The Donner Party: What Really Happened?
Caitlin Doughty・17 minutes read
The Donner Party, led astray by Lansford Hastings, faced extreme snowfall and starvation, resulting in cannibalism among the group. Survivors resorted to eating the dead to survive, with the final seven rescued after months of suffering.
Insights
- Lansford Hastings' ill-advised shortcut caused the Donner Party's harrowing ordeal, leading to extreme snowfall and dire circumstances at Truckee Lake.
- Survival cannibalism became a grim reality for the Donner Party, with evidence of desperate measures such as drawing lots for consumption and careful preservation of human meat to endure months of suffering until rescue.
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Recent questions
What happened to the Donner Party?
Trapped by extreme snowfall, they resorted to cannibalism.
Who was Louis Keseberg?
A Donner Party member who resorted to cannibalism.
How were the Donner Party survivors rescued?
After months of suffering, they were rescued with varying success.
Why did the Donner Party resort to cannibalism?
They faced starvation and dire conditions in the snow.
What led to the Donner Party's dire circumstances?
Lansford Hastings' misguided advice and extreme snowfall.
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Summary
00:00
Tragic Cannibalism: Donner Party's Harrowing Journey
- Last relief party entered the camp in April 1847, finding evidence of cannibalism among the Donner Party.
- George Donner's severed head was found, his wife Tamzene missing.
- Louis Keseberg, a surviving member, was preparing brains and liver amidst human remains.
- Keseberg admitted to eating Tamzene Donner, sparking horror among rescuers.
- Lansford Hastings' misguided advice led the Donner Party to take a treacherous shortcut to California.
- The party faced extreme snowfall at Truckee Lake, leading to dire conditions.
- Snowshoe party set out for supplies, facing hunger, hypothermia, and snow blindness.
- Desperation led to drawing lots for cannibalism, with multiple deaths in the group.
- Survivors resorted to eating the dead, carefully preserving and rationing the meat.
- The final seven survivors were rescued after months of suffering, with varying success in rescue attempts.
14:39
Survival Cannibalism: Women's Fat Saved Lives
- Women survived the starvation cannibalism due to having more body fat.
- The snow trapped them at a height of 22 feet.
- The pioneer memorial also serves as a headstone for the Reed family's cabin.
- After rescues and deaths, bones and clothing were cremated in the abandoned cabin.
- Families at Truckee Lake resorted to cannibalism after consuming all resources.
- The Donner Party practiced survival cannibalism to stay alive in desperate conditions.
