Sawyer’s Expedition –
Congressional Record
Sunday, April 06, 2003
These motions form a part of the wagon-road construction granted to Col. James Sawyer in 1865. It is reported in most all publications and books that he received $50,000 from Congress for its construction. The associated documents established that this amount for that portion of the road hasn’t been factually located. The 39th Congress (1st Session) reportedly passed House Executive Document No. 58 establishing the actual construction. It appears that the original funding of $50,000 established on March 3, 1865, was for two roads, and that additional funds be diverted from the Cheyenne Road in Dakota to the Niobrara road being constructed by Sawyer. HR 107 stopped these funding diversions in 1866 for future road improvements. Sawyers didn’t actually build a road, and there is no record of any connecting routes created by Brookings during this time frame.
Sawyer[1]
started out from
The Military
Bozeman Trail was created in segments during the summers of 1865 & 1866:
1. General Connor established the route from Fort Laramie to Fort Connor (later renamed Fort Reno), picking up from where the Platte Road crossed the North Platte River. Jim Bridger was the guide who laid out the route in 1865. [Connor Road]
2. James A. Sawyer established a route continuing on from Fort Connor in 1865 after being rescued from his funded ill-fated road-building attempt from Niobrara to Fort Reno by Captain Williford and General Connor’s soldiers. [This is not considered to be the Military Route that was created the following year]
3. Colonel
Carrington established the route from Fort Reno to Fort CF Smith in 1866. Jim
Bridger was the guide who laid out the route. Superintendent (Col.) James A.
Sawyer followed slightly behind this group with his wagon train. He then
established portions of the route from Fort CF Smith to Clark’s Fork
through the South Hills-Pryor Mountain valley in 1866. This was not a funded
road-building effort, but merely the creation of a trail that shortened his
previous pathway across the Big Horn area.
Jim Bridger followed just behind the Sawyer Train; but took a slightly
different route when he reached Pryor Creek. This is the Military Route. The
two routes are identical for about 90% of the distance across the valley. Not
shown are the various 1863-1865 Bozeman Trails that crisscross the
4. Nelson
Story and Perry McAdow, merchants from
5.
Jim Bridger
initially established the route from Clark’s Fork to Virginia City before
their existence earlier during his trapping days (1830-1831) and again in 1864.
John Bozeman established variants in the route (Bozeman Pass) during the 1863
and 1864 time frame leading to Bozeman City, so as to make the trail better
suited for wagons. [Bridger Trail] Not shown is the 1864 Bridger Trail that
passed through Pryor Gap, and its associated cutoffs.
Date of Motion |
Author |
Content of Motion |
Resolution |
February 18, 1864 |
Mr. A. W. Hubbard, House Journal |
Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Canals be instructed to inquire into the expediency of constructing a wagon-road from the Missouri river, by the way of the Niobrara valley, to Virginia City, in the Territory of Idaho. |
By unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to. |
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March 21, 1864 |
Congressman Wilson |
Presented joint resolutions of the legislature of the State of Iowa, in relation to the location and construction of a wagon road from a point at or near the mouth of the Niobrara, in Nebraska, to Gallatin, in Idaho Territory in which were referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals and ordered to be printed. |
So ordered |
February 4, 1865 |
Senator Wade |
Ordered, That the Committee on Territories be discharged from the further consideration of resolutions of the legislature of Iowa, in favor of the construction of a military and wagon road from the west side of the Missouri river, at or near the mouth of the Niobrara river, in Nebraska Territory, to Gallatin, in Idaho Territory |
That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and the Militia. |
February 9, 1865 |
Mr. Arnold, from the Committee |
Requested that wagon roads (HR 752) be constructed: From Niobrara to mouth of Turtle Hill River, and thence to Virginia City, with branch to Omaha. From Big Sioux River, via Yankton, &c. |
Sent to House for Review |
February 24, 1865 |
Mr. Wilkinson, Senator |
Introduced a bill (S472) to construct wagon roads: From Niobrara to mouth of Turtle Hill River, and thence to Virginia City, with branch to Omaha. From Big Sioux River, via Yankton, &c. |
Requested that $140,000 be committed |
March 3, 1865 |
Public Acts 38th Congress, Session II |
Additional pay to come from unexpended balances. From Big Sioux River, via Yankton, &c. Note: Dakota Territory History 1861-1875 by Weston Goodspeed, 1904: Col. James A. Sawyer was
appointed Superintendent of the Niobrara Road and awarded $50,000. W. W. Brookings[2]
was appointed Superintendent to construct the route from Minnesota to
intersect with the Sawyer route, and was granted $30,000[3].
