The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-28

when the Mexican war was on, when
the Indians were yet hopeful of hold
ing the Far West as their own, when
the gold fever was consuming it's VIC
TINS by the thousands, and when corps
of army engineers were engaged in
Western surveys.
From one of these comes a story
which has not been in print, and
which is one of the most remarkable
tales of that peculiar period. Bison"
Mclean was one of the most remark
able if one of the dullest. Of the class
of '46 at West Point. He was given
his sobriquet by no less a parsonage
than George B. Mcclellan, who was
after that the commander Of the Union
forces in the War of the Rebellion.
Mclean was a fellow of tremendous
frame, and had long bushy hair, a
style he had acquired upon the ranch
that was operated by his father. Nc
Clellan remarked when he saw him
that he looked like bison, and from
that time he was called Bison Nc
Lean
Mclean was slow in his studies, espe-
cially in mathematics, but was well up
in drill and tactics, and was a splendid
horseman. He worried along in his
class for several years with the help
Of one or two students who were his
only friends, and then, not long before
the end of his course, suddenly dis
appeared. 1t was a night of bitter
freezing. The boy was fond of skat-
ing, and it was thought that he might
have passed the guards for the pur-
pose of indulging in that sport and
been drowned. This theory was
strengthened by the fact that his
skates were missing. But there were
other circumstances which led to the
belief that he had simply deserted.
The sutler admitted that he had cashed
a check for the young fellow a few
days before in the sum of 5000. The
parents were written to, but they had
no trace of him. and wrote to the
academy in an agony Of grief about
him. His father went to New York
and employed detectives to work up
the case, but not a single cleW to the
whereabouts of the youth could be
found. The incident passed, Bison"
was duly regretted, and as the time
passed he was almost forgotten. But
the Bison was not dead by any
Means said the officer who gave the
foregoing sketch of Mclean in his rem
iniscences of the West Point of his
day.
When the Mexican war was ended"
continued the officer, travel to the
new empire increa sed amazingly. In
dian rights were encroached upon, and
the acts We're resented. 1t seemed at
one time that there would be a serious
Indian war, but through the excellent
judgment and firnness of Gen. W. S.
Harvey open hOstilities were averted,
but strong garriSOnS of the two dra-
COON regiments were kept near at
hand, and with Kit Carson's mountain
men to aid them peace was maintained.
INDIANS KNEW TACTICS.
Meanwhile some things they saw
made the old dragon officers uneasy.
For instance, once when Maj Sumner
was out on scout with three troops
of his regiment he met an immense
band of Navajo warriors. They showed
no disposition to be hostile. He was
told they were out looking for their
Apache enemies. The chief In COM
mand gave Maj. Sumner a parade
and march past as a compliment, and
that experienced veteran was given
much material for thought when he
saw those Indians formed in troops of
about 100 EACH all we'll mounted and
two troops having Mexican-made
lances.
His surprise deepened into amaze
ment when at the word of command the
regiment (the Indians were about 800
strong) at carefully kept distances,
changed from line into column and
back again into line, the entire per-
Torrance ending with an advance in
line by the etire command that could
not have been excelled by either Of the
three mounted regiments in the United
States service.
When and how did you learn all
this?' asked Maj. Sumner of the chief,
as the latter rode up to the army Of
ficers, to watch his men pass in review.
| why, I have been on the plains all my
life, and L never have seen any such
drill and discipline among Indians
1.-The strong face of the warrior soft
ened. He was -fattered.
1--WE have four times as many men
as you see here, who can march like
white soldiers, said the chief. We have