Eight Volumes: "Reports of Explorations and Surveys to Ascertain the Most Practicable and Economical Route for a Railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean" by Captain A.A. Humphreys, Lieutenant G.K. Warren et. al. by Direction of Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War. 12 volumes in 13. 33rd Congress, 2nd Session, Senate and House Executive Documents, Washington, D.C. , 1855-1861. Quarto, cloth. This set contains 9 of the 12 volumes: Volume I, III, V, VI, VIII, X, XI, XII, Part 1.
Congress authorized Secretary of War Jefferson Davis to begin a survey of potential Transcontinental RR routes beginning in 1853. The US Army topographical engineers involved in the surveys would all play prominent roles in the Civil War: Andrew A. Humphreys, Isaac Stevens, G.K. Warren, Henry L. Abbott, and others.
This set is Ex-Library, with 19th century bookplate of "The Ashaway Library, Ashaway, RI" in some volumes. All volumes have wear to cloth boards and some foxing within consistent with age and use, Volumes X and XII have been rebound with new endpapers. Volume XI is missing one large folding map, otherwise complete.