228 The Mesozoic Series of New Mexico. — Marcou. 
tary of the American minister in France, who gave me a discharge and 
receipt. 
According to a special act of Congress, dated March 31, 1853, the 
explorations for the most practicable route for a railroad from the 
Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean, were placed directly under the 
charge of the secretary of war, then Jefferson Davis, who at once 
established a special office entirely independent of the chief of the 
topographical engineers, or of the chief of engineers. The head of 
that special bureau reported directly to Jefferson Davis. In August 
1854, the chief of the new office was Capt. A. A. Humphreys, topo- 
graphical engineers. I must say that my friends Capt. A. W. Whipple, 
J. Pope and A. A. Humphreys did all they could in their subordinate 
positions to have Jefferson Davis rescind his order and allow me to 
write my report. Even more, professor Joseph Henry of the Smith- 
sonion institution, made several direct and personal apiDlications to 
Jefferson Davis without any success. Capt. Humphreys finally deliv- 
ered my note-books and specimens to Mr. W. P. Blake, and not to Mr. 
James Hall, to describe and pi-epare a report. 
In entering on his duty Mr. Blake wrote me saying : "If you wish 
to present any modification or explanation of your views, please write 
me and I will regard your wishes — being desirous to accord you every 
privilege." Mr. Blake not only placed my specimens and note-books 
in the hands of Mr. James Hall against my wishes, but not satisfied 
with his extraordinary report of my route, read before the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science, at Albany, August, 1856, a 
violent and wholly incorrect paper against all my work and researches 
in American geology. 
A few extracts from letters of my beloved and much lamented chief 
A. W. Whipple, since killed at the battle of Chancellorsville, May, 1863, 
a major general, when fighting against the troops of Jefferson Davis, 
will show his views on the subject. 
In a letter to my correspondent in Boston, Mr. A. E. Belknap, dated 
April 13, 1855, he says : "I feel assured that Mr. Marcou has behaved 
in the most disinterested as well as honorable manner." It was in 
regard to the giving up of my note-books and specimens, and finishing 
my account with the two surveys of Whipple and Pope. 
In a letter dated Oct. 23, 1855, Washington, Whipple says: "I 
received from baron de Humboldt a letter speaking very highly of you, 
and endorsing your discovery of the Jurassic formation upon our 
route. I think there will be an effort to criticise that part of your 
report, but doubtless the effect will be to give you more credit in the 
end." 
Finally in sending me his final report he says : "I hope in perusing 
vols. 2, 3 and 4 of the Pacific Rail Road reports, you will perceive that 
I have endeavored to prevent injustice from being done to you. It is 
my opinion that your enemies have, by their course, injured them- 
selves in the estimation of the scientific world." 
