Reports of the Secretary of War, with Reconnaissances of Routes from San Antonio to El Paso.

JOHNSTON, Joseph Eggleston.

$4,000.00

Item Number: 147863

Washington: Printed at the Union Office, 1850.

First edition of this notable military report of important maps and plates of Texas in 1850. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine and detailing stamped in blind, two large folding maps, illustrated with 72 plates excluding plates 2, 21, and 39 which were never published. Also including the Report of Capt. R.B. Marcy’s Route from Fort Smith to Santa Fe and the Report of Lieutenant W.J.C. Whiting’s reconnaissances of the Western Frontier of Texas. In very good condition. Housed in a custom cloth clamshell case. Rare in the original cloth.

'Reports of the Secretary of War, with Reconnaissances of Routes from San Antonio to El Paso' by Joseph Eggleston Johnston is a significant 19th-century military report that documents the exploration and mapping of routes across the Texas frontier. Published in 1850, the report was part of the U.S. government's efforts to improve transportation and military logistics in the expanding western territories. Johnston, a future Confederate general, conducted detailed surveys assessing the terrain, water sources, and potential hazards for military and civilian travel. The document provides valuable insights into the geography of the region, indigenous populations, and strategic considerations for westward expansion. As an essential historical record, it contributes to the study of U.S. military history, cartography, and frontier exploration.