18 
LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OE WAR. 
gest that, so far as practicable, it be simply your journal. It seems to me, that with a brief 
introductory memoir, it Avill be just the thing that is to be desired. 
Send to camp all the good men you find; we are very deficient in force. 
Yours, truly, 
ISAAC I. STEVENS. 
A. W. Tinkham, Esq. 
Camp Davis, near Sauk Rapids, 
June 10, 1853. 
Sir: Having on Saturday and Sunday, June 4th and 5th, sent forward two small parties 
of wagons, and a party with the mountain howitzer and five dragoons, I broke up my camp on 
Lake Amelia (Camp Pierce) on Monday, June 6th, and sent the command forward in three 
parties: one under Lieutenant Grover, consisting of the astronomical, magnetic, and meteoro¬ 
logical party, were sent on the steamer that plies between St. Anthony and Sauk rapids, with 
directions to land on the west side of the Mississippi river, below the mouth of the Sauk river, 
one of its western tributaries, and, crossing the ford, to establish an astronomical, magnetic, 
and meteorological station on the Red river trail; the second, under Lieutenant Du Barry, con¬ 
sisting of Mr. Stanley, the artist of the expedition, Dr. Suckley, the surgeon and naturalist, Mr. 
Le Frambois, the guide, a sergeant and fourteen dragoons; the third consisting of the train in 
charge of Mr. Everett, the quartermaster and commissary clerk. I remained in St. Anthony 
until about noon of Tuesday, to secure the services of several voyageurs; and particularly of 
Pierre Boutineau, the great guide, and Menoc, the great hunter ; in which I was sucqessful. 
Taking a rapid conveyance, I pushed forward forty miles the same day, passing all the parties 
on the road, and reached Sauk rapids, a distance of seventy miles, on Wednesday, at 11 o’clock 
a. m. Lieutenant Grover landed as directed, on Tuesday evening, and being somewhat incom¬ 
moded by rains, did not establish his camp till yesterday. 
Yesterday afternoon I pushed forward with Boutineau, the guide, and reached the civil 
engineers, eighteen miles ahead, at Cold spring; in company with whom, towards night-fall, 
I rode to the crossing of Sauk river and back—eight miles. One bad place near the camp has 
been placed in good condition. There are two other bad places in the road, which I am con¬ 
fident can be made practicable for wagons in a few hours ; and I think the civil engineers will 
be beyond the river Sauk to-day. 
I returned from the civil engineer camp to Camp Davis this morning, and shall in an hour go 
to the east side of the Mississippi river, at Sauk rapids, to make provision for the crossing of a 
portion of the train. Lieutenant Du Barry is hourly expected. The remainder of the train 
•will hardly cross the river till Monday. 
We made very good observations of all kinds at Camp Pierce, and the promise is good here. 
The railroad examinations, pushed fifteen or twenty miles a day, are satisfactory. The artists 
have been much occupied, and in the natural history department we have made quite a col¬ 
lection. 
No delay shall occur here. The animals will not be pushed, but kept in motion. They 
are, generally, well broken—thanks to the spirit and determination of the command. I have 
not yet entirely arranged my plans ; all I can do is to see what a day will bring forth, bringing 
to the duties of each day all that previous experience has suggested. 
I will write again as I leave the Red river trail, and will send in a more elaborate report. 
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
ISAAC I. STEVENS, 
Governor of Washington Territory , in Command of Expedition. 
Hon. Jefferson Davis, 
Secretary of War. 
