I.—From Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Santa Fé and Albuquerque, New Mexico. By Captain R. B. Marcy, U.S.A.
| Miles | Fort Smith to |
| 15. | Strickland's Farm.—The road crosses the Poteau River at Fort Smith, where there is a ferry; it then follows the Poteau bottom for ten miles. This part of the road is very muddy after heavy rains. At 14 miles it passes the Choctaw Agency, where there are several stores. There is the greatest abundance of wood, water, and grass at all camps for the first 200 miles. Where any of these are wanting it will be specially mentioned. The road passes through the Choctaw settlements for about 150 miles, and corn and supplies can be purchased from these Indians at reasonable rates. |
| 11. | Camp Creek.—Road crosses a prairie of three miles in length, then enters a heavy forest. The camp is on a small branch, with grass plenty in a small prairie about 400 yards to the left of the road. |
| 12. | Coon Creek.—Road passes through the timber, and is muddy in a rainy season. |
| 12. | Sans Bois Creek.—Prairie near; some Choctaw houses at the crossing. |
| 14. | Bend of Sans Bois Creek.—Indian farm. |
| 15. | South Fork of Canadian, or "Gain's Creek."—Road traverses a very rough and hilly region. There is a ford and a ferry upon the creek. Indian farm on the west bank. |
| 12. | First ford of Coal Creek.—Road crosses over a rolling prairie, and at four miles the Fort Washita road turns to the left. |
| Second ford of Coal Creek.—Indian farm. | |
| 4. | Little Cedar Mountain.—Very rough, mountainous road. |
| 6. | Stony Point.—Very rough, mountainous road. |
| 5. | Shawnee Village.—Several Indian houses. |
| 14. | Shawnee Town.—Road passes several small prairies. Indian settlement; store on opposite bank of Canadian River, near the camp. |
| 21. | Delaware Mountain.—Road passes over a very beautiful country, with small streams of good water frequent, and good camps. It crosses small prairies and groves of timber. |
| 5. | Boggy River.—Road passes a country similar to that mentioned above. |
| 3. | Clear Creek.—Road turns to the right near a prominent round mound. Beautiful country, diversified with prairies and timbered lands. |
| 7. | Branch of Topofki Creek.—Beautiful country and fine roads. |
| 9-1/2. | Cane Creek.—Excellent camp. |
| 5. | Small Branch.—Road passes about two miles from the old "Camp Arbuckle," built by Captain Marcy in 1853, since occupied by Black Beaver and several Delaware families. |
| 11-1/2. | Mustang Creek.—Road runs on the dividing ridge between the waters of the Washita and Canadian, on a high prairie. |
| 17-1/2. | Choteau's Creek.—Road passes on the high prairie opposite Choteau's old trading-house, and leaves the outer limits of the Indian settlements. Excellent road, and good camps at short distances. |
| 11-3/4. | Choteau's Creek.—Road runs up the creek; is smooth and good. |
| 12-3/4. | Head of Choteau's Creek.—Road runs up the creek, and is good. |
| 17-1/4. | Branch of Washita River.—Road runs over an elevated prairie country, and passes a small branch at six miles from last camp. |
| 5-3/4. | Branch of "Spring Creek."—Good camp. |
| 16. | Head of "Spring Creek."—Road traverses a high prairie country, is smooth and firm. |
| 13. | Red Mounds.—Road runs over a high rolling prairie country, and is excellent. |
| 5. | Branch of Washita River.—Good road. |
| 15-3/4. | Branch of Canadian.—Road continues on the ridge dividing the Washita and Canadian rivers; is smooth and firm. |
| 17-3/4. | Branch of Washita River.—Road continues on the "divide." |
| 18. | Branch of Canadian.—Road continues on the divide from one to four miles from the Canadian. |
| 19. | On Canadian River.—Good road. |
| 16. | Little Washita River.—Good road; timber becoming scarce. |
| 13. | Branch of Canadian.—Good road. |
| 17-1/2. | Antelope Buttes.—Road runs along the Canadian bottom, and in places is sandy. |
