Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-08-12

LETTER
or Lieut.. G.. X. Warren, Top. Eng. to
Hon. George w. Jones, Relative to
rttOry.
WAsHrsGroN, DC, Jan. 20, 1853.

ritory.
WAsHrSGroN, DC, Jan. 20, 1853.
TO the Hon. GEO. w. JONES:
SIR: In reply to your letter to the Hon.
j. B. Floyd. Secretary Of War, Of Jan. IL,
requesting such information obtained by
my explorations in Nebraska As could. be
given at this time, have been directed
to make the following communication,
which is accompanied by map.
In order to give confidence in the truth
Of the statements shall make in regard
to Nebraska and her resources, it is proper
that should preface them with brief
enumeration of the places examined and
the routes explored
A report Of the explorations made in
1865, and map Of the routes pursued by
the Sioux expedition, have already been
published by the United States Senate in
a small document called Reconnaissan>
ces in the Daco,a country" During that
year routes were examined from Fort
Pierre to Fort Kearny from Fort Kearny
to Fort Laramie, along the Platte river
| from Fort Laramie to Fort Pierre and
from Fort Pierre to the mouth of the Big
Sioux river.
In 1856 a careful reconnaissance was
made Of the Missouri river, from the
southern boundary Of Nebraska to the Big
Muddy, 60 miles above the mouth Of the
Yellowstone, and of this latter stream to
Powder river. q
In 1857 route wa. surveyed from Sioux
City to the mouth of Loup fork; thence
up this stream to its source in the Sand
hills and thence by the Niobrara river 70
Fort Laramie. From this point we pro-
ceeded north and carefully examined the
Black hills and returning to the Niobrara,
explored this stream to its junction with
the Missouri, and also route from the
mouth of Turtle Hill river to Fort Randall.
Finally, the road from Fort Randall to
SiouA Sity was surveyor.
Nearly all the land routes were meas
ured by an odorleter, courses taken with
the compass, and geographical positions
determined by astronomical observations,
enabling US to correctly map the country
explored. Observations with barometer
also enabled US to determine the general
profile Of the routes. The sum Of the dis
tances Of all the lines Of reconnaissance
and survey during these three years
amount to about six thousand miles, EN-.
bracing an area Of country of about $50,
900 square miles; the entire area of Ne.
braska being about 32O 900 square miles,
the largest portion of the territory of the
United States included under one name.
4 In performing these duties | have had
the most important assistance from nu
merous gentlemen associated with me, but
particularly Of Mr.. N. II. Hutton and Mr.
}. II. Snowden, assistant engineers and
photographers, and of DIR. +. V. Hayden,
assistant in charge Of the geological ex'
aminations. l am indebted to the officers
and soldiers Of the second regiment of in
fantry for that support and protection
without which these journeys in country
thickly inhabited by Indians, hostile ,c
our Investigations, could not have been
made.
Prior to our examinations Of 1855 all
the interior Of that portion Of Nebraska
lying between the Platte and the Missouri
and the Yellowstone, was unexplored, ex'
cept in the geology Of a small portion o.
it ON the White river; nor had it ever been
visited by persons prepared TO make re.
liable map Of the routes they pursued
Much Of the por,ions in which the Sioux
expedition was expected to operate was
unknown even 10 the Indian traders OF the
country, and all the maps of it were based
{ On sketches furnished by the Indians OF
upon mere conjecture, and were Of course
very erroneous. The Yellowstone river
was traced on the maps nearly so miles
south Of its true position. The Black
hills were represented as a great chain
extending from the Platte northcastward
to the Missouri. and though known to be
the homo Of the most powerful Dakotas
we're considered as furnishing them safe
retreat, where impossible mountains and
dense forests preeluded pursuit. The Nj
obrara was thought to drain nearly all the
country between the Platte and White
river, being divided into two large forks
or branches Of nearly equal size, uniting
about 100 miles from its junction with the
Missouri, and nothing was known Of their
character. The Loup fork of the Platte
was represented A. q stream Of much less
than its real magnitude, and the Sand
hills had not yet found place in any
map,
Our routes took US once through the
Sand hills north and south, and twice cas-,
and west almost around the Black hills,
and through the valleys OF the following
rivers, viz the Platte, Lonp fork. Niobra.
ra, White Earth, Big Shyenne, Missouri,
Yellowstone, and James rivers. The por
tion of Ncbraskc bounded on the north
and east by the Missouri river, south by
the Platte, and west by the l06o meridian,
! feel authorized to speak Of in very gen.
ers terms, and will not At this time give
details, but only general facs and conclu
sions.