Utter - Van Ornum Massacre

The Utter - Van Ornum Massacre was a horrific ordeal and was unique in the annals of the American West.  The challenges and horrors experienced by the members of this wagon train were the worst in the entire history of the Oregon Trail.   The attacks and subsequent survival struggles were so brutal that the event coined the common phrase "An Utter Disaster".

In 1860, a wagon train was formed in Michigan with the destination of western Oregon.   The expedition was comprised of multiple families including the Utter family and the Van Ornum family plus others.  The wagon train departed in the late spring and by early September they were in southern Idaho near the current town of Grandview.   

Note that these events occurred the year before the beginning of the Civil War.   The current ghost town of Silver City, Idaho, about 20 miles southwest of Grandview, was in its earliest stages of existence.   Southern Idaho at that time was almost totally uninhabited by Europeans and crossing this stretch of desert was an immense challenge, in the best of times.  It still is.

Upon reaching Glenns Ferry, the wagon train deviated from the standard Oregon Trail route choosing to take the South Alternative.   Rather than crossing the Snake River at Three Island Crossing, they remained on the south side of the river.   The wagon train departing Glenns Ferry consisted of 8 wagons, 44 people, and about 100 head of various livestock.   

On September 9th, the wagon train was attacked by up to 100 Indians from the Shoshone and Bannock tribes.  Three members of the wagon train were killed, and this attack precipitated a running fight downstream following the Snake River.   Wagon train members were attacked continually for the next 120 miles before a rescue party led by Lt. Marcus Reno (dispatched from Ft. Walla Walla) found the survivors near the current town of Huntington, Oregon on October 24th; almost 7 weeks after the initial attack occurred.   

When the rescue party arrived at Huntington, they found only 10 survivors out of the original 44 members of the wagon train.   Some of these survivors had resorted to cannibalism, consuming the flesh of those who had died of malnutrition or injury.

It is almost unbelievable that Lt. Reno's detachment was able to locate the survivors, who at the time were about 160 miles from Ft. Walla Walla in a completely roadless region.   Between Walla Walla, Washington and Huntington, Oregon lie the Blue Mountains; an imposing range for the detachment to traverse.  

It is interesting to note that in 1876, then Major Marcus Reno, would lead one of the 7th Cavalry's battalions at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in southern Montana.  

Stop 1 and Stop 2:

Just downstream of Grandview, Idaho along the south bank of the Snake River, the Utter - Van Ornum wagon train was first attacked.  This event occurred near Castle Butte.  There is a plaque recognizing the battle located at the coordinates: 43° 6.320′ N, 116° 17.975′ W.   The road to the plaque from the highway is all season gravel.  There is a historical marker on Idaho State Highway 78 at coordinates: 43° 3.259′ N, 116° 18.008′ W.

Stop 3:

Approximately 73 miles downstream along the Snake River from the battle location at Castle Butte is Starvation Camp.  This is located between the current towns of Nyssa and Adrian, Oregon  along Oregon Highway 201 at coordinates: 43° 49.518′ N, 117° 2.232′ W .

Stop 4:

The survivors of the Utter - Van Ornum massacre were discovered in this impact crater by Lt. Reno's detachment from Ft. Walla Walla, Wa.  This crater is outside of Huntington, Oregon off Business U.S. 30 at coordinates:  44° 20.034′ N    117° 14.736′ W; approximately 50 miles downstream along the Snake River from Starvation Camp.