A remarkable detailed map of the entire American west by William H. Emory (1811-87). It is only preceded by Fremont’s map of 1848. Born in Maryland, he enlisted in 1826 in the Military Academy. Amongst his classmates were Jefferson Davis and Henry Clay Jr. He joined the Mexican Boundary Survey in 1849 as Chief Astronomer and Commander of the Military Escort. He became involved in the survey maps of the San Diego-Gila River region and the Bartlett-Conde compromise with New Mexico in 1851. He then completed the first survey of the Rio Grande from New Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico. He was then tasked with the boundary survey for the Gadsden Purchase of 1854. Returning to Washington late in 1855 he began publishing the monumental report entitled ‘Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, made under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior’.

This general map of the west drew not only on his own remarkable survey work, but that of all the other explorations of the west. It is a great improvement over his earlier landmark map of 1844. It depicts several forts and roads throughout the west. It is published in the year of the discovery of gold in Colorado. There are still regions yet to be explored in more detail, especially the Yellowstone River. Wheat speaks highly of Emory stating, “it has become abundantly clear how well he served his nation.” Allen speaks even more highly of this map stating that it represents “the high water mark of western cartography before the Civil War. The detail on Emory’s magnificent map is so great that it defies description.” Interestingly Emory married Matilda Bache, a great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin. ADNB; Allen (1984) p. 57; Martin & Martin (1984) pl. 44 incorrectly dating it 1851; Howes (1962) E146; Wagner-Camp (1982) 291; Wheat 822 & 916, vol. 3, pp. 240-6.