Massacre Documents

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Colonel Connor's Official Report

How did Connor's report describe the massacre itself?

“I immediately ordered Major McGarry to advance with the cavalry and surround before attacking them, while I remained a few minutes in the rear to give orders to the infantry and artillery. On my arrival on the field I found that Major McGarry had dismounted the cavalry and was engaged with the Indians who had sallied out of their hiding places on foot and horseback, and with fiendish malignity waved the scalps of white women and challenged the troops to battle, at the same time attacking them. Finding it impossible to surround them, in consequence of the nature of the ground, he accepted their challenge…

“The most of those who did escape from the ravine were afterward shot in attempting to swim the river, or killed while desperately fighting under cover of the dense willow thicket which lined the river banks.”

How did Connor characterize the support of the local settlers, particularly the Latter-day Saints?

“I should mention here that in my march from this post, no assistance was rendered by the Mormons, who seemed indisposed to divulge any information regarding the Indians and charged enormous prices for every article furnished my command. I also have to report to the general commanding that previous to my departure Chief Justice Kinney, of Great Salt Lake City, made a requisition for troops for the purpose of arresting the Indian chiefs Bear Hunter, San Pitch, and Sagwich. I informed the marshal that my arrangements for our expedition against the Indians were made, and that it was not my intention to take any prisoners, but that he could accompany me. Marshal Gibbs accordingly accompanied me and rendered efficient aid in caring for the wounded.”

The Deseret News - February 11, 1863

Note that the Deseret News was owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

What was the article's source of information?

What justifications did they offer for the massacre?

How did Connor get the wounded back to Fort Douglas? (look at question 12c)

The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Monument

The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) erected this monument in 1932 to commemorate the "Battle of Bear River." Note the differences between the monument and real history as you read in the primary documents.

The 1932 Plaque

No 16 (number 16)

Erected 1932

THE BATTLE OF BEAR RIVER was fought in this vicinity January 29, 1863

Col. P.E. Connor, leading 300 California volunteers from Camp Douglas, Utah, against Bannock and Shoshone Indians guilty of hostile attacks on emigrants and settlers engaged about 500 Indians of whom 250 to 300 were killed or incapacitated, including about 90 combatant women and children. 14 soldiers were killed, 4 officers and 49 men wounded, of whom officer and 7 men died later. 79 were severely frozen. Chiefs Bear Hunter, Sagwitch, and Lehi were reported killed. 75 horses and much stolen property were recovered. 70 lodges were burned.

FRANKLIN COUNTY CHAPTER, DAUGHTERS OF THE UTAH PIONEERS, CACHE VALLEY COUNCIL, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA AND UTAH PIONEER TRAILS AND LANDMARKS ASSOCIATION

The 1953 Plaque

No (number) 186

Erected July, 1953

PIONEER WOMEN

Attacks by the Indians on the peaceful inhabitants in this vicinity led to the final battle here January 29, 1863. The conflict occurred in deep snow and bitter cold. Scores of wounded and frozen soldiers were taken from the battlefield to the Latter Day Saint community of Franklin. Here pioneer women, trained through trials and necessity of frontier living, accepted the responsibility of caring for the wounded until they could be removed to Camp Douglas, Utah. Two Indian women and three children, found alive after the encounter, were given homes in Franklin.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

A New View

In 1985, Historian Brigham Madsen published The Shoshoni Frontier and the Bear River Massacre. In that book, Madsen pointed out several of the inconsistencies between the historical memory (as we see on the DUP monument) and the facts as they occurred.

Madsen was able to convince others, including the government that erects highway signs, that the event was, in fact, a massacre.

Here's the thing, though: The Shoshone version of the story always included these facts. It wasn't until a white historian began to make the argument that outsiders began to believe the reality of the event.

Now

The Shoshones still meet every year on the anniversary of the massacre to commemorate the event. They also meet at other important dates.

They use the tree right next to the incorrect DUP monument to hang sacred items for their ancestors. I even saw them use the fence around the DUP monument to hold the sage they were burning.

In this picture, sacred items hang in the tree beside the DUP massacre monument.

Because I get asked this on occasion: No, the items have no monetary value.

You can see the tree to the right of the monument.

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