The Utter Disaster on the Oregon Trail: The Utter and Van Ornum Massacres of 1860

The greatest disaster to befall a emigrant party on the Oregon Trail occurred in September 1860 in what is now southwestern Idaho. A party composed of eight wagons and 44 men, women and children was attacked by hostile Indians. Almost two months later, a rescue party found 10 survivors clinging to life in rude shelters nearly 100 miles from where the train was first attacked. The survivors had resorted to canabalism to stay alive. Donald Shannon tells the story of the Utter-VanOrum massacres, clearing up many historical inaccuracies that had persisted for more than a century.