Exploration of the Red river of Louisiana, in the year 1852 / by Randolph B. Marcy, captain Fifth infantry U.S. Army ; assisted by George B. McClellan, brevet captain U.S. engineers ; with reports on the natural history of the country and numerous illustrations.

  • United States. War Department.
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Exploration of the Red river of Louisiana, in the year 1852 / by Randolph B. Marcy, captain Fifth infantry U.S. Army ; assisted by George B. McClellan, brevet captain U.S. engineers ; with reports on the natural history of the country and numerous illustrations. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Order from head-quarters of the armv—failure of former expeditions in REACHING THE SOURCES OF RED RIVER—CAUSES OF FAILURE DEPARTURE FROM WASHINGTON—ARRIVAL AT FORT BELKNAP THE LITTLE WITCHITA—BIG W1T- CH1TA—DEPARTURE FROM CACHE CREEK—COPPER ORE INDIAN SIGNS. New York, December 5, 1852. Col. S. Cooper, Adjutant General TJ. S. Army: Sir : I have the honor herewith to submit a report of an exploration of the country embraced within the basin of Upper Red river, made in obedience to the following orders : [Special Orders No. 33.] Adjutant General’s Office, Washington, March 5, 1852. Captain R. B. Marcy,5th Infantry, with his company as an escort, will proceed, without unnecessary delay, to make an examination of the Red river, and the country bordering upon it, from the mouth of Cache creek to its sources, accord- ing to the special instructions with which he will be furnished. On completing the exploration, Captain Marcy will proceed to Washington to prepare his report. Brevet Captain G. B. McClellan, Corps of Enginee^ is assigned to duty with this expedition. Upon the completion of the field service, he will report to Brevet Major General Smith, the commander of the 8th department. The necessary supplies of subsistence and quartermasters’ stores will be furnished from the most convenient depots in the 7th or 8th military department. By command of Major General Scott: R. JONES, Adjutant General. Before proceeding to give a detailed account of the expedition, it may be proper to remark, that during the greater portion of the three years previous to the past summer, I had been occupied in exploring the district of country lying upon the Canadian river of the Arkansas and upon the head-waters of the Trinity, Brazos, and Colorado rivers of JLexas. During this time my attention was frequently called to the remark- able fact that a portion of one of the largest and most important rivers in the United States, lying directly within the limits of the district I had been examining, remained up to that late period wholly unexplored