Mullan, John, 1958-

John Mullan was born July 31, 1830 in Norfolk, Virginia, the first of ten children. In 1848, he was admitted to the United States Military Academy. In 1852 he graduated and was assigned first to the topographical engineers and then to the artillery. In 1853, he joined Gen. Isaac Stevens in exploring a route for a railroad from St. Paul to the Pacific. He was later sent to examine the western mountain passes. He explored the Rocky Mountains southward to Fort Hall on the Snake River and north to Canada, discovering Mullan Pass.

Promoted to first lieutenant in 1855, Mullan was recalled to active military duty and spent two years in the South fighting the Seminoles. Meanwhile, Congress authorized the construction of a military road from Fort Benton to Walla Walla to connect navigation on the Missouri with that on the Columbia.

...