PBS’ American Experience chronicles another gripping tale. This time they retell a story of the infamous Donner Party.

The Donner Party tells the tragic tale of a group of women, men and children mainly consisted of the families of George Donner, his brother Jacob, James F. Reed as well as hired help. The story tells of the group’s journey from Springfield, Illinois to the promised land in California. The group set out in mid-April 1846 and then joined another large wagon train captained by William H. Russell.

For the next two months the group of about 87 people followed the California trail until they arrived at the Little Sandy River (present-day Wyoming). With George Donner as the captain, the group came to be known as the Donner party. They had a total of 23 wagons.

The Donner Party mistakenly set out on a new route to avoid the coming winter, but what was supposed to be a positive caravan ended up in one that succumbed to misery and cannibalism as they endured the worst winter ever recorded in the High Sierras. The “shortcut” resulted in a delay of three weeks longer.

Only half of the whole party came out alive.

(via Ordoh.com)