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Life at West Point and on
the Frontier
Angus William McDonald,
the subject of the following sketch, was born in Winchester, Virginia,
February 14th, 1799, and was the oldest child of Angus McDonald (2nd)
and Mary McGuire (his wife).
When ten years of age he
lost his mother and went, with his brother and little sister to live
with his grand-mother at Glengarry, who carefully instilled into his
youthful mind, not only a love of truth, but a genuine admiration for
all the attributes of a sterling character. Angus, who was of an ardent,
romantic nature, early developed a restless disposition and his
grand-mother constantly reminded him of his noble lineage and his
untarnished escutcheon, which as the oldest of his family it was his
supreme duty to guard and forefend.
When about twelve years
of age he, with his cousin Hugh McGuire, Holmes Conrad, and others,
attended a school in Winchester, taught by a Mr. Hetterick, a Scotchman,
and during that time he lived at the home of his uncle, Edward McGuire.
On July 30th, 1814
(according to the records at West Point) he entered the Military School
there, having received his appointment from President Madison. The
following October he lost his father,
he having died at
Batavia, New York, after a forced march. This information was conveyed
to him through a letter from his grand-mother, which said:
"Have You heard the
melancholy news of your father's death? He died at Batavia, New York,
the middle of October."
This letter is dated
November 20th, 1814, and the original is in possession of Mrs. Anne S.
Green. His death seems to have occurred at least a month before his
family heard of it.
being quite young, as
well as poorly prepared, Angus could only gain admission to the fourth
class, and near the foot at that, but from the first his class-standing
improved, though now and then some mad prank would Iower it again. In
time however, he became a hard student and made such distinguished
progress that he was permitted to pass at the middle of his third year,
from the second into the first class, thus crowding the labors of two
years into one. He often expressed regret afterwards, that his foolish
ambition to wear a pair of shoulder-straps. should have cost him his
fourth year at college. His father's death occurring so soon after his
entrance into West Point and the sudden responsibility thus thrust upon
him, was, most likely, largely responsible for his eager determination
to improve his opportunities and fit himself for the sterner duties of
life.
The records at West Point
show that he was graduated July 17th, 1817, and was promoted in the
Army, to Third Lieut. Corps of Artillery. On Feb. 13th, 1818, he was
promoted to Second Lieut. 7th Infantry; and on April 1st, 1818, was
promoted First. Lieut. 7th Infantry. Served in garrison at New Orleans,
La., 1817, and Mobile Bay, Ala., 1818. Resigned Jan. 31, 1819."
We can recall but one or
two incidents of his life at West Point. Upon one occasion, when Officer
of the day, he discovered that a party of his comrades had stolen off
and gone down the Hudson on a skating frolic. This knowledge placed him
in a very uncomfortable attitude. It was plainly his duty to inform on
them, but if he did so, the consequences would be serious, for several
of his closest friends were among them. There was not much time for
reflection, however, so he had to decide at once. He went to his
superior officer, informed him of the truant party, then ran with all
his might to the scene of the frolic and told his friends what he had
done. Thus warned, they made good their escape before the arresting
party arrived.
Another incident,
illustrative of his love of mischief, also occurred at West Point. He
was drilling a squad of Cadets one day, among whom was James Ashton, one
of his best friends and who was noted for his neatness as well as for
his love of dress. It had rained the previous night and there were
several pools of water standing on the drill-ground, and while taking
the cadets through their many evolutions, suddenly, in a spirit of
mischief, he conceived the idea of so manoevering the squad that he
would compel Ashton to step into the muddiest pool on the Campus. And it
required considerable dexterity on Ashton's part to avoid the
catastrophe. Finally, when, after many masterly movements to compass the
pools without soiling his immaculate linen, it seemed inevitable, Ashton
suddenly halted on the verge of the muddiest and exclaimed, with an
oath, "I'll not dress back into a mud-puddle for you or any other man."
The spirit displayed by Ashton on this occasion only welded their
friendship into a closer bond and it was not terminated except by death.
Among his other close and
valued friends at West Point was Ethan Allen Hitchcock, a native New
Englander, and the friendship was so strong for him that he named his
second son after him, Edward Allen Hitchcock. Indeed the attachment was
mutual, for when fifty years afterwards, during the unhappy war between
the States, when Col. McDonald was a prisoner of war at Wheeling and
suffering worse than a convict's fate, through the personal spite of a
Federal officer, a letter from one of his daughters (Mrs. James W.