($20,000 was initially awarded) Col. Gideon C. Moody was placed in charge of the Sioux City to Big Cheyenne, and awarded $25,000. |
Appropriation, and apportionment to roads thereof. (Page 1, Page 2, from 38th Congress, Session II, Chapters 99 & 100, 1865 Published Acts) $50k Virginia City to Lewiston $50k Niobrara to Omaha branch and Virginia
City[4] $20k Big Cheyenne to Niobrara $10k Bridge on Big Sioux River $Balance as available to improvements to Sioux City and MN to MT roads |
January 8, 1866 |
Mr. A. W. Hubbard, Representative |
Introduced a bill (H. R. 107) to provide for the improvement of the wagon road from Niobrara to Virginia City, to the Committee on Roads and Canals. |
Bills were further introduced, read a first and second time, and referred. |
February 16, 1866 |
Congressman A W Hubbard |
Submitted the following resolution (SR27): Resolved, That the Secretary of the Interior be directed to communicate to the House of Representatives the report of Colonel James A. Sawyers, superintendent of the wagon road from Niobrara to Virginia City, (made in 1865,) of his explorations, survey, and location of said road; |
By unanimous consent which was read, considered, and agreed to. |
March 5, 1866 |
Speaker of the House |
A letter from the Secretary of the Interior, in answer to a resolution of the 16th ultimo, in regard to the report of Colonel Sawyers, superintendent of the wagon road from Niobrara to Virginia City; which was laid on the table |
So ordered to be printed. |
April 30, 1866 |
Mr. Hitchcock, Representative |
Introduced a bill (HR 539) to provide $50,000 for the survey and construction of a road from Columbus, Nebraska to Virginia City via the most practicable route. |
Issued to Committee on the Public Lands |
May 4, 1866 |
Mr Burleigh, House Journal |
Submitted the following preamble and resolution; Whereas an act of Congress was passed March 3, 1865, entitled "An act to provide for the construction of certain wagon roads in the Territories of Idaho, Montana, Dakota, and Nebraska;" and whereas by said act the sum of $20,000 was appropriated for the construction of a wagon road from a point at or near the mouth of the Big Sioux river, via Yancton, Dakota Territory, to a point at or near the mouth of the Big Cheyenne river, thence up said river to its main fork, thence up the north fork to a point of intersection with the road from Niobrara; and whereas the work on said wagon road is reported to have been commenced and far advanced in 1865 by orders from the Secretary of the Interior, during the prosecution of which work treaties are claimed to have been made with the Indian tribes occupying the country through which said road is located, by which the right of way was secured to the United States; and whereas the Secretary of the Interior is represented to have ordered a suspension of work upon said Cheyenne road, and required the superintendent having charge of the construction of the same to turn over all the stock, implements, and money appropriated and purchased for the said road to the superintendent of the Niobrara road, whereby the opening and construction of the Cheyenne road are prevented, to the great injury of the Territory of Dakota. |
Therefore, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Interior be requested to inform this house whether the work on the said road has been arrested or interrupted by his orders, and if so, for what reason the same has been done; whether any of the moneys appropriated thereto have been diverted to the uses of the Niobrara or any other road mentioned in said act, with the authority, if any, in that case for said diversion |
June 22, 1866 |
Congressman Defrees |
From the Committee on Roads and Canals, to whom was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 107) to provide for the improvement of the wagon-road from Niobrara to Virginia City. |
By unanimous consent reported with a recommendation that it do not pass. So ordered and bill be laid on the table. |
February 28, 1870 |
Mr. Spink, House Journal |
A bill (H. R. 1394) to amend the act of the 3d of March, 1865, providing for the construction of certain wagon roads in the Territory of Dakota, to the Committee on Railways and Canals and ordered to be printed. |
So printed. |
February 12, 1872 |
Mr. Jones, Congressman |
Introduced a bill (HR 1512) to construct a road from Laramie to Fort Fetterman, Cost not exceed $10,000. |
Sent to Committee on Territories. |
[1] Reference Sawyer’s 1865 Journal on the Wagon Road.
[2] In 1866 he was nominated as a delegate to Congress by the anti-Johnson branch of the Republican Party, and apparently was no longer constructing the road. On May 4, 1866 he was ordered to turn over all monies and equipment to the government not expended.
[3] A military wagon road from Sioux City to Fort Dakota, laid when the fort was opened in Sioux Falls in 1865. The road entered the county from the south at the present Eden-Norway township line, angled northwest to avoid the Big Timber (Newton Hills) and crossed Nine Mile Creek where South Dakota Highway #11 now crosses the creek southeast of Harrisburg. The road was a rutty trail with no bridges or culverts. https://sites.rootsweb.com/~sdlincol/history.htm The full route wasn’t constructed.
[4] This is not the Sawyer’s 1st Expedition funding, as it includes funding for two roads. $20,000 was established for Sawyer’s portion going to Virginia City. See May 4, 1866 resolution that established the funding level portion provided to Sawyer.