Kit Carson's Own Story of His Life

Facsimile of original 1926 edition

Kit Carson

• Publisher: Sunstone Press
• Year: 2006
• ISBN:
  9781611391527
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Historical Biographies
• Index: History

In 1826 a seventeen-year-old Christopher "Kit" Carson ran away from his job as apprentice to a saddler in Franklin, Missouri and joined a merchant caravan bound for Santa Fe in the far Southwest. The flight marked his entry into the pages of history. In the decades that followed, Carson gained renown as a trapper, hunter, guide, rancher, army courier, Indian agent, and military officer. Along the way, his varied career as a frontiersman elevated him to the status of a national hero, on a par with Daniel Boone. In 1856, while at home with his family in Taos, New Mexico, Kit (being illiterate) dictated his autobiography, which dealt with the innumerable adventures he had experienced to that point. However, some of the most significant episodes in his life would unfold in the ensuing years, leading up to his death in 1868. Since Taos artist and writer Blanche Chloe Grant first edited and published the Carson manuscript in 1926, it has become the central source for all subsequent biographers. In 1935 Milo Milton Quaife annotated another edition under the title of "Kit Carson's Autobiography, " published by Lakeside Press of Chicago, and afterward reprinted by the University of Nebraska Press. Western historian Harvey Lewis Carter followed suit with publication of the most heavily edited version yet, with his "'Dear Old Kit': The Historical Christopher Carson" (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1968). Sunstone Press by electing to bring back into print Miss Grant's original 1926 book, regarded perhaps as the handiest of the three published versions, calls attention anew to this pioneering memoir of the celebrated Kit Carson.

Kit Carson’s Own Story of His Life

PART I

1809—1842

I was born on the 24 Decr. 1809 in Madison County, Kentucky. My parents moved to Missouri when I was one year old. They settled in what is now Howard County. For two or three years after our arrival we had to remain forted and it was necessary to have men stationed at the extremities of the fields for the protection of those that were laboring.

For fifteen years I remained in Missouri. During that time I remained in Howard County. I was apprenticed¹ to David Workman to learn the saddler’s trade. I remained with him two years. The business did not suit me and, having heard so many tales of life in the mountains of the West, I concluded to leave him. He was a good man, and I often recall to my mind the kind treatment I received from his hands, but taking into consideration that if I remained with him and served my apprenticeship, I would have to pass my life in labor that was distasteful to me and, being anxious to travel for the purpose of seeing different countries, I concluded to join the first party for the Rocky Mountains.

In August, 1826, I had the fortune to hear of a party bound for that country. I made application to join this party, and, without any difficulty, I was permitted to join them.²

On the road, one of the party, Andrew Broadus met with a serious accident. He was taking his rifle out of a wagon for the purpose of shooting a wolf and, in drawing it out, (it) was accidently discharged, receiving the contents in the right arm. He suffered greatly from the effects of the wound. We had no medical man in the party. His arm began to mortify and we all were aware that amputation was necessary. One³ of the party stated that he could do it. The man was prepared for any experiment to be tried that was considered of service to him. The doctor set to work and cut the flesh with a razor and sawed the bone with an old saw. The arteries being cut, to stop the bleeding, he heated a king bolt of one of the wagons and burned the affected parts, and then applied a plaster of the tar taken off the wheels of a wagon. The man became perfectly well before our arrival in New Mexico.

We arrived in Santa Fe in November, and I proceeded to Fernandez de Taos, my present place of residence, the same month, and remained during the winter with an old mountaineer by the name of Kincade.⁴

In the spring (1827) I started for the States, but, on the Arkansas River I met a party enroute for New Mexico and I joined them and remained with them till their arrival in Santa Fe. I then hired with a man (his name I have forgotten) to drive team, my wages being one dollar per day. I remained in his employ till our arrival in El Paso. I took my discharge and returned to Santa Fe.

I left Santa Fe for Taos shortly after my arrival from El Paso, and got employment of Mr. Ewing Young,⁵ to do his cooking, my board being the remuneration. In the spring, (1828) I once more departed for the States, but met a party on the Arkansas, and again returned to Santa Fe. I then was employed by Col. Tramell, a merchant, as Interpreter. I accompanied him to Chihuahua and then hired with Robert McKnight⁶ to go to the copper mines near the Rio Gila. I remained at the mines a few months driving team. I was not satisfied with this employment, took my discharge and departed for Taos, and arrived in August, 1828.

