Unknown to Edwin A. Rigg, March 4, 1862

Maj. EDWIN A. RIGG, First Infantry California Vols., Comdg. Fort Yuma, Cal.:

DEAR SIR: In answer to your inquiries of yesterday I beg leave to submit the following: I was stationed at Fort Mojave, N. Mex., in the employment of the Government as post interpreter from the 19th of April, 1859, until the 27th of May, 1861, when the post was abandoned, and during that time I had ample opportunities for satisfying myself of the practicability of the route of the thirty-fifth parallel, as it is called. The road from Los Angeles to Fort Mojave as far as Lane’s ranch, on the Mojave River, is tolerably good for wagons, being over arolling country, hard and gravelly. There is plenty of water and tolerable grazing. From Lane’s on to Fort Mojave it is over a sandy desert, very scarce of water and destitute of grass. The price of freight paid by the sutler at Fort Mojave was never less than 15 cents per pound, and Government paid Banning, of Los Angeles, as high as 53 cents per pound for freight delivered at the post; distance 285 miles, This fact speaks for itself. From Fort Mojave to Albuquerque, N. Mex., 550 miles, the route was pronounced impracticable by every one who has ever traveled over it, except Mr. Beale. Lieut. J. C. Ives, astronomer to the boundary survey, told me that the route was impracticable for various reasons. First, on account of the very high mountains that you are compelled to cross, and second, on account of the scarcity of water, and that he did not consider it practicable for pack trains more than three months in the year, March, April, and May. Then there was plenty of grass and water. The mail party who were carrying the mail from Saint Joseph, in Missouri, to Stockton, Cal., over this route in the winter and spring of 1859, pronounced it impracticable for wagons. They never made a single trip during the time they were running within schedule time. In company with Maj. G. O. Haller, U. S. Army, then commanding officer at Fort Mojave, I went out on the route about forty miles over the first chain of mountains east of Fort Mojave and he examined the road to see if it was really as bad as had been represented. He pronounced it impracticable for empty wagons even to be hauled over it. We were compelled to return on account of not being able to haul a lightly loaded Government wagon containing forage for nine animals, blankets and provisions for thirteen men for ten days, in all not more than 1,500 pounds. It was more than we could do to ride over the mountain, but had to dismount and lead. For the truth and correctness of the above statement I beg leave to refer to Major Haller, Fourth Infantry, U. S. Army. Any route north of Fort Mojave and east from Las Vegas is utterly impracticable, and pronounced by every one who has ever seen it the roughest country on the continent. Miners from Potosi, in New Mexico, have found it impossible to penetrate any distance east from the Colorado River. In company with Major Haller, country last April, and every one came to the conclusion that it is impossible to travel through it. How far north this rough and broken country extends I don’t know, but trappers and Indians say for some distance above the forks of the Green and Grand Rivers. In fact, until you arrive at the old Spanish trail at Los Angeles to Albuquerque, N. Mex. This is my unprejudiced opinion in regard to any route near the thirtyfifth parallel or north of it. In regard to the object of my journey to Fort Yuma at present I beg leave to state that I have come here for the purpose of procuring some, tools to repair a flouring mill in the town of Oquito, district of Altar, Sonora, where I am at present engaged in the flour trade, and in the event of Government giving protection to loyal American citizens in Arizona I should again take up my residence in that Territory. s

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,