The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 28, July 1924 - April, 1925 Page: 293
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California Emigrant Roads Through Texas
California,19 and Austin hoped to secure the terminal of that
road. Ford accompanied Major Robert S. Neighbors, the Super-
vising Indian Agent, on a trip to El Paso. On the twenty-fifth
day of March they started from the Indian country, near the
present city of Waco. As far as the Pecos the road was good,
but beyond that they encountered great difficulty in crossing the
mountains to the Rio Grande Valley; in fact, failed to find a road
for wagons, and almost starved before reaching El Paso the last
of April. A guide whom they secured in the Rio Grande Valley,
led them back to the Pecos over a route that was practicable for
wagons, and thus when they reached San Antonio, June second,
having been only twenty-seven days from El Paso,20 Austin had
demonstrated the practicability of the route she favored, but
with what result will soon be shown.
While these explorations for roads to El Paso were being made,
a battalion of the third infantry, destined for the Rio Grande
Valley, was waiting at San Antonio. Before either of the ex-
ploring parties returned, General Worth had decided to send the
troops over the route recommended by Hays.21 On the eve of
their departure, Whiting and Smith returned from the Las
Moras, or lower route, the twenty-first of May, making such
a favorable report,22 that General Harney, successor to General
Worth, reversed the orders and sent the troops over it.28 The
arrival of Neighbors and Ford over the upper route caused the
General to order a reconnaissance of the upper route, and al-
though Lieutenant Bryan recommended it most highly,24 the
lower road, probably for the reasons indicated above, was finally
chosen for the Military Road to the Rio Grande Valley; and
Forts Clark, Hudson, Lancaster, and Davis were erected on it.
And thus, official and semi-official exploration had opened dur-
"Texas Democrat, February 10, 1849.
o"Ford, Memoirs, MS., 477-500, in the Archives of the University of
Texas Library. Also, Creuzbaur, Guide to California and the Pacifio-
Ocean; Texas Democrat, June 16 and 23, 1849.
"Report of S. G. French in Senate executive documents, 31 congress, 1
session, no. 64, page 40. The same report was published in House execu-
tive documents, 31 congress, 2 sess, no. 1, page 302.
"Report of W. F. Smith in Senate executive documents, 31 congress, 1
session, no. 64, pages 4-6.
"'Report of J. E. Johnson, in Ibid., page 27.
24Report of Francis Bryan, in Ibid., pages 14-24.293
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 28, July 1924 - April, 1925, periodical, 1925; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101087/m1/298/: accessed May 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.