20 
LETTER TO TEE SECRETARY OP WAR. 
picked men, on his duty ; and he will be instructed carefully to explore the region along, and 
south and west of, the Cheyenne river, connecting, if possible, with Lieutenant Grover’s route. 
He has choice animals and spare horses for reconnoitring. I entertain no apprehensions as to 
hostile Indians. He will join me south of the Miniwakan lake. 
The sketch indicates the course of Lieutenant Grover, of my proposed course to the second 
crossing of the Cheyenne river, and the relative position of the two routes to the direct course 
from the Sauk crossing to the mouth of the Yellowstone. 
The country thus far is exceedingly favorable for a railroad. I am confident no grade to this 
point will he found of more than twenty feet. The Cheyenne is a great obstacle, and the indi¬ 
cations are very decided that the line must go south. I have indicated a practicable railroad 
route. Its cost, without equipment, will not exceed twenty thousand dollars per mile. No 
important deflection is made. The crossing of the Cheyenne at this point would cost, say one 
hundred thousand dollars. Twenty miles west, at the point A, not fifty thousand dollars. 
The line by Dead Colt Hillock will, I think, he better. But when I reach the Yellowstone 
and have Lieutenant Grover’s work before me, I shall he able to report more definitely on this 
portion of the route. 
I must make my acknowledgment for the promptitude and efficiency shown by the civil engi¬ 
neers, Mr. Tinkman and Mr. Lander, in the work on the railroad explorations. 
Very truly yours, 
ISAAC I. STEVENS, 
Governor , Ac., in Charge of Expedition, 
Hon. Jefferson Davis, 
Secretary of War. 
Camp Cushing, near Fort Union, 
August 8, 1853. 
Sir: I have the honor to report to the department, that since the date of my last communi¬ 
cation at Camp McClelland, upon the Cheyenne river, the party has advanced with rapid marches 
up to this point, where we arrived at noon on August 1st. The detached party under Lieut. 
Grover, which was referred to in my communication as having been despatched by a southern 
route by the Dead Colt Hillock, arrived six days in advance of us, with information concerning 
the route of the most satisfactory character. The animals are all in fine condition ; our marches 
the last nine days having exceeded an average of twenty miles, and hut two are at this time 
unserviceable. The very short time to make up my mail at this time—as the steamer, which 
only arrived last evening, returns at noon to-day—will permit only the brief statement of our 
general success, reserving a full report until my arrival at Fort Benton. 
A broad belt of country has been thoroughly examined, the courses of Cheyenne river, and of 
the valley of the Mouse river, have been brought in by side reconnaissance, and excellent 
practicable routes for a railroad ascertained. From this point I shall move to-day for Fort 
Benton, which will he reached in twenty-five days. The command will he divided into two 
parties, one under my own supervision, with Lieutenant Grover in charge of the scientific 
details, taking the usually travelled road by Milk river, and the second under Lieutenant 
Donelson, pursuing a route some fifty miles to the northward, on which the most prominent 
landmark is the Cypress mountain, in which rise streams flowing into both the Saskatchewain 
and the Missouri rivers. I have secured excellent guides, by one of whom I am assured that 
he will lead us to a pass in the mountains through which the whole wagon train can he taken— 
a pass through which, from Fort Benton to the St. Mary’s village, an express train can move 
in four days, a pack train ih seven, and a wagon train in fifteen days. Everything looks 
extremely favorable, and I doubt not in the least that by the last of September we shall have 
crossed the mountains. As regards the Indians, I take pleasure in reporting that we have met 
two large encampments of Assinihoins, by whom we have been received with unbounded liospi- 