Some time before my arrival, Mr. Ewing Young had sent a party of trappers to the Colorado of the West.⁷ They, in a fight with the Indians, were defeated, having fought all one day, and gaining no advantage, they considered it prudent to return. Young then raised a party of forty men, consisting of Americans, Canadians and Frenchmen, and took command himself. I joined the party which left Taos in August 1829.

In those days licenses were not granted to citizens of the United States to trap within the limits of the Mexican territory. To avoid all mistrust on the part of the Government officers, we traveled in a northern direction for fifty miles, and then changed our course to southwest, travelled through the country occupied by the Navajo Indians, passed the village of Zuni, and on to the head of the Salt River, one of the tributaries of the Rio Gila.

We, on the head waters of the Salt River, met the same Indians that had defeated the former party. Young directed the greater part of his men to hide themselves, which was done, the men concealing themselves under blankets, pack saddles, and as best they could. The hills were covered with Indians, and, seeing so few, they came to the conclusion to make an attack and drive us from our position. Our commander allowed them to enter the camp and then directed the party to fire on them, which was done, the Indians losing in killed fifteen or twenty warriors and a great number wounded. The Indians were routed, and we continued our march and trapped down the Salt River to the mouth of San Francisco river, and then up to the head of the latter stream. We were nightly harrassed by the Indians. They would frequently of nights crawl into our camp, steal a trap or so, kill a mule or horse and endeavor to do what damage they could.

The party was divided on the head of San Francisco River; one section to proceed to the valley of Sacramento in California, of which I was a member, and the other party to return to Taos for the purpose of procuring traps to replace those stolen, and to dispose of the beaver we had caught. Young took charge of the party for California consisting of eighteen men.⁹

We remained a few days after the departure of the party for Taos, for the purpose of procuring meat and making the necessary arrangement for a trip over a country never explored. Game was very scarce. After remaining three days continually on the hunt to procure the necessaries we had only killed three bears, the skins of which we took off in such a manner as to make tanks for the purpose of carrying water. We then started on our expedition in the best of spirits, having heard from the Indians that the streams of the valley to which we were going were full of beaver, but that the country over which we were to travel was very barren, and that we would suffer very much for want of water; the truth of which we very soon knew.

The first four days march was over a country, sandy, burned up and not a drop of water. We received at night a small quantity of water from the tanks which we had been fortunate to have along. A guard was placed over the tanks to prohibit anyone from making use of more than his due allowance.

After four days travel we found water. Before we reached the water the pack mules were strung along the road for several miles. They having smelt the water long before we had any hopes of finding any, and then each animal made the best use of the strength left them after their severe sufferings to reach the water as soon as they could. We remained two days. It would have been impracticable to have continued the march without giving the men and animals rest they so much required.

After remaining encamped (two) days we started on our expedition and for four days travelled over a country similar to that which we travelled over before our arrival to the last water. There was not any water to be found during this time, and we suffered extremely on account of it. On the fourth day we arrived on the Colorado of the West, below the great Cañon. It can better be imagined, our joy, than described when we discovered the stream.

We had suffered greatly for want of food. We met a party of the Mohave Indians and purchased of them a mare, heavy with foal. The mare was killed and eaten by the party with great gusto; even the foal was devoured. We encamped on the banks of the Colorado three days, recruiting our animals and trading for provisions with the Indians. We procured of them a few beans and corn. Then we took a southwestern course and in three days march, struck the bed of a stream which rises in the coast range, has a northeast course, and is lost in the sands of the Great Basin. We proceeded up the stream¹⁰ for six days. In two days after our arrival on the stream we found water. We then left the stream and travelled in a westerly direction and in four days, arrived at the Mission of San Gabriel.

At the Mission there was one priest, fifteen soldiers, and about one thousand Indians. They had about eighty thousand head of stock, fine fields and vineyards, in fact, it was paradise on earth. We remained one day at the Mission, received good treatment of the inhabitants, and purchased of them what beef we required. We had nothing but butcher knives to trade, and for four they would give us a beef. We received information from the Missionaries of the Mission of San Fernando, we travelled for the Mission, found pass through the mountain.

