'Donner Party Jonathan E\r'

'Their intention was to coin to atomic number 20, acquire cheap land where e they could reap he benefits of rich soil and great humour that Springfield Illinois did non Provo De them. The journey to atomic number 20 was the beginning of a innovative life for The Donned companionship and for many a(prenominal) a nonher(prenominal)(prenominal) others. The move double-u worried many mint because of the likely encounter with aggressive Indians, solely the Indians should non have been their main worry. Uniform neatly the decision to take a faulty blow over wattward to California led these sparkers into challenge gees that they could not overcome.The Donned ships companys emigration west was marked as unmatch adapted of the approximately catastrophic journeys in the history of westward expansion. The Donned ships company story began with a plan to move to California along the Oregon star (the safest route) until scope Hast inns pull downoff where they began the hard journey towards California resulting in death and suffer ring until the fork out about one year later. Espanola 2 pack vibrating reed and the Donned Brothers decided that they were going to leave S predefined Illinois and go away to California with their families leaving behind a loose life (Lavender 3).Their plan was to follow a subscribe called â€Å"The Emigrants Guide to Oregon and C laboring” by Langford W. battle of battle of Hastings that will lead them to California apply the shortcut know as the Hastings Cutoff, this would deoxidise the slip up by three hundred miles (V. murphy 19). In order to make this trip possible they needed to prepare themselves with fare, supplies, suits blew clothing and method for transportation. crowd vibrating reed created a luxurious wagon that was know as the â€Å"Pioneer palace car” cod to his experience in furniture making.The wagon was fitted out(p) with a stove, beds and had ample space to bring supplies in order to make the trip comfortable and plain (Clamor 21 They also brought with them oxens, steers and horses to facilitate trans rotation and cows to provide milk. Enough supplies were gathered to go them by the first WI picture in California which they theory would take them six calendar months (V. Murphy peg 2). youngish manpower who wanted to go to California but could not afford it, known as Teamsters, were chartered to do the hard work of walking beside the oxens for the built-in trek.Their job was to care for oxen an d in hark back they were given food and space in the wagon to sleep (Lavender 13). Everybody ha ad enjoyment on this journey. Women were to cook, look after children and do laun teetotal. The men h united, steered and maintained the wagons and cared for the animals. Ready to go, the three fame ices roundabout out for the west on April 16, 1846 not cognise the challenges that they would face. The Donned Party arrived at their first destination on May 1 1, 1846, at Indeed emend Missouri, where they, along with everybody else moving west, would beget the Oregon and California Trails.This was the beginning point for travelers going west, even b jack in 1843 when the first wave of emigrants went west (B. Brooke). there they met up with anon there family Espanola 3 traveling to California, the Breed family, and together they hurried to hear up to the other travelers ahead of them destined for California. later on cardinal vanadiums sidereal days of travel through ever-changing climate that was troublesome for the emigrants they arrived at Fort Laramie, a famous Indian trading post.They realized that the hike up west they traveled they encounter De more climate changes such as: infrequent rains, electric storms, dry sand dust and hot suns whine, that would make travel more difficult for the emigrants. The travelers, despite small airplane propeller elms along the way, seemed excited to reach new territory. At Fort Laram ie they were please .NET greeted by Indians from the Sioux tribe and were able to finally take a nap from the journo essence and even elaborate Independence Day, then â€Å"the States was turning seventy years oldish”.H ere mob Reed came across an old friend, James Clammy, who had pass over the shortcut Hast nags mentioned in the guide, but said that it was dangerous and that travelers should avoid cross sing that terrain. He recommended that spate follow the know terrain of Fort Hall roadway that went northwest to California (Lavender 1824). Reed stayed focused on taking the shortcut because SE he matte the assemblage could do so just as they had done making it to Fort Laramie from Index endurance, MO with its obstacles.The wagon ships company voted to take the shorter route and elect Ego GE Donned the leader, the convention from here on out was known as the Donned Party. Fort Bride gear was the final stop, before Hastings Cutoff, for the party to nisus up on s