to Amazon to check out his other books.

[Wendell H Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

Incredible fortitude! Even with the detailed research by the author is is hard to believe what perseverance these pioneers exhibited. So well written.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wagons West by Frank McLynn is another great book by an author who has had a string of them. This book covers the era between the end of the fur traders and the start of the gold rush and tells the stories of the migrants who crossed deserts and mountains often without accurate maps or proper supplies to reach the land of milk and honey in California and Oregon. While the book focuses on "the Oregon Trail" it also cover the Santa Fe Trail and other trails into California. The Oregon Trail is a series of different trials most commonly thought of as leaving from Independence Missouri but could also leave via Boise or Kansas City to name a few with an end destination of Oregon or northern California. The book covers the notable wagons of the Donner's and their ill fated venture ending in displays on cannibalism and depredation towards women and children. It also covers the resettlement of the Mormons and how they changed life on the trails by settling in Salt Lake City. It is (like his other books) very detail oriented and there is a lot to take in during the short amount of pages. As some others have noted this is not a quick read but well worth the time and packed full of very strong information about the overland trails and the people who rode them. For those who have a knowledge about how the US changed during these years and want to get the details of that change this is a perfect book to read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been on an Oregon Trail tear lately. This was partly motivated by our recent move to Idaho. Southern Idaho's Snake River plain-featured prominently in the diaries of Oregon Trailers. They were not pleased with the barren volcanic rock, basalt cliffs, and waste high sage brush that bordered the Snake then and now. They didn't know they we're crossing a rare continental mantle plume track. As North America drifted west over the Yellowstone hot spot one volcanic eruption after another formed this region's unique wagon wheel breaking geology. I'm pretty sure the pioneers would have rated the Snake's portion of the Oregon Trail no higher than two stars out of five. One of the great things about living near the historical trail is going out and visiting actual trail sites. Last weekend we checked out the Three Island Crossing on the Snake, now a state park. Wagon ruts from the 1850s are still clearly visible on the southern hills of the river valley. McLynn's book, like others, makes it abundantly clear that the people of the mid-19th century were far tougher, more resilient, and harder working than 21st-century pussies. They also had the great luxury of having a place to go. In the 19th century, common men and woman had the option of escaping their suffocating civilization. We won't see anything like the freedom they enjoyed until we can migrate into space.

[Mike Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

McLynn has a way with words, lots and lots of words, lots of obscure and archaic words. His research is admirable and if you’re wanting details about the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails you will find it here even though the too-clever writing blocked the way at times.

You will come to know a lot about the earliest wagon trains as well as about those who rode horses, mules, and walked more than halfway across the continent into what was unknown or terribly misunderstood. Those people were tough. Most all of us would turn back or die if we had to face what they faced. The women were tougher than football players.

One part that did and didn’t surprise me was the dissension and infighting that were constants. The Native Americans were a problem but the over abundance then the lack of water and food was worse. Diseases were rampant. Short-cut routes were too often death traps compounded by not comprehending the geography and scope of the West.

Don’t read the chapter about the Donner party while eating. We all know about the cannibalism, but it’s worse than that.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely a case of 'less is more'. It's a very interesting read and incredibly comprehensive, but that's perhaps too much detail. The author takes the history of the pioneers year-by-year, but since most emigrants were treading the same trails, there's a lot of overlap and repeating of information. When you've read about one party of emigrants' reactions to Chimney Rock, you've read them all! It's also quite confusing - there's a lot of use of emigrants' diaries, but a lot of the diarists weren't necessarily major players in their particular group, so you're reading the reactions and thoughts of someone without really knowing who he is or who he fitted into the overall group. But it's a good read, nonetheless, but that's perhaps more because of the material than the writing.

[Stevejs298 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprise discovery at the local library. What a treat. It is amazing to me what people were able to endure in the 19th century.

[Edwin Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meticulous yet enlivening, this has made me want to read other history books detailing the period, as well as check out Frank McLynn’s non pioneer work.

[Joe Stack · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars overall because I found the first 7 chapters encumbered with so much detail that the reading was slow and often seemed repetitive. Even so, I think the reader is so immersed by the details that you fully understand the grit and resolve it took to go west on a caravan in the years before 1849. I give 4 stars for chapters 9 & 10 which covered the Donner tragedy and the Mormon trek west. Here the author's writing and recapping of this history is a high water mark. You know the outcomes, yet the author maintains suspense. With the Donners, the horror of the tragedy doesn't let up until the end of the chapter. Most interesting was the part about the relief teams. I wasn't totally aware of what the relief columns endured, and this detail made the story of the Donner tragedy more interesting.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book focusing on the first few years of overland trek to Oregon and California. The accounts are interesting, but can feel repetitive to what each wagon train endured. Good accounting of the Donner Party trek as well.

