FIELD PARTIES AND OPERATIONS. 
77 
Everett, Esq., quartermaster and commissary’s clerk; Thomas Adams, assistant topographer; 
William M. Bixby, in charge of compass-line, and B. F. Kendall, Elwood Evans, Charles E. 
Evelyn, and F. H. Burr, aids. A detachment of twenty men of the first dragoons was on duty 
with this division, and the necessary quartermaster and survey employes. 
Besides which, the services of Dr. John Evans were secured as the geologist, and those of 
Professor S. F. Baird as the naturalist, of the exploration. 
In the execution of this plan, Lieut. Donelson, with Lieut. Mullan, Mr. Graham, and six sap¬ 
pers, was directed to survey the Missouri river from St. Louis to the highest point it might be 
reached by the steamer of the American Fur Company, to establish at Fort Union a large depot 
of supplies and provisions, and to carefully examine the country in the vicinity of Fort Union, 
from the White Earth to the Big Muddy rivers. Mr. Lander was despatched in April to the 
upper Mississippi, to examine the several crossings of that river, to ascertain the point which, 
giving a good crossing, would furnish the best connexions east with Lake Superior and the 
northwestern roads, and west with the probable general course of the railroad route, and to report 
as to the best point and line of departure of the main party. Mr. Tinkham, the associate civil 
engineer, w r as soon afterwards ordered to St. Paul with instructions to co-operate with Mr. Lander 
in the same duly. 
The main party was ordered to rendezvous at St. Paul, and a camp near Fort Snelling, named 
Camp Pierce, was there established under Capt. J. W. T. Gardiner, 1st dragoons, who was 
assigned lo the command of the escort, and acted for a short time as commissary and quarter¬ 
master, but of whose services I was afterwards deprived in consequence of the state of his health, 
winch compelled him to ask, by the advice of the surgeon, to be relieved from duty. Here the 
necessary arrangements were made to prepare for moving into the interior. 
Previous to leaving Washington city, I had despatched Lieut. Donelson to Montreal, to confer 
with Sir George Simpson, the governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company, as to the assistance that 
might be given to our operations, and had procured from him much reliable information in relation 
to the route, and circular letters to all the posts instructing the officers of the company to afford 
every aid in their power. Guides were also sent by him to Pembina for the exploration. It was 
my intention to send Lieut. Beekman Du Barry, 3d artillery, to Pembina, to get these guides, 
and, moving north of the Miniwakan lake, to meet me between that lake and Fort Union; but 
on my arrival at St. Paul I became convinced that they w r ere not needed, and I accordingly 
determined to dispense with them altogether. 
Lieut. Du Bany was then assigned to the general charge of the observations, and was relieved 
from duty at his own request, on the arrival of the expedition at Lightning lake, and ordered to 
report to the Adjutant General. 
I arrived at St. Paul on the 29th May, and made the necessary arrangements for moving forward. 
Mr. Lander had already made his reconnaissance of the crossings of the Mississippi river, and of 
the adjacent country, to determine the point of departure of the main train, and Mr. Tinkham had 
collected much information from Capt. Simpson, of the topographical engineers, and the explorers 
and guides of the country. It was determined to organize two civil engineer parties, under 
Messrs. Lander and Tinkham respectively; the former to mark out the general route—the latter 
to follow making the topographical survey and collecting the data for the detailed estimate; both 
to push forward in advance of the main train. Their general route was on the east bank of the 
Mississippi river to Sauk rapids, and thence crossing the Mississippi by the Red river trail to the 
general region of the Bois des Sioux. 
The weather was exceedingly rainy at this time, and other difficulties occurred which delayed 
the movement. Adopting the plan, however, of sending forward parties and wagons in detach¬ 
ments, as fast as they were ready, everything w r as on the road by the 8th of June, and on the 
12th the whole force was either at Camp Davis', on the west bank of the Mississippi river, or 
itt advance On the Red river trail. The general plan, of operations was to mark out a base line 
