In 1853, Captain John W. Gunnison led an expedition to find a trans-continental railroad route, following the Old Spanish Trail through Salina Canyon, over the mountains to Pahvant Valley, and on reaching Fillmore visiting his friend Bishop Anson V. Call. Call warned him of Indians near the Sevier River because an old brave in the Kanosh Tribe had been killed by members of a California-bound wagon train, and Moshoquop, the dead brave's son, had vowed revenge. Although Gunnison knew Kanosh and Moshoquop as friends, they did not know he had returned to Utah. On the evening of October 28, 1853, Gunnison and his party camped on the riverbank and fired a few shots at migrating wildfowl. Two Indians heard the shots and came close enough to see military uniforms and army equipment, but not close enough to recognize the men, and after they reported this, plans were made during the night and the camp was surrounded. At daylight, as the cook made a fire, Gunnison went to the river to wash, and the men began working with the horses, the first shot was fired as the sun rose over the mountain. Three men escaped on horses, though one fell and hid in the brush, and another swam the river and hid in the willows. Eight men were killed by guns and arrows. The survivors reached Fillmore and reported the tragedy. Gunnison's body was taken to Fillmore for burial, William Potter, a Mormon guide, was buried at his home in Manti, and six men were buried in a common grave here: John Bellows, W.J. Creuzfeld, botanist; R.H. Kern, artist; and Privates Lipcott, Calfield, and Merteens of the United States Army.