Green) to Gen. Hitchcock, telling of her father's inhuman treatment, had
immediate effect; his hand-cuffs were at once removed and for the
remaining days of his imprisonment, which was only prolonged that he
might gather strength for his journey home, he had every comfort and
privilege possible, and received a letter from Gen. Hitchcock begging
him by the memory of their old friendship to accept money or anything
else that was in his power to offer. But with his old, characteristic
pride, which had not been broken through all the painful stress and
strife of his declining years, he replied that he would accept his
liberty, and for that he would be profoundly grateful.
While Lieut. McDonald was
in command of the Fort at Mobile Bay an incident occurred which will
illustrate his self-reliance. One of the men deserted. It was known that
he had formerly belonged to Lafitte's famous band of pirates and the
soldiers of the Garrison hated and feared him. Upon the discovery of his
absence Lieut. McDonald ordered a Corporal and two men to go after him.
It was suspected that he had taken the road through a dense swamp, and
he had sworn to kill any one who attempted to pursue him; hence the
Corporal hesitated to carry out the order, and yet was afraid to
disobey. It was whispered among the men that the fellow had deserted for
the express purpose of getting McDonald to follow him, and that McDonald
was exposing others to a danger which he would not encounter himself.
Upon hearing this,
McDonald determined to go and catch the man himself. He followed him for
twenty-five miles through the swamp and finally came up with him in a
cabin, eating at a table with his gun standing in a corner near. He made
him walk before him back to the Garrison. As all night long they
travelled through the swamp, hungry wolves hung around their path. The
deserter begged for a weapon of defense, when finally McDonald exacting
a promise from him that he would not attempt to escape, lent him one of
his pistols. The man kept his promise, and moved by the trust reposed in
him, was ever afterward devoted to his Lieutenant.
But the life of a soldier
during peace times, soon grew distasteful to the ambitious and impatient
spirit of young McDonald. The monotonous and constantly recurring
routine of drill and dress-parade, made him long for a more stirring
career than army life then seemed to promise.
It was about this time
that the attention of the entire country was being directed towards the
golden opportunities which awaited the daring and intrepid pioneer on
the Western frontier. Dazzling accounts of brilliant successes, which
had been achieved in this enchanted region, were heard on all sides and
this New Eldorado became the Mecca of many restless and ambitious
spirits. Lieut. McDonald would now and then hear these tales, and on his
visits to New Orleans, would sometimes meet with these fascinating
border heroes, when the hot blood of his romantic and adventurous Celtic
ancestry would be stirred within him, as he listened; and like the
Knights of old he longed to draw his lance and try his mettle.
He made every effort to
be assigned to duty in that enchanted land, but failing in that, he,
with quick decision, resigned his commission Jan. 31st, 1819, and set
out for the \Western frontier. At St. Louis he met with many congenial
spirits, who had also responded to the call of the wild, as well as some
who had already engaged in the alluring pursuits of frontier life—such
as buffalo-hunting and Indian trading. It was in company with one of
these wily traders that McDonald got his first lesson of disenchantment,
and discovered that beneath the glamour and glitter of all the glowing
pictures which had caught his youthful fancy, there were many stern and
rough experiences to be encountered.
He embarked at first, in
the capacity of clerk for a Missouri Company, to which this trader
belonged, but before his first year of service had expired, he had
mastered the more important of the Indian languages in that section, and
assumed the duties of interpreter as well as chief clerk of his Company.
The second year he was taken into full partnership and was beginning to
realize some of the gilded fruits of the fur-trading fraternity, of
which he had heard so much, when suddenly, without warning, the crash
came and the 'Company" broke full-handed, decamping with all the money,
and leaving young McDonald to hold the empty bag. This was a great blow
to all his high hopes, but he lost no time in useless repining, but
engaged very successfully in the trapping and trading business on his
own responsibility for the next three years.
During his life on the
frontier, he was brought into intimate association with many of the
friendly Indian tribes, and with some of their Chiefs he was a great
favorite. There was one of whom he was especially fond, named Tobacco, a
powerful Chief of the Mandan tribe, whom McDonald always spoke of as an
"Apollo in form and a Mars on the field of battle." Hearing one day that
a hostile tribe had waylaid and massacred his white brother, Tobacco at
once went on "the war path" against the suspected murderers, mercilessly
capturing and scalping ten of them. 'Then returning to his home, he
refused all sustenance and lying upon the ground gave himself up to
inconsolable grief. Lieut. McDonald hearing of it hastened to the Indian
village and found his friend half dead with hunger and grief. Tobacco's
joy at the unexpected appearance of his friend was indescribable; he
embraced his knees and wept like a child, for very delight.
