INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT. 



War Department, Washington, May 1, 1855. 

 Sir: The following duties are assigned to you, under the appropriations for continuing explo- 

 rations and surveys to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from 

 the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean, and for military and geographical surveys west of the 

 Mississippi. 



1. To make such explorations and surveys as will determine the practicability, or otherwise, 

 of connecting the Sacramento valley, in California, with the Columbia river, Oregon Territory, 

 by a railroad, either by the Willamette valley, or (if this route should prove to be impracti- 

 cable) by the valley of Des Chutes river, near the foot slopes of the Cascade chain. Alonj; Des 

 Chutes river the character of the country is such as to render it improbable that a practicable 

 route can be found. 



2. To make the necessary examinations and surveys to determine if a route practicable for a 

 railroad exists crossing the Sierra Nevada, at or near the source of Carson river. This may 

 furnish the most direct railroad route from San Francisco to the Great Salt Lake. The duty 

 first assigned you having been completed, you will ascertain from the commanding officer, 

 Lieut. Col. Steptoe, and others of the troops that may have crossed the Great Basin from 

 Great Salt Lake and the Sierra Nevada, by the route near the sources of Carson river, all the 

 details necessary to a knowledge of the character of the route traversed by them ; and should 

 the information which you may have gathered lead to the opinion that the route is practicable 

 for a railroad, or that such route may be found in that region, you will proceed to make the 

 examinations and surveys necessary to ascertain if such be the case. It will not, probably, be 

 necessary to extend this examination beyond the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada. 



If you should not require the services of all your party, for this latter duty, you will direct 

 such of your assistants as will not be wanted for the field, to proceed to Washington, with Lieut. 

 Abbot, and under his direction prepare the maps and reports ; or you may direct Lieut. Abbot, 

 aided by the geologist and civil engineer, or such assistants as may be necessary, to make the 

 examination, proceeding yourself to Washington with the other assistants. 



The geological information is considered especially valuable in determining the character of 

 the country, the nature of the difficulties to be encountered, and the quality and extent of the 

 building materials to be found. 



Your attention will be directed to the botany and natural history of the country, and to such 

 other objects as tend to illustrate its present and future conditions. 



To execute these orders, you are authorized to employ the following assistants, viz : a geolo- 

 gist, a civil engineer, a computer, a draughtsman, and a physician, who will, at the same time, 

 perform the duties of naturalist or geologist, if an assistant surgeon cannot be assigned to duty 

 with the escort, at rates not exceeding those proposed by you in your estimate. 



They will receive, besides their stipulated compensation, the actual cost of transportation to 

 and from the field, if the journeys or voyages have been actually performed, and they will have 

 tl e privilege, while in the field, of purchasing from the subsistence department such provisions 

 as may be necessary for their subsistence. 

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