Starvation Camp
About 18 September 1860, 26 survivors of the Utter Disaster
arrived south of here. Only 10 remained when an army relief
expedition arrived 5 weeks later.
On September 9 & 10, in Idaho, the Elijah P. Utter
wagon train suffered a two-day attack by Indians in
which 11 emigrants were killed. After the survivors
were discovered here by Indians, some continued
on down the Oregon Trail, only to be killed later.
The other survivors awaited for rescue. A boy was
killed by the Indians and 4 children died from
starvation. Those still alive eventually ate the
flesh of the dead to preserve their own lives.
Cooperative Project of the Malheur County Historical Society, and the Oregon and Idaho Chapters of the Oregon-California Trails Assocation
