Bear River Massacre
1863 massacre of Shoshone by U.S. military / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bear River Massacre, or the Engagement on the Bear River, or the Battle of Bear River, or Massacre at Boa Ogoi, took place in present-day Franklin County, Idaho, on January 29, 1863. After years of skirmishes and food raids on farms and ranches, the United States Army attacked a Shoshone encampment gathered at the confluence of the Bear River and Battle Creek in what was then southeastern Washington Territory, near the present-day city of Preston. Colonel Patrick Edward Connor led a detachment of California Volunteers as part of the Bear River Expedition against Shoshone tribal chief Bear Hunter. Hundreds of Shoshone men, women, and children were killed near their lodges; the number of Shoshone victims reported by local settlers was higher than that reported by soldiers.
Bear River Massacre | |||||||
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Part of the American Indian Wars[lower-alpha 1] | |||||||
A monument erected by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers commemorating the event. | |||||||
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Participants | |||||||
United States | Shoshone | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Patrick Edward Connor | Bear Hunter † | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
~200 | ~300[3] +families | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
21 killed 46 wounded |
~250 killed ~160 wounded or captured[4] |