Researcher: Donner Party did cannibalize the dead after all

[tonysam]

For the breakfast and lunch crowd:

Contrary to recent media reports sparked by a university's news release, the Donner Party of 1846-47 did cannibalize the dead, Western historians, authors and a bone researcher said.

The clarifications were based on a flurry of stories last week, which included headlines like: "Oops! Donner Party Gets Apology" (Winston-Salem Journal); "Analysis Clears Donner Party of Rumored Cannibalism" (Cleveland Leader); and "Donner Party Did Not Eat Each Other" (Examiner.com).

The problem: That's not what the bone study says. And telling Western historians the entrapped 1846-47 pioneers didn't eat each other is akin to announcing the Titanic missed that iceberg or Custer survived the Little Big Horn.

Historians said the recent research by Appalachian State University -- which states that no human bones were identified among 85 bone fragments found in a fire pit at one of the Donner Party's campsites -- confirms the families lived on a starvation diet. No human bones were identified in a single fire pit, but that can't be used as proof that the well-documented cannibalism was a myth.

Reno Gazette-Journal

[MadMaddie]

1. Why are they hell bent on dissproving this?

If it happened it happend!

[tonysam]

2. Who knows?

I guess there are always people out there who want to generate headlines by going against the grain of established research.

[msanthrope]

4. It's Mormon revisionism--

There were two family groups that were Mormon, the survivors were rescued primarily by Mormons, and the victims buried primarily by Mormons....

Let's put it this way--the Mormons have claimed these folks, and now want to whitewash their history...

http://www.mormonhistoricsitesfoundation.org/publications/nj_spring1997/Dorius.pdf

just like they pretend that Joseph Smith was not a tried and convicted crook.

[razorman]

15. Don't forget the Mountain Meadows massacre.

[razorman]

3. I was unaware that there was even a controversy about this.

If they did cannibalize their fellow travelers, for God's sake, I hope they were dead!

[supernova]

5. Thinking the same

I always thought that they ate their fellow travelers who had died.

I didn't realize there was a "controversy" about this? :shrug:

[msanthrope]

6. The Mormons don't want cannibals as part of their heritage.

see my post above.

[Vickers]

9. "The morning of Jan. 8th they resumed their journey from the 'Camp of Strife,' order..."

"...being re-established. They had not proceeded above two miles, when they came upon the Indians, lying upon the ground, in a totally helpless condition. They had been without food for eight or nine days, and had been four days without fire. They could not, probably, have lived for more than two or three hours; nevertheless, Eddy remonstrated against their being killed. Foster affirmed that he was compelled to do it. Eddy refused to see the deed consummated, and went on about two hundred yards, and halted. Lewis was told that he must die; and was shot through the head. Salvadore was dispatched in the same manner immediately after. Mr. Eddy did not see who fired the gun. The flesh was then cut from their bones and dried."

http://www.donnerpartydiary.com/jan47.htm

[csziggy]

7. Donner Party members at the time admitted cannibalism

And if I remember correctly unburied and unburned human remains were found in the camp site.

The Donner Party website by Daniel M. Rosen has the diaries of the party members are put in chronological order with additional information, maps and illustrations. "In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Donner Party, I created a daily diary of the Donner Party's journey. The daily information includes diary entries and quotes from original sources and histories. Now that the anniversary is over, I will keep the diary on the web for your research, education and enjoyment." http://www.donnerpartydiary.com/

[rug]

8. They shouldn't have left those tiny paper umbrellas with the ribs.

[XemaSab]

10. I was at the site yesterday

There is still a LOT of snow in the surrounding mountains. Their situation is unimaginable. :(

[EFerrari]

11. I was wondering how they boiled or broiled anything.

Wasn't freezing to death a real danger?

[XemaSab]

13. They had cabins, and there are a lot of trees in the area

but boiling something would have been hard work.

[EFerrari]

14. That's what I was thinking. On the other hand

if you have to have a fire going, you might as well put a dish or pot of snow on it and the hot water heats the air better than the fire alone?

I'm trying to remember a BookTV presentation I saw last August or so where the claim was that not only cannibalism happened but probably murder. Can't remember the details but it was in a cabin where three men were sheltering together and the weakest one "died" under unclear circumstances not too long before the first rescue arrived.

I'm pretty sure it was this one, "The Indifferent Stars Above":

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/287615-1

[Codeine]

12. I would hope so.

One shouldn't let perfectly edible food go to waste in a starvation situation.