[Meleya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A recap of many other books about emigration to the west. Sometimes hard to follow and pretty dry.

[Amanda Spillane · Rating 4 out of 5]

onto the gold rush era next

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite an exhaustive report of the earliest pioneers to head west, beginning in the early 1840s and continuing until the time of the Gold Rush. McLynn chronicles almost step-by-step the earliest migrations, tracing their routes to California, Oregon, and Utah. He gives detailed accounts of who traveled, how far they went, what they found, and the many challenges they faced. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was curious as to how he would treat the "Mormons." I'll just say he reflects his own biases. He accepts as fact every anti-Mormon rumor ever spread. He imputes negative motives for just about everything the Church leaders did. Furthermore, be careful if you keep a diary or journal; be sure that you chronicle the most important events of the day, in addition to things that deal directly with you. Otherwise, some future historian may label you as "dim-witted," "imbecile," and "idiotic."

[Jeff · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing. I've read several of this authors other books (notably bio's of Napoleon, and Richard/John). This book can be summed up as 400 pages of

In 1843, wagon train left missouri.
wagon train had bad weather
wagon train had indian scare
wagon train almost ran out of food
wagon train barely arrived in oregon or california

In 1844,wagon train left missouri.
wagon train had bad weather
wagon train had indian scare
wagon train almost ran out of food
wagon train barely arrived in oregon or california

The most interesting part was the section on the Donner party, mainly b/c I was aware of them, but didn't really know their story. But it wasn't worth wading through 300+ pages of dull reading to get to it.

Also, for the hardcore West enthusiasts, there was a LOT of books referenced in the bibliography. But there were no footnotes throughout the text, so if one thing captured your interest, there's no way to view the source material.

[Jennifer Paz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying this book until I got to the section about the Mormon pioneers. Even if you aren't LDS, it is clear that the author wrote with the intention of marring the character of early church leaders, which was hardly the point of writing about their trek west. I happen to be LDS and have read many non-member accounts of early church history that were perfectly unbiased and properly objective, as the rest of this book seems to be. However, this section made me question the validity of the other so-called facts in the book.

On an unrelated note, I was also thoroughly sickened at the description of the Donner party ordeal and had nightmares for weeks. There ought to be an R-rating on this book for the gore in that section--or at least a warning at the start of the chapter.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, at times a vocabulary primer. It was sad to note how selfish the people on the wagons were, even the Mormans. Appreciated the more detailed and accurate description of the role of the American Indians in the westward movement. In spite of how Hollywood depicts them, most of them were helpful even though the "overlanders" trooped across their land and slaughtered their main food source.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a chronology of pre-gold rush westward movement. I enjoyed the details the author outlined in the day to day lives of those who made their journeys west. He drew his sources from the various journals of those who made the journey, and it was quite interesting to note the grandness of the trek and the dangers the pioneers faced along the way. It was an excellent book.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read 'Wagons West' on the strength of the one other Frank McLynn books I read several months ago, his 'Captain Cook.' Like 'Cook', 'Wagons West' is well-researched and McLynn tells a great story. Thoroughly enjoyable, informative and entertaining.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great detailed accounts of the overland pioneers of the West mostly before the Gold Rush. Most information is obtained from journals and is very interesting. Some of the language is a little strange : "scrimshanking" for shirking work, but the author is British. I recommend it highly.

[Linda Carroll-Bradd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great factual accounts of the tribulations and rigors experienced by emigrants traveling to Oregon and California in the 1840s. A brief recap is included that details how situations and conditions changed after the Gold Rush in California. Wonderful resource.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I agree with the review that said this is a case where less would have been more. This is a time period that fascinates me and I was so excited to read this, but it was utterly painful and dull most of the time. I do like the excerpts from diaries, but that was about it.

[Michael Peterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though detailed, I found this book to be very dry with poor narrative structure. The author bounces from topic to topic in a disjointed manner, sometimes within a single paragraph. There are better-written accounts of the Oregon Trail and westward expansion out there.

[Steven Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Wonderful descriptions of those old wagon journeys and the fact that the pioneers had to cope with each other as well as everything else. Will be rereading.

[Pat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Should have been an interesting book. It was dull.

[Erik Fredrickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly good, a bit dry and slow at tomes but so is history itself.

[Robert Lewter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd probably have just stayed at the house.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very comprehensive read of the western journey books I’ve read. Detailed like crazy.