Report on the Construction of a Military Road: From Walla-Walla to Fort Benton
by MULLAN, Capt. John
- Used
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Beverly Hills, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Washington: Government Printing Office, 1863. First edition. Octavo (8 7/8 x 5 3/4 inches; 225 x 147 mm). [4], [1]-363, [1, blank], [1, errata], [5, blank] pp. With ten tinted plates and four folding maps.
Bound by the US Government Bindery in green textured cloth. Boards ruled in blind. Spine lettered in gilt and blind. A bit of browning and offsetting throughout. A few small dampstains to fore-edge and to the creases of the first and second map. A tiny hole in the cloth of the back outer hinge. Three previous owner's small bookplates on front pastedown. Overall a very good copy.
"[John Mullan was an] army explorer, road builder, and lawyer... he volunteered for assignment to the northern railway survey headed by Governor Isaac I. Stevens of Washington Territory. This began a ten-year period of exploration and road building in the Pacific Northwest that is the basis for Mullan's reputation. The army transferred Mullan to the topographical engineers, and Stevens assigned him to a party bringing supplies up the Missouri River to Fort Benton...In 1857 Stevens became the delegate to Congress from Washington Territory. Realizing that a railroad was unlikely at any time in the near future, he pushed for construction of a military road from the head of navigation at Fort Benton to the Walla Walla Valley. Congress made an appropriation of $100,000, and Stevens successfully lobbied for Mullan's appointment to head the project...On arriving in the territory Mullan found himself in the middle of a war occasioned by the defeat of Colonel Edward Steptoe's command. Mullan was attached to the punitive expedition of Colonel George Wright as an aide and topographical engineer and participated in that capacity at the battles of Four Lakes and Spokane Plain near present Spokane in 1858. With the Indians subdued, but in some cases still hostile, Mullan began his road building the next year, proceeding north from Walla Walla to Lake Coeur d'Alene, then turning east toward Fort Benton, retracing the route he had explored during the railroad survey. Additional appropriations allowed Mullan to complete the more than 600-mile route by 1863, although wagons had begun to move over the road well before completion. The road represented a major engineering effort for which Mullan deservedly received high praise (and a promotion to captain in 1862); Mullan produced two major reports and an immigrant guide during this period, 'Topographical Memoir of Colonel Wright's Campaign' (1859), 'Report on the Construction of a Military Road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton' (1863), and 'Miners' and Travelers' Guide . . . via the Missouri and Columbia Rivers' (1865)." (American National Biography Online).
Graff 2932. Howes M884. Sabin 51275.
HBS 64861.
$1,850.
Bound by the US Government Bindery in green textured cloth. Boards ruled in blind. Spine lettered in gilt and blind. A bit of browning and offsetting throughout. A few small dampstains to fore-edge and to the creases of the first and second map. A tiny hole in the cloth of the back outer hinge. Three previous owner's small bookplates on front pastedown. Overall a very good copy.
"[John Mullan was an] army explorer, road builder, and lawyer... he volunteered for assignment to the northern railway survey headed by Governor Isaac I. Stevens of Washington Territory. This began a ten-year period of exploration and road building in the Pacific Northwest that is the basis for Mullan's reputation. The army transferred Mullan to the topographical engineers, and Stevens assigned him to a party bringing supplies up the Missouri River to Fort Benton...In 1857 Stevens became the delegate to Congress from Washington Territory. Realizing that a railroad was unlikely at any time in the near future, he pushed for construction of a military road from the head of navigation at Fort Benton to the Walla Walla Valley. Congress made an appropriation of $100,000, and Stevens successfully lobbied for Mullan's appointment to head the project...On arriving in the territory Mullan found himself in the middle of a war occasioned by the defeat of Colonel Edward Steptoe's command. Mullan was attached to the punitive expedition of Colonel George Wright as an aide and topographical engineer and participated in that capacity at the battles of Four Lakes and Spokane Plain near present Spokane in 1858. With the Indians subdued, but in some cases still hostile, Mullan began his road building the next year, proceeding north from Walla Walla to Lake Coeur d'Alene, then turning east toward Fort Benton, retracing the route he had explored during the railroad survey. Additional appropriations allowed Mullan to complete the more than 600-mile route by 1863, although wagons had begun to move over the road well before completion. The road represented a major engineering effort for which Mullan deservedly received high praise (and a promotion to captain in 1862); Mullan produced two major reports and an immigrant guide during this period, 'Topographical Memoir of Colonel Wright's Campaign' (1859), 'Report on the Construction of a Military Road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton' (1863), and 'Miners' and Travelers' Guide . . . via the Missouri and Columbia Rivers' (1865)." (American National Biography Online).
Graff 2932. Howes M884. Sabin 51275.
HBS 64861.
$1,850.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Heritage Book Shop, LLC (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 64861
- Title
- Report on the Construction of a Military Road
- Author
- MULLAN, Capt. John
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- Government Printing Office
- Place of Publication
- Washington
- Date Published
- 1863
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- Americana
Terms of Sale
Heritage Book Shop, LLC
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Heritage Book Shop, LLC
Biblio member since 2006
Beverly Hills, California
About Heritage Book Shop, LLC
Owned and operated by Ben Weinstein, who has been in the business of antiquarian books for over fifty years, Heritage Book Shop\'s inventory consists of some of the finest items in the areas of first editions, early printed books, bindings, illustrated books, literature, and manuscripts. Heritage Book Shop serves a clientele base consisting of private collectors as well as esteemed public institutions. We take great pride in the dedication we offer our clients. Whether you are building a first-rate collection of a favorite author or an extensive library, we look forward to offering the experience of our knowledgeable and helpful staff.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Hinge
- The portion of the book closest to the spine that allows the book to be opened and closed.
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