How a Civil War colonel turned an arrest warrant into a slaughter at Bear River

The Bear River Massacre

Mormon farmers took over Cache Valley starting in 1860, forcing 450 hungry Shoshone under Chief Bear Hunter to raid for survival. After miners accused Indians of killing 10 travelers and robbing others in early January 1863, territorial officials demanded action.

Colonel Patrick Connor marched 200 California Volunteers north from Camp Douglas, announcing he would take no prisoners before attacking the winter camp on January 29th and killing 250 Shoshone.

Here’s the forgotten massacre that earned Connor a promotion to general, now marked at the historic site you can explore today.

Why Connor Wanted Indian War Experience

Patrick Connor came to America from Ireland as a teenager. He served in the Mexican-American War before joining the Civil War.

President Lincoln put Connor in charge of the 3rd California Volunteer Infantry in 1861. These troops went to Utah Territory instead of fighting Confederates in the East.

Connor hated this assignment. He wanted battlefield glory, not guard duty in the west.

Before marching to Bear River, Connor said he would take no prisoners. Fighting Native Americans seemed his only path to military fame during the war.

The Arrest Warrants That Sparked The Attack

Settlers and miners moved into Shoshone lands, taking their food sources. The tribe faced hunger as their hunting grounds shrank.

In early January 1863, Shoshone warriors attacked eight miners passing through their territory. Two miners died.

The survivors reached Salt Lake City and told Chief Justice John F. Kinney about the attack. Kinney issued arrest warrants for three Shoshone leaders: Bear Hunter, Sagwitch, and Sanpitch.

U.S. Marshal Isaac Gibbs gave these warrants to Colonel Connor, who used them as an excuse to attack the entire tribe.

Connor’s Troops March Through Winter Conditions

Connor left Fort Douglas near Salt Lake City with nearly 300 men. They traveled 140 miles north through deep snow and freezing cold.

To hide his true numbers, Connor split his forces. Foot soldiers marched during the day while horsemen traveled at night.

Each soldier carried 70 rounds of ammunition. The entire force had about 16,000 bullets.

Mormon scout Porter Rockwell guided the troops to the Shoshone camp. The soldiers arrived near Franklin settlement on January 28, the night before the attack.

The Shoshone Camp’s Preparations

Chief Bear Hunter led about 450 Shoshone people camped where Beaver Creek meets Bear River. This winter camp included men, women, children, and elders.

The Shoshone built their village along a ravine for natural protection. They set up lodges on both sides of the creek.

On the morning of January 29, Chief Sagwitch saw steam rising in the distance. He realized it was the breath of soldiers’ horses in the cold air.

Shoshone warriors took positions behind the 10-foot creek bank. This natural wall gave them cover for defense.

The First Assault Is Repelled

The attack began at 6:00 a.m. on January 29, 1863. Major Edward McGarry led the first charge while Colonel Connor stayed behind with troops still crossing the icy river.

McGarry ordered an attack across open ground toward the Shoshone positions. The warriors fought back with effective fire from their protected spots.

This first charge failed badly for the soldiers. Most of their deaths and injuries happened during this phase.

The Shoshone fighters inflicted heavy losses on the exposed troops. The first attack failed to break through their defense.

Connor’s Tactical Change That Doomed The Shoshone

Colonel Connor arrived and took charge after the failed first attack. He quickly changed plans after seeing the situation.

Instead of more frontal attacks, Connor sent troops around both sides of the Shoshone position. Soldiers blocked both ends of the ravine where the camp sat.

This move trapped the Shoshone with no way out. Troops took positions on high ground on both sides.

From these higher spots, soldiers fired down into the camp from multiple directions. This crossfire made defense or escape impossible.

When The Battle Turned Into A Massacre

By 8:00 a.m., just two hours into the fight, the Shoshone warriors ran out of ammunition. Their defense collapsed once they had no more bullets.

For the next two hours, the attack became a massacre. Soldiers moved through the camp shooting anyone they found at close range.

Troops hunted down Shoshone people hiding in the willow bushes along the creek. They killed those who sought shelter there.

Many Shoshone tried to escape by swimming across the icy Bear River. Soldiers shot them in the water or as they reached the other side.

The Brutality Against Women And Children

Soldiers killed about 90 women and children during the massacre. They made no distinction between warriors and non-fighters.

After the main fighting ended, some soldiers committed terrible acts throughout the village. They used axes to kill wounded women and children who had survived the gunfire.

Many accounts describe sexual violence against Shoshone women during and after the attack. These assaults were part of the broader violence.

The killing of non-fighters made this event a massacre rather than a battle. The cruelty went far beyond normal military actions of that time.

Chief Bear Hunter’s Last Stand

Chief Bear Hunter died during the massacre. As a war chief named in the arrest warrants, soldiers specifically targeted him.

Chief Sagwitch was shot twice in the hand during the fighting. His horse was also shot as he tried to escape.

Sagwitch reached the Bear River and hid among brush and ice chunks until dark. He stayed partly underwater in the freezing river to avoid being found.

Sagwitch’s son, Beshup Timbimboo, survived despite seven bullet wounds. Family members found and saved him after the soldiers left.

The Aftermath Of The Massacre

After the killing ended, Connor’s troops burned 75 Shoshone lodges and took 175 horses. They also seized food stores the Shoshone had gathered for winter.

The soldiers carried their own dead and wounded back to Fort Douglas. They left the Shoshone bodies on the battlefield for wolves and crows.

Connor received a promotion to brigadier general for his actions at Bear River. Military leaders praised the attack as a successful campaign.

Mormon settlers in Cache Valley thanked Connor for the massacre. They saw it as removing a threat to their farms and communities.

Visiting Bear River Massacre Site, Idaho

The Bear River Massacre Site lies near Preston, Idaho, about 140 miles north of Salt Lake City. You can find it along U.S. Highway 91, near the Utah-Idaho border.

The site offers walking paths with interpretive signs explaining the historical events. Visitors can view the ravine where the Shoshone camped and see the terrain that played a crucial role in the battle.

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