INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT. 
War Department, Washington, May 1, 1855. 
Sir: The following duties are assigned to you, under the appropriations for continuing explo¬ 
rations and surveys to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from 
the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean, and for military and geographical surveys west of the 
Mississippi. 
1. To make such explorations and surveys as will determine the practicability, or otherwise, 
of connecting the Sacramento valley, in California, with the Columbia river, Oregon Territory, 
by a railroad, either by the Willamette valley, or (if this route should prove to be impracti¬ 
cable) by the valley of Des Chutes river, near the foot slopes of the Cascade-chain. Along Des 
Chutes river the character of the country is such as to render it improbable that a practicable 
route can be found. 
2. To make the necessary examinations and surveys to determine if a route practicable for a 
railroad exists crossing the Sierra Nevada, at or near the source of Carson river. This may 
furnish the most direct railroad route from San Francisco to the Great Salt Lake. The duty 
first assigned you having been completed, you will ascertain from the commanding officer, 
Lieut. Col. Steptoe, and others of the troops that may have crossed the Great Basin from 
Great Salt Lake and the Sierra Nevada, by the route near the sources of Carson river, all the 
details necessary to a knowledge of the character of the route traversed by them ; and should 
the information which you may have gathered lead to the opinion that the route is practicable 
for a railroad, or that such route may be found in that region, you will proceed to make the 
examinations and surveys necessary to ascertain if such be the case. It will not, probably, be 
necessary to extend this examination beyond the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada. 
If you should not require the services of all your party, for this latter duty, you will direct 
such of your assistants as will not be wanted for the field, to proceed to Washington, with Lieut. 
Abbot, and under his direction prepare the maps and reports ; or you may direct Lieut. Abbot, 
aided by the geologist and civil engineer, or such assistants as may be necessary, to make the 
examination, proceeding yourself to Washington with the other assistants. 
The geological information is considered especially valuable in determining the character of 
the country, the nature of the difficulties to be encountered, and the (quality and extent of the 
building materials to be found. 
Your attention will be directed to the botany and natural history of the country, and to such 
other objects as tend to illustrate its qiresent and future conditions. 
To execute these orders, you are authorized to employ the following assistants, viz: a geolo¬ 
gist, a civil engineer, a computer, a draughtsman, and a physician, who will, at the same time, 
perform the duties of naturalist or geologist, if an assistant surgeon cannot be assigned to duty 
with the escort, at rates not exceeding those proposed by you in your estimate. 
They will receive, besides their stipulated compensation, the actual cost of transportation to 
and from the field, if the journeys or voyages have been actually performed, and they will have 
the privilege, while in the field, of purchasing from the subsistence department such provisions 
as may be necessary for their subsistence. 
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