In one day’s travel from this Mission, we reached the mission of San Fernando having about the same number of inhabitants, but not carried on as large as the one of San Gabriel. We then took a northwest course and passed the mountains to the valley of the Sacremento. We had plenty to eat and found grass in abundance for our animals. We found signs of trappers on the San Joaquin. We followed their trail and, in a few days, overtook the party and found them to be of the Hudson Bay Company. They were sixty men strong, commanded by Peter Ogden. We trapped down the San Joaquin and its tributaries and found but little beaver, but game plenty, elk, deer, and antelope in thousands. We travelled near each other until we came to the Sacramento; then we separated, Ogden taking up the Sacramento for Columbia river. We remained during the summer. Not being the season for trapping, we passed our time in hunting.

During our stay on the Sacramento a party of Indians of the Mission of San Rafael (San José) ran away and took refuge at a village of Indians who were not friendly with those of the Mission. The priest of San Rafael sent a party of fifteen Indians in pursuit. They applied for assistance from a village that was friendly and were furnished with the number they required. They then moved towards the village where the runaways were concealed and demanded them to be given up, which was refused. They attacked the village and after a severe struggle they were compelled to retreat. They came to us and requested assistance. Mr. Young directed me and eleven men to join. We turned to the village and made an attack, fought for one entire day. The Indians were routed, lost a great number of men. We entered the village in triumph, set fire to it and burned it to the ground.

The next day we demanded the runaways and informed them that if not immediately given up we would not leave one of them alive. They complied with our demands. We turned over our Indians to those from whom they had deserted and we returned to our camp.

Miss Blanche C. Grant and Her Friends, Colonel Dick Rutledge and Francis T. Cheetham

Mr. Young and four of us proceeded with the Indians to San Rafael. We took with us the beaver we had on hand. We were well received by the missionaries.

At the Mission we found a trading schooner, the Captain of which was ashore. We traded with him our furs and for the money, purchased horses of those at the Mission, and having purchased all we required returned to our camp. Shortly afterwards a party of Indians during the night came to our camp, frightened our animals and ran off some sixty head. Fourteen were discovered in the morning. Twelve of us saddled and took the trail of the lost animals, pursued them upwards of one hundred miles into the Sierra Nevada. We surprised the Indians when feasting of(f) some of our animals they had killed. We charged their camp, killed eight Indians, took three children prisoners and recovered all our animals with the exception of six that were eaten and returned to our camp.

On the first September we struck camp and returning by the same route which we had come, passing through San Fernando. We traveled to the Pueblo of Los Angeles, where the Mexican authorities demanded our passports. We had none. They wished to arrest us, but fear deterred them. They then commenced selling liquor to the men, no doubt for the purpose of getting the men drunk so that they would have but little difficulty in making the arrest. Mr. Young discovered their intention, directed me to take three men, all loose animals, packs, etc. and go in advance. He would remain with the balance of the party and endeavor to get them along. If he did not arrive at my camp by next morning I was directed to move on as best I could and, on my return to report the party killed; for Young would not leave them. They were followed by the Mexicans, furnishing them all the liquor they could pay for. All got drunk except Young.

The Mexicans would have continued with them till they arrived at the Mission of San Gabriel, then, being re-inforced, arrest the party, only for a man by the name of James Higgins dismounting from his horse and deliberately shooting James Lawrence. Such conduct frightened the Mexicans, and they departed in all haste, fearing that, if men, without provocation, would shoot one another, it would require but little to cause them to murder them.

About dark Young and party found me. The next day we departed and pursued nearly the same route by which we came, and in nine days we arrived on the Colorado. Two days after our arrival, on the Colorado, at least five hundred Indian warriors came to our camp. They pretended friendship, but such a large number coming, we mistrusted them, and closely watched their maneouvers. We discovered where they had their weapons concealed, and then it became apparent to us that their design was to murder the party. There were but few of us in camp, the greater number being out visiting the traps. I considered the safest way to act was not to let the Indians know of our mistrust and to act in a fearless manner. One of the Indians could speak Spanish. I directed him to state to the Indians that they must leave our camp inside of ten minutes. If one should be found after the expiration of that time, he would be shot. Before the expiration of the ten minutes, everyone ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• The Southwest Heritage Series / I
• Foreword To This Edition / II
• Facsimile Of 1926 Edition / III
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• List Of Illustrations
• The Story Of The Manuscript
• Kit Carson’s Own Story of His Life
• Ten Years More
• What Contemporaries Wrote About Carson