Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean: Vol. 1, Pt. 2

LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
CAMP MCCLELLAND, WEST SIDE OF CHEYENNE RIVER,
July 4, 1853.
SIR: The train from Pembina and the Red river, on their way to St. Paul's, passed the survey ing party on the 2d instant, and I embrace the opportunity again to communicate with the
department.
My last letter, in regard to the progress of the expedition, was written on the eve of leaving
Camp Davis, since which time we have made rapid progress into the interior. The command has
now become thoroughly organized, with broken animals, and hardy willing men. I feel the
utmost confidence in accomplishing the great objects of the expedition.
Besides the difficult task of breaking-in wild animals, many too young for the service, and
the still more difficult task of getting into working condition those run down in the operation,
we have had to encounter bad roads, muddy sloughs, river crossings-consuming each an entire
day-and drenching rains.
But for a few days the weather has been good. To-day we shall reach the Maple river and
enter upon the high rolling prairie. The worst portions of the road are gone over. The
grazing is remarkably fine. Every man is now mounted, and we shall now make our regular
marches of fifteen to twenty miles per day.
But to return to Camp Davis. On the 12th of June I despatched Lieutenant Grover, with a
picked party of some fifteen men, with instructions to reconnoitre carefully the country north
and in the vicinity of White Bear lake, with the view of ascertaining the point where the expedition should leave the Red river tract, and indicating that it was desirable to run from that
point north of Lake Traverse to the Dead Colt Hillock, and thence to the Yellowstone. The
remainder of the party followed on the 13th, 15th, and 16th; and on the 23d the whole party
was in camp at Pike lake, a few miles north of White Bear lake.
Here we remained till Saturday, and made our final arrangements for the march to the Yellowstone. Some inefficient men were sent home; and a detached party of nineteen picked men,
two wagons, twenty-six mules, and four horses, under Lieutenant Grover, was organized to
explore the line he was sent forward from Camp Davis to examine. He moved on the morning
of the 23d, in fine spirits, determined to distinguish himself. I was then confident, and am
still, that he will pass over a fine route. It is an almost irresistible inference, from the general
course of the streams as laid down on Nicollet's map. His instructions are to push forward to
the Yellowstone, touching, if possible, the Missouri, to connect with Lieutenant Donelson's
survey.
I moved also on the 23d with the main train, and crossed the Cheyenne early on Saturday
morning, (July 2.) We have moved rapidly; one day making, to reach wood, a march of
twenty-seven miles. We bridged the Wild Rice river, and found a good bridge on the Cheyenne, the work of our Red river friends.
The train is now in motion, and I am behind to make up a mail, the last till I reach the
Yellowstone. We shall cross the Cheyenne a second time a few miles north of Bald Hillock
creek, and shall pass within fifteen or twenty miles of Miniwakan lake. Thence our course
will be nearly straight. With my reconnoitring force I hope to cover a broad belt; of country,
connecting with Lieutenant Grover's route. The accompanying sketch will show the character of our work. It is all the result of careful observation. The work north of our route, on
the Bois de Sioux, Wild Rice, and Red rivers, was done in a single day, by Mr. Adams, a young
gentleman attached to the civil engineers' party: that west of our present camp, on the Cheyenne, by Mr. Lander, one of my civil engineers, assisted by Mr. Adams and one man. Mr.
Lander left this on Saturday afternoon, at four o'clock, and returned last evening a little after
eight-riding eighty miles in twenty-eight hours, and carefully observing for all that distance.
By a comparison with licollet's map, it will be seen that the course of the Cheyenne at its
southern bend is much out of the way, and I have determined to have its southern shore carefully examined by Mr. Lander. He will accordingly start to-day, with Mr. Adams and four
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