[EXTRACT FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS 



TO THE SECRETARY OF AVAR.] 



Office of the Chief of Engineers, 



Washington, B. C, October 19, 1878. 



RECONNAISSANCES AND EXPLORATIONS. 



The engineer officers on the staff's of the generals commanding the 

 military divisions and departments have been engaged during the year 

 in surveys in the field, and in collecting and plotting geographical and 

 other information obtained from the note-books, sketches, and maps 

 made by the officers and soldiers in the scouts and campaigns in the 

 West. The estimate of $50,000 made by this department for the sur 

 veys by these officers failed at the last session of Congress, thus leav- 

 ing unprovided for the work which was desired to be accomplished in 

 the seven military departments embracing the country west of the Mis- 

 sissippi River, in each one of which there is an engineer or acting engi- 

 neer officer. This work includes surveys in the field by the department 

 engineers, the purchase and repair of instruments, and the expenses at- 

 tending the draughting and printing of maps required for distribution to 

 the Army. 



The maps of the country covered by the recent campaigns against 

 hostile Indians have proved in the highest degree useful to the officers 

 engaged, and it is especially desirable that the great unexplored areas 

 in the hostile country, and areas which in fixture campaigns are liable to 

 be traversed by the troops, or by the enemy, should be surveyed and 

 plotted and added to these campaign maps. The enlistment of topo- 

 graphical assistants to the engineer officers attached to the headquarters 

 of each of the Western military geographical divisions and departments, 

 which was authorized by the Secretary of War in July, 1877, Avill very 

 much facilitate the surveys of those officers, and it is hoped, if the small 

 appropriation asked for these surveys is granted by Congress, that much 

 more can be accomplished than has been heretofore by the same amount 

 of expenditure. 



An estimate for the amount required to be appropriated for this pur- 

 pose has been included in the estimate of this department. 



Lieut. E. H. Ruffiier, on the staff of the general commanding the De- 

 partment of the Missouri, reports that but little progress has been made 

 during the past year in the preparation of maps, or in the examination 

 and survey of new country. Want of means and small number of troops 

 in the department available for marches or scouts are assigned as the 

 reasons. The total mileage of journals of scouts and marches is given 

 at 7,211, and an additional 2,030 miles for the reconnaissance in South- 

 west Colorado conducted by Lieut. C. A. H. McCauley, Third Artillery, 

 assistant to Lieutenant Ruffiier. This report is submitted by Lieu- 

 tenant McCauley, and is considered as very valuable and of interest to 

 all connected with that region of country. 