The terrible mistake that
the old Chief had made, however, cost Lieut. McDonald a pretty penny,
for in order to appease the friends of the ten Indians whom he had put
to death, McDonald had to pay five horses, a box of tobacco and three
barrels of whiskey. Lieut. McDonald possessed to an unusual degree those
traits of character and physique, which appeal strongly to those
imaginative children of nature. Almost a Hercules in build and strength,
he was regarded by them as a rare specimen of manly beauty. Athletic and
confident, fearless, though cautious, he was a dangerous enemy, though a
true and magnanimous friend and these poor hunted creatures, though
fearing him in a certain sense, admired and trusted "Big Knife"
implicitly, for that was the admiring and expressive sobriquet by which
he was known among them.
I well remember one
incident which will prove the esteem in which he was held by the
trappers and their friendly allies among the Red men. There had been an
Indian outbreak of considerable violence, and an expedition, composed of
volunteers from the traders, hunters, and friendly Indians, was
organized for the purpose of punishing the offenders, numbering, all
told about a thousand men. Made up as it was of so many discordant
elements, it was difficult to choose a leader.
"Big Knife" had a large
following, but another competitor for the honor was a cunning half-breed
named Meyer, to whom McDonald refused to yield the leadership. So while
drawn up in front of the Indian town, it was proposed by Meyer to apply
a test to the courage of the two aspirants. To this end he challenged
"Big Knife" to follow him along the enemy's front, exposed to the arrows
of the sharpshooters. McDonald accepted the challenge, and away darted
Meyer in a swift gallop along the brow of a hill, but taking the hostile
Indians so completely by surprise that they scarcely realized what was
passing, until he was safely beyond their reach. But not so with "Big
Knife," who rode at a deliberate pace in full view of the enemy, which
was now fully alert—determined to win or die. A storm of arrows and
bullets greeted him, but he moved at an easy canter across the entire
field, appearing more like a General reviewing his troops than one
running for his life. The shouts of applause which greeted him as he
rejoined the waiting columns, proclaimed his victory, and the
disappointed Meyer no longer disputed his well-earned right to be their
leader.
St. Louis was the great
center of Western commerce, and McDonald frequently visited that city
with cargoes of furs and skins. He made a good deal of money while
engaged in this business, and though earned almost at the risk of his
life, he spent it in princely fashion whenever he met his friends.
After spending about four
years on the Western frontier, the undeveloped condition of the great
southwest territory began to attract his attention, along with other
ambitious spirits, whose minds had also been impressed with the
magnificent opportunities which might await the bold pioneer, who would
undertake to develop this almost unknown Iand. Finally McDonald, with
ten confederates decided upon a plan of action, which for grandeur and
boldness of conception equalled anything of its kind that had ever been
concocted. They were to organize a body of emigrants on the American
frontier and enter Texas, then a part of Mexico, and with the aid of
other adventurous spirits wrest it from Mexican rule, and convert it
into an independent government. (This plan was actually carried out by
Bowie, Houston and others, ten years later, and doubtless some of the
original eleven participated in it.) Full of his project, Lieut.
McDonald returned to his old home, Winchester, Va., to get recruits and
take leave of his old friends. And when they talked of crops and fees,
he spoke of the wonders of a land where Dukedoms and even Empires might
be the fruits of daring enterprise.
With the clairvoyance of
a sanguine mind he foresaw the wonderful future of Texas and the rich
dowry that awaited the leaders in the revolutionary movement, and
decided to make it his future home. But during his visit to Winchester,
and while making preparation for his final departure, an event occurred
which changed the whole course of his life. He made the acquaintance of
his future wife, Miss Naylor, of Hampshire, a daughter of William
Naylor, a prominent lawyer of Romney, Va., and in a little while had
resigned all of his ambitious dreams and decided to become a
hard-working, every day citizen. The profession of law, as a means of
livlihood, held most attraction for him, as it frequently afforded
(although in a purely intellectual field), the excitement of conflict,
and involved those contingencies of success which always stimulate and
entertain the energetic mind. So selecting this profession for his
future vocation, he settled in Romney and applied himself with his usual
diligence and enthusiasm to its study, and while thus employed, also
performed the duties of deputy-sheriff for the County of Hampshire. |
