38 
INSTRUCTIONS TO LIEUTENANT DONELSON. 
plated survey, "by Lieutenant Grover, of Cadotte’s Pass, with a dog train, in the month of 
January. 
Lieutenant Grover has already preceded you to reconnoitre the pass, and to open a communi¬ 
cation with Captain McClellan. On reaching Medicine river, you may expect to meet his 
express, consisting of Cadotte and H. Beauhien, with a letter to me, giving information as to 
camps, water, difficulties of the route, and as to the arrival of Lieutenant Saxton at St. Mary’s. 
This you will open and copy, and will then send the express forward with it to the supply 
train, and thence to meet me. 
Should Lieutenant Grover meet you on his return, before you reach St. Mary’s, you will 
furnish him with such men as he may select for his winter’s work, not exceeding eight in his 
whole party, and render such assistance as he may require on his way to Fort Benton. 
The most vigilant attention must he given to issues of provisions, and only half rations of 
hard bread and flour will be allowed when fresh meat is in abundance. This rule will apply to 
the gentlemen as well as men of the party. Single rations of sugar and coffee only can he 
allowed, except on extraordinary occasions. 
I need not enlarge upon the necessity of care of animals, and keeping daily reports, as it is 
already well understood by you, and has been made the occasion of issuing an excellent order. 
The scientific parties left behind will all move with the supply train. It is my expectation 
to return from the Piegan camp about the 18th instant; to move from Fort Benton not later 
than the 20th, and to reach the St. Mary’s valley by the close of the month. 
Yours, &c., 
ISAAC I. STEVENS, 
Governor of Washington Territory, in Command of Exploration. 
Lieutenant A. J. Donelson, 
Corps of Engineers. 
No. 9. 
Northern Pacific Railroad Exploration and Survey, 
Camp Dobbin, near Fort Benton, September 14, 1853. 
Dear Sir: The arrival of Lieutenant Saxton, with information of the establishment of the 
St. Mary’s post, of the practicability of Cadotte’s Pass, and of the route pursued by him for a 
railroad, but with the information that the Bitter Root range of mountains cannot with cer¬ 
tainty be crossed after the 20th of October, makes it necessary to use all possible despatch in 
crossing the Rocky range, and getting the exploring parties at work on their general routes 
westward to the Columbia. 
The survey of the Marias Pass will he deferred until next year. Mr. Lander’s party, as¬ 
signed to this duty, have been directed to report to you. ‘The whole party will move through 
the pass under your direction, with pack-train. Two efficient parties, under the associate en¬ 
gineers, Messrs. Lander and Tinkham, will get in side-work, and make the necessary estimates. 
Mr. Graham will report to you for astronomical duty, and Mr. Bixby to Mr. Lambert, in charge 
of the odometer party, for running the base-line. All the dragoons, except Sergeant Lindner, 
Corporals Coster and Rummell, will be ordered to report to Lieutenant Saxton. Mr. Doty will 
be directed to report to me with Corporal Coster, and will occupy Fort Benton as a meteoro¬ 
logical and supply post. An observer may be kept at Fort Union. The two Osbornes, the 
blacksmith and saddler, will also report to Lieutenant Saxton. 
Mr. Stevens will report to me with the portable transit, and the necessary astronomical in¬ 
struments, for special duty. When your train is in readiness to move, all the stores and bag¬ 
gage left behind will be turned over to Mr. Osgood, who will report to me for his duties, in 
connexion with all the parties, as the disbursing, quartermaster, and commissary agent of the 
expedition. 