| 14. | Rush Lake.—Small pond on the prairie. No wood within half a mile; some buffalo chips; poor water. |
| 16. | Branch of Washita River.—Good road on the divide. |
| 10-1/4. | Dry River.—Road descends a very long hill, and crosses the dry river near the Canadian. Water can be found by digging about a foot in the sand of the creek. Good grass on the west bank. |
| 17. | Branch of Canadian.—Road winds up a very long and abrupt hill, but is smooth and firm. |
| 22-1/2. | Timbered Creek.—Road passes over a very elevated prairie country, and descends by a long hill into the beautiful valley of Timbered Creek. |
| 11-1/2. | Spring Branch.—Good camp. |
| 14. | Spring Branch.—Good camp. |
| 17-3/4. | Branch of Canadian.—Road passes a small branch 3-1/2 miles from the last camp. |
| 18-3/8. | Branch of Canadian.—Road passes a small branch of the Canadian at 8 miles from the last camp. |
| 17-7/8. | Spring Branch.—Good road. |
| 9-1/2. | Branch of Canadian.—Good road and camp. |
| 18-1/2. | Branch of the Canadian.—Good road and camp. |
| 10-1/4. | Pools of Water.—Good camp. |
| 10. | Large Pond.—Good camp. |
| 25. | Pools of Water.—No wood; water brackish. The road passes over a very elevated and dry country, without wood or water. |
| 18-1/2. | Head of Branch.—At 13-1/2 miles the road crosses a branch of the Canadian. |
| 19-3/4. | Laguna Colorado.—Road here falls into an old Mexican cart-road. Good springs on the left up the creek, with wood and grass abundant. |
| 7. | Pools of Water.—Road runs through cedars. |
| 10-3/8. | Pajarito Creek.—Grass begins to be rather short in places, but is abundant on the creek. |
| 13-1/2. | Gallenas Creek.—Good camp. |
| 15. | 2d Gallenas Creek.—Good road. |
| 16-1/2. | Pecos River at Anton Chico.—This is the first settlement after leaving Camp Arbuckle. Corn and vegetables can be purchased here. Grass is generally short here. |
| 15. | Pecos River opposite Questa.—Road runs through the cedar, and is firm and good. Camp is in sight of the town of Questa, upon a very elevated bluff. |
| 21-3/4. | Laguna Colorado.—Road passes through a wooded country for a portion of the distance, but leaves it before reaching camp, where there is no wood, but water generally sufficient for trains. In very dry seasons it has been known to fail. The road forks here, the right leading to Santa Fé via Galistio (45-1/2 miles), and the left to Albuquerque. |
| 22-1/2. | San Antonio.—Good road. |
| 18-3/4. | Albuquerque.—Good road. |
Total distance from Fort Smith to Albuquerque, 814-3/4 miles.
Total distance from Fort Smith to Santa Fé, 819 miles.
II.—From Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fé, by the way of the upper ferry of the Kansas River and the Cimarron.
[In this table the distances, taken by an odometer, are given in miles and hundredths of a mile. The measured distances between the crossing of the Arkansas and Santa Fé are from Major Kendrick's published table. Wood, water, and grass are found at all points where the absence of them is not stated.]
| Miles. | From Fort Leavenworth to |
| 2.88. | Salt Creek. |
| 9.59. | Stranger's Creek. |
| 13.54. | Stranger's Creek. |
| 9.60. | Grasshopper Creek. |
| 6.50. | Grasshopper Creek. |
| 2.86. | Grasshopper Creek. |
| 2.60. | Grasshopper Creek. |
| 4.54. | Soldier's Creek. |
| 2.45. | Upper Ferry, Kansas River. |
| 7.41. | Pottawatomie Settlement. |
| 5.75. | Pottawatomie Creek. |
| 3.89. | White Wakarussi Creek. |
| 7.78. | White Wakarussi Creek. |
| 6.27. | White Wakarussi Creek. |
| 0.73. | Road from Independence.—No place to encamp. |
| 5.72. | White Wakarussi Creek. |
| 2.51. | White Wakarussi Creek. |
| 2.82. | 142-mile Creek. |
| 7.80. | Bluff Creek. |
| 5.77. | Rock Creek. |
| 5.08. | Big John Spring. |
| 2.29. | Council Grove. |
| 7.97. | Elm Creek.—Water generally. |
| 8.06. | Diamond Spring. |
| 1.42. | Diamond Creek. |
| 15.46. | Lost Spring.—No wood. |
| 9.25. | Mud Creek.—Water uncertain; no wood. |
| 7.76. | Cottonwood Creek. |
| 6.16. | Water Holes.—Water generally; no wood. |
