Chapter I: Preface

In the summer of 1866, having lately concluded a tour of inspection through the West and South, and awaiting orders in Washington, it was my fortune one morning to receive the following:

"QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, }
"WASHINGTON, D. C., _July_ 10, 1866. }

"GENERAL:--You will immediately enter upon a tour of inspection
of the affairs of the Quartermaster's Department, as administered
at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and thence west _via_ Denver
City and Salt Lake City to the Pacific Coast, inspecting
all intermediate Posts while _en route_. At Denver City you
will confer with Brevet Col. Howard, A. Q. M., as to the
practicability of breaking up that depot, and removing the stores
to other points where needed. Thence to Salt Lake City, where a
rigid inspection is needed. Thence to San Francisco, Cal.

"Upon reaching the Pacific Coast, you will confer with the
Commanding General and Chief Quartermaster of the Military
Division of the Pacific, and having procured necessary
information relative to the locality, importance, etc. of the
various Posts, you will proceed upon a careful inspection
throughout California, Oregon, Nevada, and Washington and
Arizona Territories. Upon completing this duty, you will return
to this city, _via_ the Isthmus, and report in person to the
Quartermaster-General.

"It will be necessary to keep this Office fully informed, in
advance, as to your probable whereabouts, so that instructions
may be telegraphed to you at the stations where you are on duty
when necessary.

"You are authorized to take a clerk with you.

* * * * *

"Very respectfully,
"Your ob't serv't.,
"M. C. MEIGS,
"_Quartermaster-General_, }
"_Brevet Maj.-Gen., U. S. A._" }

"_Brevet Brig.-Gen. James F. Rusling_, }
"_Inspector Q. M. Dep't._" }

These, my orders, were subsequently endorsed as follows:

"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, }
"WASHINGTON, D. C., _July_ 18, 1866. }

"Commanding officers will, on the requisition of Gen. Rusling,
furnish the necessary escorts to enable him to make the within
directed inspections.

"By command of Lieut.-Gen. Grant,
"GEO. K. LEET,
"_Ass't. Adj't.-Gen._"

The general object of this tour, perhaps I should explain, in a word, was to examine into the condition of our various depots and posts West, and consider their bases and routes of supply, with a view to reducing if possible the enormous expenditures, that then everywhere prevailed there. How well or ill _this_ was accomplished, it is not for me to say, nor is this volume the place--my Reports at the time speaking for themselves.[1]

The route thus roughly indicated was long, and in parts reputed dangerous; but for years I had cherished a desire to see something of that vast region in the sunset, and here at length was the golden opportunity. I need scarcely say, therefore, that I obeyed my orders with alacrity, and in the execution of them was absent in all about a twelvemonth. During that period, crossing the continent to San Francisco, among the Mountains, along the Pacific Coast, and thence home by the Isthmus, I travelled in all over 15,000 miles, as per accompanying Map; of which about 2,000 were by railroad, 2,000 by stage-coach, 3,000 by ambulance or on horseback, and the remainder by steamer. This book, now, is the rough record of it all, written at odd hours since, as occasion offered. Much of this journey, of course, was over the old travelled routes, so well described already by Bowles, Richardson, Nordhoff, and others. But several hundred miles of it, along and among the Rocky Mountains, a thousand or so through Utah and Idaho, and perhaps two thousand or more through Southern California and Arizona, were through regions that most overland travellers never see; and here, at least, I trust something was gleaned of interest and profit to the general reader. Moreover, my official orders gave me access to points not always to be reached, and to sources of information not usually open; so that it was my duty, as well as pleasure, to see and hear as much of the Great West and the Pacific Coast everywhere, as seemed practicable in such a period.

Of course, I kept a rough diary and journal (apart from my official Reports), and retiring from the army in 1867, perhaps these should have been written out for publication long ago, if at all. But it proved no easy task to settle down again into the harness of civil life, after being six years in the army, as all "old soldiers" at least well know. I plead only this excuse for my delay--the absorption of a busy life and health not firm; and trust these notes on Western life and scenery, if lacking somewhat in immediate freshness, will yet be considered not altogether stale. The completion of the Pacific Rail road, it will be noted, made this long tour of mine, by stage-coach and ambulance, through the Great West and along the Pacific Coast, about the last, if not _the_ last, of its kind possible; and, therefore, under all the circumstances, it has seemed not unfitting, even at this late date, to give these pages to the world.

Writing only for the general public, it will be noticed, I have tried everywhere to avoid all military and official details, as far as practicable, and to confine myself mainly to what would seem of interest, if not value, to everybody. So, too, I have aimed to bridge the interval from 1866-7 to 1874 by such additional facts as appeared necessary; but without, however, modifying my own observations and experiences materially. If some persons, and some localities, are spoken of more flatteringly (or less) than usual, it is at least with truthfulness and candor, as things seemed to me. No doubt errors of fact have been committed, but these were not intended; and some of these, of course, were simply unavoidable in a book like this. So, too, as to style, no pretension whatever is made; but I claim merely an honest endeavor to convey some useful, if not interesting information _currente calamo_, in the readiest way possible, and a generous public will forgive much accordingly.