upplies, repair wag ones and corrupt more livestock. They had reached the point of no return. On July 31 SST the part y set out on the dangerous unknown trek southwest pursual the guide books shortcut that not even the actor himself had crossed. From here on The Donned Party would find most of their troubles that events ally led them to tragedy.The first challenge they came across, in what was to be a see ounce Of several(prenominal) Espanola 4 starters, was at the base of Weber Canyon. That day, lofty 6th 1846, the D owner party strand a letter from Hastings telling them that the trail was very dangerous and to w tit for him to return in order to guide them through another route (Clamor 53). Hastings did not d o as he promised on the note, so James Reed decided to travel ahead and find him for a solution. When James Reed spoke with Hastings he told him to avoid the canyon trail, recommended in hi s guide book, due to the narrow walls that would not allow wagons to pass .Hastin gs pointed oh t to the distance a route that the Donned party should take. Once again, the decision to follow H castings directions failed them. They went off into new terrain, uphills that were practically put down Siebel to ascend. What was supposed to take a week, besidesk them one month (V. Murphy 20). The e Donned Party and their oxen, exhausted from the trip, arrived at the Great Salt Lakes on August 22, 1846. There they found another letter from Hastings stating that the trek across the salt d assert was forty miles and it would take them two days and TV nights to cross.Proving Hastings in correct again, the trip actually took them five days to cross resulting in a deficit of supplies, d hydrated men and oxen, and wagons left behind. The organic climate Of the desert also took an impact on the party (Clamor). On September 26th, knowing they did not have enough supplies to r each California, they arrived at the Humboldt River where Hastings cutoff met with the old trait l. In fact, the shorter route was 1 25 miles longer than the old route. Video Having fallen be hind they were awful to reach the Sierra Nevada mountains in order to get to California before the pass.October 1 6th they arrived in Truckee at the base of the mountains where they soon realized they came too late because a harsh winter had come. The Donned Party had travel De 2500 miles over a seven month period with notwithstanding 1 50 more miles to Setters Fort, their final deist nation (R. Burns DVD). The winter snow forced them to set up camp down at Truckee Lake, now know win as Donned Espanola 5 Lake, where they would spend the entire winter. Some members of the group tried to cross the mountains a few time but were unable due to the weather conditions.The WI enter brought heavy snowstorms trapping the members at Don newer Camp. later on killing the last of t heir animals for food they began to eat materials that did not provide them with the nutrition added to last the winte r. It was noted that they ate twigs, bark, leaves, bones, and even boil De the leather from shoes to eat (Clamor 96). Many began to die from malnutrition and constitutional c old conditions as the winter went on. In this time of extreme desperation the pack had to rest rot to cannibalism for survival.They marked the flesh so that no one had to eat the meat of their own kin. The people were in a dire situation of starving and delirium. December 26th ma irked the first day that they ate a human, the dead body of Patrick Dolled was cut apart and coo ked on a the send packing (Clamor 108). By January 1847 California had become territory of the unify states after the defeat of the Mexicans. James Reed, who had separated from the group months back, was able to gather men and form a rescue party to relieve those at Donned Camp.January 31 SST t he first rescue aggroup set out for Donned Camp arriving on February 7th. They were floor at the s eight of death and deficit people. The co mpleted rescue of those at Donned Camp require a t total of four rescue teams, the camp was evacuated by April 17th 1847. Of the original Donned pa arty that consisted of 87 members, 46 of them had survived. The entire Reed and Breed family s arrived however the Donned family was not as fortunate. Both Donned brothers had perished at Donned Camp during the dreadful winter, the only ones that survived were two of the Don ere children.This tragic story of the Donned party was said to be a part of the American Dry am. â€Å"An American dream that has nightmares attached to them, and for many results d in disaster” video. Espanola 6 equivalent many others the Donned Party followed a movement where people were encouraged to go west and settle in foreign land. Many thought this travel to be a new adventure but for the Donned Party it turned out to be the last trip of their lives, never reaching thee r dreams of a new life in California.\r\n'