| 12.44. | Big Turkey Creek.—No water. |
| 7.83. | Little Turkey Creek.—Water uncertain; no wood. |
| 18.19. | Little Arkansas River. |
| 10.60. | Owl Creek.—Water generally in holes above and below crossing. |
| 6.39. | Little Cow Creek.—Water only occasionally. |
| 2.93. | Big Cow Creek.—Water holes, 10 miles (estimated). Water uncertain; no wood. |
| 18.24. | Bend of the Arkansas. |
| 6.66. | Walnut Creek. |
| 16.35. | Pawnee Rock.—Teams sometimes camp near here, and drive stock to the Arkansas to water. No wood. |
| 5.28. | Ash Creek.—Water above and below crossing, uncertain. |
| 6.65. | Pawnee Fork.—Best grass some distance above crossing. |
| From Pawnee Fork to the lower crossing of the Arkansas, a distance of 98-1/2 miles, convenient camping-places can be found along the Arkansas; the most prominent localities are therefore only mentioned. A supply of fuel should be laid in at Pawnee Fork to last till you pass Fort Mann, though it may be obtained, but inconveniently, from the opposite side of the Arkansas. Dry Route branches off at 3-1/2 miles (estimated). This route joins the main one again 10 miles this side of Fort Mann. It is said to be a good one, but deficient in water and without wood. | |
| 11.43. | Coon Creek. |
| 46.58. | Jackson's Island. |
| 5.01. | Dry Route comes in. |
| 10.05. | Fort Mann. |
| 25.34. | Lower Crossing of the Arkansas.—The Bent's Fort Route branches off at this point. For the distances upon this route, see next table. A supply of wood should be got from this vicinity to last till you reach Cedar Creek. |
| 15.68. | Water-hole.—Water uncertain; no wood. |
| 30.02. | Two Water-holes.—Water uncertain; no wood. |
| 14.14. | Lower Cimarron Springs.—No wood. |
| 20.00. | Pools of Water.—Water uncertain; no wood. |
| 19.02. | Middle Springs of the Cimarron.—No wood. |
| 12.93. | Little Crossing of the Cimarron.—No wood. |
| 14.10. | Upper Cimarron Springs.—No wood. Pools of water, 7 miles (estimated). No wood. |
| 19.05. | Cold Spring.—A tree here and there in the vicinity. Pools of water, 11 miles (estimated). Water uncertain; no wood. |
| 16.13. | Cedar Creek.—M'Nees' Creek, 10 miles (estimated). Water indifferent and uncertain; scant pasture; no wood. Arroyo del la Seña, 2-1/2 miles (estimated). No water. |
| 21.99. | Cottonwood Creek.—No water. Arroyo del Burro, 5 miles (estimated). |
| 15.17. | Rabbit-ear Creek.—10 miles (estimated), springs. Round Mound, 8 miles (estimated). No water; no wood; no camping-place. Rock Creek, 10 miles (estimated). Grazing scant; no wood. |
| 26.40. | Whetstone Creek.—Spring; no wood. Arroyo Don Carlos, 10-1/2 miles (estimated). Water, etc., to the left of the road. |
| 14.13. | Point of Rocks.—Water and grass up the cañon, just after crossing the point; scattering shrub cedars on the neighboring heights. |
| 16.62. | Sandy Arroyo.—Water uncertain; no wood. Crossing of Canadian River, 4-3/4 miles (estimated). Grazing above the crossing; willows. |
| 10.05. | Rio Ocaté.—Wood 1/3 of a mile to right of road; grass in the cañon. Pond of water, 13-1/2 miles (estimated). No wood. |
| 19.65. | Wagon Mound.—Santa Clara Springs. Wood brought from the Rio Ocaté. Rio del Perro (Rock Creek), 17-1/2 miles (estimated). |
| 21.62. | Cañon del Lobo.—Rio Moro, 3-1/2 miles (estimated). Rio Sapillo, 1 mile (estimated). The Bent's Fort Route comes in here. |
| 18.00. | Las Vegas.—Forage purchasable. |
| 13.05. | Tacolote.—Forage purchasable. Ojo Vernal, 5 miles (estimated). No grass to speak of. |
| 14.00. | San Miguel.—Forage purchasable; no grass. |
| 21.81. | Ruins of Pecos.—Grazing very scant. Cottonwood Creek, 4-1/2 miles (estimated). Water uncertain; no grass. |
| 13.41. | Stone Corral.—No grass. |
| 10.80. | Santa Fé.—Forage purchasable; no grazing. |
III.—Camping-places upon a road discovered and marked out from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Doña Aña and El Paso, New Mexico, in 1849. By Captain R. B. Marcy, U.S.A.