88 EXPLORATIONS FROM A. D. 1852 To A. D. 1857. 
mouth of Big Sioux, through Minnesota, in company with a train under Captain Van Vliet. 
Over the routes travelled the distances were measured with an odometer, and maps were made 
of all the routes traversed. e 
RECONNAISSANCE OF A ROAD FROM FORT LEAVENWORTH TO THE BIG TIMBERS ON THE ARKANSAS, BY 
LIEUTENANT F. T. RYAN, TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, IN 1855. 
The map of this is in the Topographical Bureau, but neither it or the report have been published. 
The party under Lieutenant Bryan consisted of Mr. J. Lambert, topographer; Mr. C. Lom- 
bard, road surveyor; Mr. C. F. Larned and S. M. Cooper, assistant topographers. Their 
instruments consisted of compasses and odometers. Having surveyed the route from Fort 
Leavenworth to Fort Riley, they were joined there by an escort under Major L. Armistead. 
On the 4th of August they left Fort Riley, travelled west along the north side of the Kansas 
to the Saline Fork, crossed it, followed up Smoky Hill creek to its source, passed over to the 
Smoky Hill Fork, and thence southwest to Pawnee Fork. Following up Pawnee Fork of the 
Arkansas to its source, they crossed over to the Arkansas and travelled up it to Bent’s new 
` fort at the Big Timbers. Their return route differed but little from the one just described, 
being, however, more direct from the Arkansas to the Smoky Hill Fork, which took them a 
portion of the way along Walnut creek. 
RECONNAISSANCE BY LIEUTENANT J. C. AMORY, FROM FORT GIBSON TO BENT’S FORT, IN 1855. 
Lieutenant Amory was attached to the command of Lieutenant Colonel Morrisson, who left 
Fort Gibson and travelled up the Verdigris as far as the Kansas boundary. Here they left 
that river and proceeded northwest, gradually approaching the Arkansas until they struck it 
at the mouth of Walnut creek; thence they proceeded over the usual road to Bent’s Fort. Their 
route from Fort Gibson to the em of Walnut creek was through country previously unex- 
plored. 
RECONNAISSANCE BY MAJOR MERRILL, UNITED STATES DRAGOONS, IN 1855. 
This consists in a sketch of the route of a portion of the 2d dragoons from Fort Belknap 
direct to Council Grove. and Fort Riley. 
MAP COMPILED BY LIEUTENANT I. N. MOORE, UNITED STATES DRAGOONS, IN 1855. 
This map embraces the country between the Rio Grande and Pecos, from the thirty-second 
parallel to the thirty-sixth, and is compiled from examinations, sketches, and notes taken by 
himself, Major Carlton, Lieutenant Higgins, and other officers of the army, while traversing 
this region on Indian scouts, &c. "The positions of the main points along the Rio Grande, 
Canadian route, and upper El Paso route, are taken from the published maps of the Topo- 
graphical Engineers. 
_ RECONNAISSANCE BY LIEUTENANT E. L. HARTZ, UNITED STATES EIGHTH INFANTRY, 1856. 
Lieutenant Hartz, with a command of three non-commissioned officers and twenty-four men, 
with two wagons, started on the 16th of August from Fort Davis to intersect the El Paso road. 
His general course was nearly west, but with many detours to obtain water. He passed 
through the Carisso Pass, which is difficult for wagons, and struck the El Paso road twenty- 
five miles west of Eagle Springs. A map of this route was made by Lieutenant Hartz, on a 
scale of one inch to five miles. It is not stated i in his report or map what instruments were 
— in reconnoitring. 
