The Ungodly
A Novel of the Donner Party
Richard Rhodes 382 pages 2007

Despite the word “novel” in the subtitle, this is not a traditional sort of novel where there is a story that has conflict that moves the plot along with characters with whom the reader can identify. This book has no real plot, no character exposition, and no specific setting. It is told in the form of a diary as the Donner Party moves across the continent and then settles in at Donner Lake. Added to that are diary entries from James Breen’s diary with the narrator stepping in to tell what’s happening around the people or elsewhere from the Breen diary. A couple of letters are also used. In this form the book covers all of the episodes in the Donner Party story just as non-fiction books on the subject do.

What makes this book the “novel” is that it answers the many questions a reader of Donner Party literature might have beyond the basic. How did the people actually interact? What were the details? What were the discussions among the party members when they were confronted with Hastings cutoff for example? How were women or their views treated? What was the party thinking as its members arrived at Donner Lake. What did they say to each other as they tried to get over the pass? How did they divide themselves up at the lake? Did the Reed family keep walking even after Stanton and Sutter’s Indians arrived with relief supplies or did the arrival of mules give the Reeds relief? Common sense says no but there’s no evidence of what actually happened. Those details flesh out the story beyond what the non-fiction Donner Party books do. Adding made up details, though, can change the story.

Of course all those details in the above paragraph are made up. For example, when there is discussion among people about going back for one of their group left behind in the desert Mr. Rohes provides this vignette. “Then the 3 went to Uncle Bill Graves and he was the angriest of all. He said bluntly that he would not kill one of his horses to save the life of a worthless foreigner who probably never did anyone any good. Graves flailed his arms…” This may do the real Mr. Graves a great disservice.

On the other hand Graves may really have had prejudices typical of many at the time. Another example describes the people at they reached the Truckee River. “They had never seen anything so lush in all their lives…They ran as they reached the bottom of the hill. Ran through the grass. Ran past the trees. Ran to the cool sweet ribbon of water. Jumped in and splashed each other. Ducked under. Drank the water through their ears and their eyes and their mouths and their noses. Through their skin, Through the palms of their hands and tie elbows and their feet. Laughed and cried….” That’s kind of poetic but there is no description like that in any Donner Party book. Emerging from the desert, they may have acted that way. Knowing this is a “novel” helps us accept that piece of the story.

Here is an example of characters’ interaction in Mr. Rhodes’ telling. We can imagine the Donner Party standing atop Donner Pass stuck in the snow having gotten Capt. Sutter’s mules up there. The snow was too deep to go on with the mules. What was the discussion that ended with the party going back down to the lake with the mules instead of continuing on to California?

Stanton had refused to go on without the mules because he’d promised to bring them back. An argument erupts. (Mr. Rhodes does not believe in quotation marks.) But you’re our guide said Eddy. You ought to be at the head of the line finding us the way. Not back wet nursing them mules.

Stanton’s eyes darted from Eddy’s glare.

You can argue all you like he said his voice squeaking but I have an obligation to return those mules.

Goddamn you Stanton you got an obligation to guide us over these goddamned mountains. Eddy jerked on Stanton’s coat sleeve and the small man pulled his arm away.

Leave him alone said Graves. he stepped forward. He’s right about them mules Eddy. If we leave them behind and they die up here we’re goin to have to pay for them.

Eddy threw up his hands.

My Jesus Christ do you people believe what you’re hearing. He waved his arms in the air. Have you got any idea of what trouble we’re in? This old man here is worried about money and this church usher here is worried about his good name….

There must have been arguments but here and in other cases Stanton is made out to be the villain which belies the actual heroic parts of his story which were ignored in favor of the made up.

Adding these details that may or may not have been what really happened but seem to be common sense reactions to events, means that we are now privy to family arguments, unsavory personal characteristics, and just general details of people caught in the extremes.

