"Head Quarters Department of New Mexico [with Report and 2 Other Maps]", U.S. War Department

This important map covers the majority of New Mexico Territory and southern California to include Los Angeles and Mexico south to the town of San Francisco. It was drawn by Cyrus H. De Forrest, 1st Lt and Aid-de-camp to Fergusson. The map notes several "Practicable Rail Road" routes across the region and into Mexico. Also locates silver, gold and copper mines including the Stevensons Silver Mines east of Dona Anna. Several forts are noted including Yuma, Craig, Thorn and Fillmore. Near today's Puerto Penasco is a Shell Observatory, a location we've not previously seen on any map. Fergusson was charged with making a survey of Port Lobos and Libertad on the Gulf of California to determine whether "Arizona and the Mesilla valley" could be supplied from Kansas City or from Texas. His explorations further demonstrated the viability of a railroad route to the Pacific via a southern route. Wheat considered this the only military map of note produced in 1862 and to which he devotes an entire page of description. The map as well as two others ("Lalibertad" and "Sketch of Lobos Bay") are still bound in the original report "Letter from the Secretary of War Communicating…the Report of Major D. Fergusson on the country, its resources, and the route between Tucson and Lobos Bay," dated February 1, 1863. 8vo, sewn and uncut (and rarely found this way), 22 pp, 3 folding maps. This important map is rarely found with its original and complete report.

References: Wheat (TMW) # 1042 (map); Wagner-Camp 387.

Condition: B+

Maps are very good with some light toning primarily along the folds. The larger map of Lalibertad has a short 0.5" binding tear at left that has been closed on verso with archival tape. Uncut text is good with some minor soiling and a few spots of foxing along the sheet edges.