In brief, if what is here roughly said will lead any American to a better love of his country, or to a truer pride in it, or any foreigner to a kindlier appreciation of the Republic, verily I have my reward.

J. F. R.

_Trenton, N. J., March, 15, 1874._

FOOTNOTE:

[1] Mostly published by Congress in 1867-8, and among the Pub. Docs. for those years.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

_New York to Fort Riley, Kansas._

Across America.--Off July 24, 1866.--West by Erie Railroad.--The
Great West.--Northern New Jersey.--Western New
York.--Ohio.--Miami Valley.--Indiana and Illinois.--Buckeye
_vs._ Hoosier and Sucker.--Cincinnati and St. Louis _vs._
Chicago.--St. Louis _redivivus_.--Missouri.--Her Germans
and Vineyards.--The Missouri River.--Leavenworth.--Lawrence
and Topeka.--Valley of the Kansas.--Junction City.--Kansas
Generally.--Her fine Building-stone.--Her Scenery.--Her
Enterprise and Thrift.--"Fall Leaf" and the Delawares.--A Big
Chief and his Exploits.--The Pottawatomies.--Returning from a
Buffalo Hunt.--The Indian in Kansas. 21-32

CHAPTER II.

_From the Kansas to the Platte._

_Compagnons du Voyage._--Afloat on the Plains.--Travelling
by Ambulance.--Camping-out.--Outfit and
Escort.--The "divides."--The Platte itself.--The
Grasshoppers.--Prairie-chickens and other Game.--Prairie
Dogs.--A Happy Family.--The Little Blue.--The Pawnees
and Indian rumors generally.--Virginia Station and Big
Sandy.--The Settlers _en route_.--A Pennsylvania Dutchman
Westernized.--Life on Fancy Creek.--Rev. Mr. Silvers of Wild
Cat Creek.--A Pioneer Missionary. 33-39

CHAPTER III.

_Up the Platte to Denver._

The Union Pacific Railroad.--The Overland Stage Company.--Mr.
Ben Holladay.--An Enterprising Missourian.--Concord Coaches
and Teams.--Stage Stations.--Meals _en route_.--The
Drivers generally.--Fellow-passengers.--Col. B., an
ex-Lieut.-Governor turned Sutler.--A Swiss Artist.--A Doctor
of Divinity.--A New York Banker and his Patriotic Wife.--The
Weather.--Life on a Stage-Coach, outside Day and Night.--The
Scenery generally.--Magnificent Sunsets.--A particularly fine
one. 40-46

CHAPTER IV.

_Up the Platte to Denver_ (concluded).

The Platte Valley in general.--Its Features and Resources.--The
Platte River itself.--The Cañon Cedars.--Want of
Timber.--Costly Fuel, Grain, etc. at Fort Sedgwick.--Scenery
of the Plains generally.--Buffalo and their Range.--A
Ride after Antelope.--Lost on the Plains.--Buffalo
Trails.--The Settlers generally.--Kearney City, Julesburg,
etc.--The Ranches.--Fort Wicked.--Wagon-trains.--Prairie
Schooners.--Bull-drivers.--Sioux Indians.--"Big Injun"
stories generally. 47-57

CHAPTER V.

_Denver and the Mines._

Denver itself.--A Mountain City.--Her Growth and
Enterprise.--Judge Gale and her Gamblers.--Bishop
Randall.--Her want of Trees and Shrubbery.--Metropolis of
Colorado.--Gov. Cumming.--Hints of Judge Lynch.--Reception
of Gen. Sherman and Brother.--Golden City.--The Snowy
Range.--Central City.--Its Population and Pluck.--Placer
Mining.--Quartz Lodes.--Gregory Mine.--A Good Superintendent
_vs._ a Poor One.--Colorado Ores in general.--A new "process"
wanted.--Watered Stock Companies.--"Freezing Out."--Mining
Statistics.--The Coming Mineralogist.--Idaho City.--The
Saratoga of Colorado.--Georgetown and Mill City.--Clear Creek
and ride back to Denver.--Miners Slang.--"You Bet." 58-74

CHAPTER VI.

_Among the Mountains._

First View of Rocky Mountains.--Above and Across them to Fort
Garland.--Rumors of Indians.--A Stormy Divide.--"Dirty
Woman's Ranch."--Castle Rock.--Buttes.--Monument
Creek.--Garden of the Gods.--Pike's Peak.--Soda
Springs.--Colorado City.--Cañon City.--_Fontaine qui
Bouilli._--Irrigation.--Pueblo.--The Arkansas, Greenhorn, and
Huerfano, and their Valleys.--Mexican Laborers.--Hincklin's
Ranch.--Sangre del Christo Pass.--Views from Summit.--Descent
into San Luis Park.--Sangre del Christo Creek.--A
Mule-back Ride.--Trout Fishing.--Snow-squalls and a Cold
"Camp."--Mexicans and Bronchos,--Culebra.--A Mexican
Baille.--Don Jesus.--A Dancing People. 75-93