2

would be promoted by pursueing [sic] from Knoxville the nearest
and best route leading in the direction for Neworleans
so as to make (if possible) this route the nearest and
best for the construction of the road. Whereby it
would be most likely to obtain the preference over
the other two routes, with which it must be
held in view, we are now in competition, at
the same time I believe not entirely without some
prospect of success. To effect this object to the
utmost extent that was practicable in the very
expostitious examination the enginiers [sic] are instructed
at this time to make I found it necessary to call to
my aid Maj. Thos Brown of Kingston who had an
entire knowledge of the country not only along the
route we view^d, but also that leading through
the Tennessee and Wills town Valleys, and whose
information in this respect was of considerable
importance to us. He Joind [sic] us at Campbells Station,
and continu^d with us a small distance after we cross^d
the Highuassee River, where we were furnish^d
by Col^o Montgomery the agent ^with an interpreter and
guide through the cherokee nation, I continu^d
on with the engineers untill [sic] we cross^d the Southern
boundary of our state into that part of the Territory
of Georgia inhabited by the cherokees on the head
waters of the chickamaggy near the South Eastern
part of the Lookout Mountain from, which place