Kit Carson

Who Was Kit Carson?

Kit Carson, born Christopher Houston Carson in 1809, was a notable American frontiersman, fur trapper, guide, and military figure. By his 20s, Carson had gained considerable experience as a hunter and trapper, navigating the rugged terrains of the American West. His encounter with explorer John C. Frémont in 1842 marked a turning point in his life, leading to his involvement in several expeditions that helped expand the boundaries of the United States.

In the 1850s, Carson was appointed as a federal Indian agent, a role that involved mediating between Native American tribes and the U.S. government. During the Civil War, he served the Union Army, further cementing his place in American history. Carson’s legacy as a symbol of the frontier spirit endures, though his role in westward expansion and interactions with Native Americans are subjects of complex historical scrutiny.

Western Trapper and Guide

Kit Carson quickly mastered the complexities of trapping in the challenging and sometimes hostile territories of the American West. Despite his modest stature, he demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability. In 1829, Carson teamed up with Ewing Young to trap in Arizona and California, and throughout his career, he worked alongside prominent figures such as Jim Bridger and for organizations like the Hudson Bay Company.

During his travels, Carson became fluent in both Spanish and French. His extensive interactions with Native American tribes also enabled him to learn several Indigenous languages. Carson’s deep connection to these communities was reflected in his marriages to two Native American women. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Carson was known for his modest demeanor and temperate lifestyle. One acquaintance famously described him as “clean as a hound’s tooth,” underscoring his reputation for integrity and professionalism.

Joining Forces with John C. Frémont

In 1842, Kit Carson encountered explorer John C. Frémont, a prominent officer in the United States Topographical Corps, during a steamboat journey. Recognizing Carson’s extensive wilderness experience, Frémont hired him as a guide for his first expedition. Carson’s deep knowledge of the rugged terrain made him an invaluable asset, particularly in navigating the group through the South Pass in the Rocky Mountains. Frémont’s glowing reports of the expedition, which highlighted Carson’s skills and contributions, propelled him to fame as one of the era’s most renowned mountain men. This newfound status was further cemented as Carson became a celebrated figure in numerous Western novels.

In 1843, Carson joined Frémont in surveying Utah’s Great Salt Lake, later guiding expeditions to Fort Vancouver in the Pacific Northwest. By 1845, Carson was leading another of Frémont’s expeditions through California and Oregon. During this period, the Mexican-American War erupted, and while in California, Frémont’s scientific mission shifted into a military operation. Carson played a crucial role in supporting American settlers during the Bear Flag Revolt, which marked the beginning of U.S. territorial control in California.

Carson’s reputation grew further when he was sent to Washington, D.C. to deliver the news of the Bear Flag Revolt victory. However, en route, he was redirected in New Mexico to guide General Stephen W. Kearny’s troops to California. In a pivotal battle near San Pasqual, California, Kearny’s forces were outmatched by Mexican troops, but Carson managed to evade enemy lines to secure reinforcements from American forces in San Diego.

After the war, Carson returned to New Mexico, where he transitioned to a quieter life as a rancher, though his legacy as a frontiersman and hero continued to endure.

Indian Agent and U.S. Military Officer

In 1853, Kit Carson assumed the position of federal Indian agent for northern New Mexico, focusing on the Ute and Jicarilla Apache tribes. Witnessing the adverse effects of western expansion on Native American communities, Carson believed that Native attacks on settlers were acts of desperation. To prevent their extinction, he advocated for the establishment of Indian reservations, which he saw as a means to protect indigenous populations from further displacement and destruction.

With the onset of the Civil War in 1861, Carson was recruited by the Union to help organize the First New Mexico Volunteer Infantry Regiment. As a lieutenant colonel, he played a significant role in the Battle of Valverde in 1862, a bloody conflict with Confederate forces.

Carson’s later military campaigns targeted Native American tribes in the region, including the infamous effort to force the Navajo people to relocate to the Bosque Redondo reservation at Fort Sumner. Carson’s troops devastated the Navajo’s resources by destroying crops and killing livestock, weakening their ability to resist. This devastation allowed enemy tribes to escalate their own attacks. In 1864, after months of starvation and hardship, the Navajo surrendered and were forced to endure the grueling 300-mile relocation known as the Long Walk. The journey claimed hundreds of lives and remains a tragic chapter in Native American history.

Final Years in Colorado, Death, and Legacy

Promoted to brigadier general in 1865, Kit Carson relocated to Colorado following the Civil War, where he was appointed commander of Fort Garland. During his tenure, he successfully negotiated a peace treaty with the Ute people, demonstrating his continued involvement in Native American affairs. However, by 1867, Carson’s health had deteriorated, forcing him to resign from his post.

In his final months, Carson served as the superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Colorado Territory. A strenuous trip to the East Coast in 1868 further weakened his condition, and he returned to Colorado gravely ill. After the death of his third wife in April of that year, Carson himself passed away on May 23, 1868. His reported final words were poignant: “Doctor, compadre, adios.”

Carson’s legacy as an iconic frontiersman of the American West endures. His name lives on in places like Carson City, Nevada, and Carson Pass in California. The dime novels that romanticized his life during his lifetime further solidified his status in American folklore. His legend was also immortalized in Western-themed films and television, including the series The Adventures of Kit Carson, which aired from 1951 to 1955.

Carson’s complex life was revisited in the 2006 book Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West by Hampton Sides, and he was later featured in the History Channel’s 2018 documentary series Frontiersmen.