Patrick Breen diary, 1846 Nov. 20-1847 Mar. 1.

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Patrick Breen diary, 1846 Nov. 20-1847 Mar. 1.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/26650171

The diary of Patrick Breen was recorded between November 20, 1846 and March 1, 1847, in what is presently the Donner Pass region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in Nevada County, California. At the time of the diary's composition, Breen and his family were part of a group of pioneers -- that came to be known as the Donner Party -- completing an overland journey from the Great Plains to California. After reaching Donner Lake (then Truckee Lake), the group met with relentless winter conditions which prohibited further travel. As these conditions persisted, food supplies were depleted and hunger and sickness came to prevail over the stranded party. For many, leather hides provided the only remaining sustenance. Several eventually died of starvation. Others, in desperation, resorted to consuming the flesh of those already dead. The survivors were finally rescued by a relief party led by James F. Reed -- an original member of their party -- and shortly thereafter reached their destination at Fort Sutter in New Helvetia. The diary begins during the early stages of the winter of 1846-47 -- one of the harshest on record for the region -- and proceeds to chronicle on a daily basis its increasing severity and the disastrous toll it took on the party. The last entry is recorded the day of the arrival of Reed's relief party.

Originals: 32 p. ; 16 cm.Copies: partial microfilm reel : negative (Rich. 530:1-19) and positive.

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SNAC Resource ID: 7167784

UC Berkeley Libraries

Related Entities

There are 3 Entities related to this resource.

McKinstry, George.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6x931q8 (person)

California pioneer. Came overland, arriving in California in 1846. Worked for John Sutter as clerk, sheriff of Northern California District, 1847. Physician in San Diego, 1851-1879. From the description of George McKinstry Collection, 1816-1890. (California State Library). WorldCat record id: 58746699 ...

Breen, Patrick, approximately 1805-1868

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fn3b7t (person)

Patrick Breen was born in Ireland circa 1805. In 1828 he emigrated to Canada and some time thereafter moved to Iowa territory, where he became the owner of a farm. In about 1831 he married Margaret (maiden name unknown). Breen was naturalized in 1844. In the Spring of 1846, the Breen family joined a party of emigres bound for California. The party's ill-fated journey across the Sierra Nevada Mountains was partially documented in the diary Breen kept while stranded in a mountain camp at Donner (t...

Online Archive of California

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6dg0dnv (corporateBody)