REPORT AND JOURNAL. 



On the Gth of January, 1859, at Camp Floyd, Utah Territory, T had the honor to 

 submit, through General A. S. Johnston, commanding the Department of Utah, to the 

 War Department, for its approval, the following project of exploration: 



Office 01 Ti.i-oi.i: vi-nu u. Esgixkkks, Df.i-artmf.nt of Utah, 



Camp Floyd, I Ink Territory, January W, 1-:.'.'. 

 Sir: Agreeably to instructions from the headquarters of this department, as yon are aware, a new route has been 

 opened from Port Bridget- to this post, by the way of Timpanogos River Valley, which, in connection with Lieutenant Bry- 

 an's route, or even by the old South ['ass mad, makes an excellent link in the chain of routes from the States to this post. 

 There has also been explored, by direction of the commanding general, and is now in nse by the United States as a 

 postal route, a route west of this post across the Great Salt Lake Desert, which has been extended by the mail company 

 all the way to the Humboldt, and which they report as promising a hard wagon-road, with a sufficiency of fuel, water, 

 and grass. These improvements in the old route have already been of great service to the Army and country, but it is 



be obtained, which would avoid the detour by the Humboldt to the right, and that by the Las Vegas and Los Angeles 

 route to the left, and that it could be obtained so as to make the distance hence to San Francisco less than 800 miles ; 



ng general. 



1, also, that a still shorter and better ronte may be 

 e South Pass or Lieutenant Bryan's ronte. I refer 

 now to a ronte hence to the headwaters of the Arkansas and thence via Bent's Fort to Fort Leavenworth. This route, 

 it will be noticed by reference to the map recently compiled in the office of explorations and surveys, promises to be at 

 least as short as either of the others, and might prove considerably better as a wagon-route. The routes passed over 

 by Fremont, so far as his pu' tie, as well as that of Captain Gunnison, which is too far .south. I 



should suppose, would he impraetieabie for i he object in view; but still it is believed that more information than 

 when they crossed over the country is now obtainable, and it is not at all improbable that Colonel Loring, who has 

 recently returned to Santa IV by a new route, and has reported his trip as successful, may be enabled to give 

 important information in the matter.* I would, therefore, respectfully report, as a project of reconnaissance for the 

 present year, to be commenced as soon as the season will permit, an exploration hence to Carson Valley, there to cou- 

 neet properly with a known route: a return exploration thence to this post for a further improvement of the route ; the 

 party to be here refitted and to explore a new route hence to Fort Leavenworth by way of the sources of the Arkansas 

 and Bent's Fort, ; the report and maps to be made np in Washington. I would require an assistant, which might be 

 Lieutenant Pul i - «, a> he is junior to Lieut. J. L. K. Smith, and in order to the facilitation of 



the survey, and the insurance of its success an escort sue h i-! ; . conm . ■; , _ -< uei il might deem advisable. 



I respectfully submit this pioj.rt to the consideration of the commanding general in ordei if it is approved, it 

 may be referred, through the Bureau ot ■ ! War for his sanction. 



J. H. SlMFSO.V, 



Captain Corp 

 Bvt. Maj. Fitz John Porter, 



