Across America:
OR
THE GREAT WEST
AND
THE PACIFIC COAST.
BY
JAMES F. RUSLING,
Late Brevet Brigadier-General, U. S. V.
NEW YORK:
Sheldon & Company.
1874.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by
JAMES F. RUSLING,
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
PREFACE.
In the summer of 1866, having lately concluded a tourof inspection through the West and South, andawaiting orders in Washington, it was my fortune onemorning to receive the following:
"Quartermaster-General's Office, }
"Washington, D. C., July 10, 1866. }"General:—You will immediately enter upon atour of inspection of the affairs of the Quartermaster'sDepartment, as administered at Fort Leavenworth,Kansas, and thence west via Denver City and Salt LakeCity to the Pacific Coast, inspecting all intermediatePosts while en route. At Denver City you will conferwith Brevet Col. Howard, A. Q. M., as to the practicabilityof breaking up that depot, and removing thestores to other points where needed. Thence to SaltLake City, where a rigid inspection is needed. Thenceto San Francisco, Cal.
"Upon reaching the Pacific Coast, you will conferwith the Commanding General and Chief Quartermasterof the Military Division of the Pacific, and having procurednecessary information relative to the locality,importance, etc. of the various Posts, you will proceedupon a careful inspection throughout California, Oregon,[Pg iv]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, sothat instructions may be telegraphed to you at thestations 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 endo