Kit Carson in Amador County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Tragedy Spring

No 338

— Erected 1967 —

Tragedy Spring Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

1. Tragedy Spring Marker

Inscription. This campsite on the Kit Carson Emigrant Trail was a resting place for California settlers. It was named by members of the Mormon Battalion enroute to Salt Lake Valley. Three of their men, serving as advance trail scouts, were murdered here by unknown persons June 27, 1848. Battalion friends, arriving a few days later, buried them in a common grave and carved their names (Henderson Cox, Ezra Allen, Daniel Browett) on a nearby tree, thus preserving the grave’s location.

Erected 1967 by Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Sacramento County. (Marker Number 338.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Notable Places • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, and the Mormon Battalion series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is June 27, 1862.

Location. 38° 38.364′ N, 120° 8.817′ W. Marker is in Kit Carson, California, in Amador County. It is on Tragedy Springs Road near Carson Pass Scenic Byway (California Highway 88). Gravesite and additional markers are located a short hike from the main marker. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Kit Carson CA 95644, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Sierra Nevada.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Pacific Rim,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow

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flies: Old Emigrant Road (approx. 0.3 miles away); Mormon-Carson Pass Emigrant Trail (approx. 0.6 miles away); Plasse Resort (approx. 1.1 miles away); Plasse’s Trading Post (approx. 1.1 miles away); Maiden's Grave (approx. 1.4 miles away); Carson Trail - Leek Springs (approx. 5 miles away); Kirkwood's (approx. 5.9 miles away); Caples Lake (approx. 6.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kit Carson.

Additional keywords. Mormon Emigrant Trail

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

2. Tragedy Spring Marker

Sign at Beginning of Trail to the Gravesite. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

3. Sign at Beginning of Trail to the Gravesite.

Modern day travelers are invited to pause & rest as the pioneers did. Tragedy Spring Park was developed by cooperative agreement El Dorado National Forest & Sacramento County, Daughters of Utah Pioneers.

Fountain on the Trail to the Gravesite image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

4. Fountain on the Trail to the Gravesite

Plaque reads:
Fountain erected in memory of the three Mormon Battalion men buried here
Plaque placed by the Sons of Utah Pioneers, September 2, 1967.

Interpretive Sign at the Gravesite image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

5. Interpretive Sign at the Gravesite

When members of the Mormon Battalion camped here, they noticed arrows & a newly-made mound. Upon opening it they found the mutilated bodies of their three friends. They reburied them, building a cairn to protect the grave. They also found Allen’s gold pouch, filled with gold dust & carried it to his widow in Iowa.

Plaque - Granite Rock Displaying Replica of Tree Carving image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

6. Plaque - Granite Rock Displaying Replica of Tree Carving

Plaque Embedded in Granite Rock Near Gravesite image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

7. Plaque Embedded in Granite Rock Near Gravesite

To the Memory
of
Daniel Browett
Ezrah H. Allen
And
Henderson Cox
Who was supposed
To have Been Murdered
And Burned By Indians
On the Night of the 27 Of
June 1848
______________ The above is a replica of an inscription on a fir tree which stood near this spot bordering the Old Immigrant Trail. This plaque was dedicated to the memory of California's Pioneers by the Native Daughters of Amador County on August 30th, 1931.

Original Tree Carving image. Click for more information.

Photographed by Habs-loc

8. Original Tree Carving

This photo of the actual carving is a 1940 re-photo of an original held in the collection of the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce.
HABS CAL,9-TRAG,1-
Click for more information.

Plaque at Gravesite image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

9. Plaque at Gravesite

Ezra H. Allen, Co.B
July 28, 1814
Daniel Browett, Co.E
Dec. 18, 1809
Henderson Cox, Co.A
Nov. 6, 1829
Murdered June 27, 1848

Gravesite of Henderson Cox, Ezra Allen and Daniel Browett image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Syd Whittle, July 26, 2009

10. Gravesite of Henderson Cox, Ezra Allen and Daniel Browett

Tragedy Spring after the fires image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 12, 2024

11. Tragedy Spring after the fires

Tragedy Spring graves after the fires image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 12, 2024

12. Tragedy Spring graves after the fires

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 12, 2024

13. Tragedy Spring after the fires.

Tragedy Spring fountain after the fires. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 12, 2024

14. Tragedy Spring fountain after the fires.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 15, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 31, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. This page has been viewed 8,536 times since then and 137 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 31, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 8. submitted on November 16, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 9, 10. submitted on July 31, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 11, 12, 13, 14. submitted on August 11, 2024, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.