The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-07-19
From West Point Student to Chief
Of Indian Tribe.

Dtotu A4CLcdu Was Ot4C VI eAS
most remarkable cadets of the class
of '46 at West Point, if one Of the dull
est. The name Bison was bestowed
upon him by no less a parsonage than
George Il. Mcclellan. Mclean was 3
fellow of tremendous frame, and had
long, bushy hair, as was the mode
upon the ranch operated by his father
in South Missouri on the ChOctaw line.
Mcclellan remarked when he saw the
Missourian that be looked like bison,
and from that time he called 'Bi-
son" Mclean.
Mclean was slow in his studies,
especially in mathematics, but he was
well up in drill and tactics, and splen-
did horseman. He worried along Ia
his class for three years, with the help
of one or two students who were his
only friends, and then, one evening,
not long before the end of his course,
suddenly disappeared. 1t was night
of bitter cold. The boy vas fond of
skating, and it was thought that he
might have passed the guards for the
purpose of indulging in that sport, and
might have been drowned. This the
ory was strengthened by the fact that
his skates were missing. But there
were other circumstances which led to
the belief that he had simply run away.
"When the Mexican war was ended"
continued the officer, "travel to the
new empire increased amazingly. In
dian rights were encroaehed upon and
the acts were resented. It seemed at
one time that there would be a serious
Indian war, but through the excellent
Judgment and firmness of General w.
5. Harney pen hostilities were avert
ed. Strong garrisOns Of the two dra-
COON regiments were kept near at hand,
and with Kit Karson's mountain men
to aid them, peace was maintained.
"Meantime some things they saw
made the old dragoon officers very un-
easy. For instance, once when Major
Sumner was out on a scout with three
troops of his regiment he met an inn
mense band of Navajo warriors. They
showed no disposition to be hostile.
They were out looking for Apaches,
they said. The chief in command
gave Major Sumner a parade and
march past as a compliment, and that
experienced veteran had much mate
rial for thought when he saw those In
dians formed in troops of about 100
each, all we'll mounted and armed with
excellent American guns, two troops
having Mexican-made lanees. His sur
prise deepened into amazement 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 performance ending with an
advance in line by the entire command
that could not have been exeelled by
any of the three mounted regiments
then in the United States service.
"'When and how did you learn all
this?' asked Major Sumner of the chief
as the latter rode up to the army offi-
Ger to watch his men pass in review.
why, 1 have been on the plains all
my life, and / never have seen any
such drill and discipline among In
dians-'
''The strong face Of the great chief
and warrior softened. He was fiatter-
ed. 'We have four times as many men
as you 81 e here who can march like the
white soldiers he said. we have a
great war chief who has taught us
these things. If it is good for the
white man to march like this, it will
be good for the Indian, if he was to
fight the Mexican or the American
again. and the chief gave the word,
and his command, breaking into two
columns, moved away in different di-
rections.
"In the late fifties Joseph c. Ives, of
the Typographical Engineer Corps, was
making survey of the Colorado from
where it heads, through Arizona and
New Mexico, to where it empties into
the Pacific. He had with him an as
sistant and lieutenant commanding
his guard troop of the Second Dra-
goons; think it was Writings. Away
up on the head waters Of the Colorado
it became evident to'the Cocopah, Apa-
che and Marieopa guides Ives had with
him that Indians of some tribe were
watching their movements very keen
ly. Two nights after this discovery,
when the outer guard was to he reliev-
ed, it was found that he had been shot
through the heart with an arrow. This
was alarming, but did not indicate hos
tilitIes, for the mans gun, a Colts re-
volving rifle, was missing, and he might
have been killed for that, very valua-
ble article at that time and place. II
was deemed prudent to double the out
er guards, and put two men on post in
stead of one. About an hour before
midnight the next evening a gunshOl
was heard from the furthest post from
camp. A badly-scared man explained
that he saw something move. He
thought il was coyote, and meant to
speak to his eomrade about II, as hs
passed him, when he heard the twang Of
a bowstring, and the other man called
out: 4 am shotr and went down. H'
was dead when they got to him, shoI
through the heart with a heavy war
arrow. The war arrows had steel heads
two inches long, and were about half al
inch wide. The Indian guides declared
that it was Navajo arrow.
zone night after taps the sergeant o
the guard came into Ives tent muct
excited.
There's an Injin chafe beyant ouI
lines that wishes to spake wild the loo
tinant, av ye phase, scr, said he.
"Why, who did he ask for" SAID
Ives.
"'Faith, sor, an that's the curious
part ay it. He asked for the loOtinan
be name, sor.'
"'yvell, this is a strange thing, saic
Ives to the other officers. Tell him q
come in, but don't allow any Of hi
party, if there is one with him, 10 com
along. think we can manage one In