20 LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR. 



picked men, on his duty ; and he will be instructed carefully to explore the region along, and 

 south and west of, the Cheyenne river, connecting, if possible, with Lieutenant Grover s route. 

 He has choice animals and spare horses for reconnoitring. I entertain no apprehensions as to 

 hostile Indians. He will join me south of the Miniwakan lake. 



The sketch indicates the course of Lieutenant Grover, of my proposed course to the second 

 crossing of the Cheyenne river, and the relative position of the two routes to the direct course 

 from the Sank crossing to the mouth of the Yellowstone. 



The country thus far is exceedingly favorable for a railroad. I am confident no grade to this 

 point will be found of more than twenty feet. The Cheyenne is a great obstacle, and the indi 

 cations are very decided that the line must go south. I have indicated a practicable railroad 

 route. Its cost, without equipment, will not exceed twenty thousand dollars per mile. No 

 important deflection is made. The crossing of the Cheyenne at this point would cost, say one 

 hundred thousand dollars. Twenty miles west, at the point A, not fifty thousand dollars. 

 The line by Dead Colt Hillock will, I think, be better. But when I reach the Yellowstone 

 and have Lieutenant Grover s work before me, I shall be able to report more definitely on this 

 portion of the route. 



I must make my acknowledgment for the promptitude and efficiency shown by the civil engi 

 neers, Mr. Tinkman and Mr. Lander, in the work on the railroad explorations. 



Very truly yours, 



ISAAC I. STEVENS, 

 Governor, &c., in Charge of Expedition. 



Hon. JEFFERSON DAVIS, 



Secretary of War. 



CAMP GUSHING, NEAR FORT UNION, 



August 8, 1853. 



SIR: I have the honor to report to the department, that since the date of my last communi 

 cation at Camp McClelland, upon the Cheyenne river, the party has advanced with rapid marches 

 up to this point, where we arrived at noon on August 1st. The detached party under Lieut. 

 Grover, which was referred to in my communication as having been despatched by a southern 

 route by the Dead Colt Hillock, arrived six days in advance of us, with information concerning 

 the route of the most satisfactory character. The animals are all in fine condition ; our marches 

 the last nine days having exceeded an average of twenty miles, and but two are at this time 

 unserviceable. The very short time to make up my mail at this time as the steamer, which 

 only arrived last evening, returns at noon to-day will permit only the brief statement of our 

 general success, reserving a full report until my arrival at Fort Benton. 



A broad belt of country has been thoroughly examined, the courses of Cheyenne river, and of 

 the valley of the Mouse river, have been brought in by side reconnaissance, and excellent 

 practicable routes for a railroad ascertained. From this point I shall move to-day for Fort 

 Bentou, which will be reached in twenty-five days. The command will be divided into two 

 parties, one under my own supervision, with Lieutenant Grover in charge of the scientific 

 details, taking the usually travelled road by Milk river, and the second under Lieutenant 

 Donelson, pursuing a route some fifty miles to the northward, on which the most prominent 

 landmark is the Cypress mountain, in which rise streams flowing into both the Saskatchewan! 

 and the Missouri rivers. I have secured excellent guides, by one of whom I am assured that 

 he will lead us to a pass in the mountains through which the whole wagon train can be taken 

 a pass through which, from Fort Benton to the St. Mary s village, an express train can move 

 in four days, a pack train in seven, and a wagon train in fifteen days. Everything looks 

 extremely favorable, and I doubt not in the least that by the last of September we shall have 

 crossed the mountains. As regards the Indians, I take pleasure in reporting that we have met 

 two large encampments of Assiniboins, by whom we have been received with unbounded hospi- 