One does wonder at times whether the author simply took what’s in any number of Donner Party books and just added what sounded good without doing much research himself. For example, John Stark was one of the heroes of the rescue expeditions. Rhodes names him John Starks in a couple of places. Capt. Sutter becomes Colonel Sutter in Rhodes’ telling. Then there is geography. Descriptions of Donner Summit are not true to the geography but if you’ve never been here on Donner Summit you wouldn’t know (and you’ve missed something). For example the Forlorn Hope could see the cabins from Donner pass in Rhodes’ telling. In the real area that's not possible.

It’s a small thing but while the author was adding details to flesh out the story he left some telling things out. When the Forlorn Hope left the lake in mid-December, they had had little food and struggled through the snow for three miles. Then they climbed a thousand feet up to the pass covering another few miles. They must have been hungry and exhausted. They must have been wet from sweat inside and wet on the outside from melting snow. Uncomfortable and scared hardly describe their state. Nevertheless, Mary Ann Graves turned on reaching the pass, looked back down and remarked, “The scenery was too grand for me to pass without notice.” She also noted that someone else had said, “We were as near to heaven as we could get.” I can’t believe that real episode, one of the few actual details we do know was left out. Rhodes didn’t even have to make anything up. It tells a lot about the characters, the members of the Forlorn Hope as well as Donner Summit.

Instead Rhodes has Mary Ann Graves see mist in the distance and mistake it for smoke. She becomes hysterical, It’s smoke Will! She yelled hysterically. It’s smoke! They made it! They come to save us! She struggled to break free but he was too strong for her. Why are you holding me? she hissed. I want to get to camp. They got food for us. They got fire.

Might Mary Ann Graves who volunteered to leave the lake in quest to get to California to save her family, and who would have shown such tremendous strength surviving 31 days on the trek have really acted that way?

Rhodes notes that men didn’t survive as well as the women. The Donner teamsters are pathetic. Maybe but there’s no evidence in the actual literature.

The added details flesh out the story helping the reader visualize what life must have been like such as preparing ox hide for eating, moving a body or the stink in the cabins, or even the details of butchering a body. “Looking furtively around him he unbuttoned the shirt and raised his knife and plunged it into the belly. The liver was still half-frozen and he had to pry it from its place below the ribs. Then he cut it free. It was slippery and to hold it he cupped it in both hands. The craving made his head pound…” Even more gruesome was the pages at the end devoted to Keseburg all by himself waiting for the last relief party.

Sometimes the added details change the story we know from all the previous research. Charles Stanton is a hero. He left the party in the desert to head for California to get supplies from Sutter’s Fort. He didn’t have to go and he didn’t have to return. After all, he had no family in the group. He did return though. He also volunteered to be part of the Forlorn Hope during which he died. Here is Rhodes view when Stanton began to have trouble keeping up:

Mary Graves pushed herself up and went to Stanton’s side.

It’s all right Mr. Stanton she said. You will make it.

No I won’t said Stanton I’m going to die.

Bill Foster snorted.

Ah shit Stanton stop your snivleing.

There’s women here Bill said Eddy. Watch your language.

I don’t give a goddamn who’s here said Foster make that sniveling son-of-a-bitch shut up.

Eddy turned to Stanton bawling won’t do you no good Charlie he said. You got to just push on. I’m going blind! screamed Stanton.

I’m going blind!

Shut that up! yelled Foster…. And it goes on painting the hero as clearly defective and definitely differently from what the other Donner Party literature says.

The Donner Party may not have been a delightful group (but those details are beyond the scope of this review) but adding Rhodes' "details" does not do their memory any good.


“Strewn around the cabin s were dislocated and broken bones- skulls, (in some instances sawed asunder with care for the purpose of extracting the brain)- human skeletons, in short in every variety of mutilation. A more revolting and appalling spectacle I never witnessed…”

Edwin Bryant as part of the Army party sent under General Kearny to collect and inter the remains.