Bear Hunter

This article is about the Native American chief. For the act of hunting bears, see Bear hunting.
Bear Hunter
Wirasuap
Personal details
DiedJanuary 29, 1863
Bear River, Idaho
Known forleading Shoshone at Bear River Massacre

Bear Hunter (died January 29, 1863), "also known as Wirasuap (bear spirit)"[1] was a Shoshone chief of the Great Basin in the 1860s.

On January 29, 1863, he and his Shoshone band (Northwestern Band) were attacked by the US Army in what is known as the Bear River Massacre.

In 1862, a Californian volunteer infantry led by Patrick Edward Connor established a fort on the Wasatch Range near Salt Lake City. In January 1863, they attacked Bear Hunter's village in an action known as the Bear River Massacre today.[2][3] Bear Hunter was among those tortured and killed.[4]

  1. ^ "Bear Hunter". Kids Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  2. ^ Grout, Lonny L. "The Bear River Massacre and the American Civil War". MilitaryHistoryOnline.com. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  3. ^ Madsen, Brigham D. "Bear River Massacre". Utah History to Go. State of Utah. Archived from the original on February 6, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  4. ^ "Bear Hunter". NPS.gov. US National Park Service. Retrieved October 12, 2012.