The Life and Adventures of Kit Carson, the Nestor of the Rocky Mountains, from Facts Narrated by Himself

by De Witt C. Peters

"Are you really a good pilot, or are you lost?"

These and similar expressions saluted Kit's ear—a language to which he had not been heretofore accustomed—as some impediment, such as a fallen tree, a rock, a swamp, or a creek staid, for a brief period, his progress, thus allowing the party to approach within speaking distance. The remarks might have temporarily chafed his spirit; but, he had too much good sense to allow his friends to see that they had gained any advantage over him. He rode boldly on, and answered their raillery with silence. He knew, however, very well, that his turn would come; and, when he had brought them in safety to a spot with which all were familiar, he turned the tables on them by retorting to their questions in a playful manner, which made their future interpretation of his occasional doubts, less sweeping in its conclusions.

Kit succeeded in guiding the party safely to the Copper Mines, from whence their route was plain. From the Copper Mines the party traveled through to the Rio del Norte. This river is 1,800 miles in length and forms the boundary line between Texas and Mexico. It takes its rise in the Rocky Mountains and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. It is navigable for small steamers, sloops and schooners, for a distance of about four hundred and fifty miles from its mouth. About nine hundred miles from its mouth, there is a spot where the river is only about three or four feet deep. Here the Apache and Camanche Indians always cross when on their depredatory tramps into Mexico.

Leaving the Rio Grande or del Norte, the party pursued their homeward route through the settlements of the Rio Abajo and Santa Fé and finally reached Taos on the twenty-third day of December, 1853.

Soon after the party entered the Territory of New Mexico, Kit Carson accidentally met the Mormon delegate to Congress. That person informed Kit Carson that the appointment of an Indian Agent had been conferred upon him.

On learning this piece of intelligence, Kit was much elated. He felt that the office was perfectly suited to his tastes, and he was honestly impressed with the belief that he was capable of performing the duties of this office, and of accomplishing much good. His happiness and pride were heightened by thinking that, finally, his services had met the approbation of his government, the substantial proof of which, was the offering to him of an important trust without solicitation on his part. Immediately on arriving at Taos, he wrote an answer to the authorities at Washington, in which he expressed his willingness to serve the government, and the pleasure he felt in accepting the office; at the same time he sent the necessary bond required of persons who hold this appointment.

Hardly had Kit Carson been ushered into his new duties before the Jiccarilla Apaches, who formed one of the tribes of his agency, began to show new signs of dissatisfaction by committing various kinds of outrages on the property and lives of the citizens of the northern part of New Mexico. To arrest them in their career and make them amenable for the crimes they had already committed, Lieutenant Bell, of the 2d Regiment of United States dragoons, was sent in quest of them. He found them on the Red River, and at once commenced operations against them. At first, these red men were equally ready to break a lance in combat with their foes; but, after the soldiers had made two charges and penetrated through and through their ranks, they were, although in superior numbers, glad to give up the mastership of the field, and run away. In this fight, the Apaches lost, by his being killed, one of their great chiefs, besides many warriors. On the side of the soldiers, two men were killed and several seriously wounded.

A short time after the news of this skirmish had reached Taos, Kit Carson found it necessary, in order to attend to some official business, to proceed to Santa Fé; but, just as he was on the point of setting out, he was informed that a large party of these Jiccarilla Apaches had recently arrived at a place in the mountains only about twenty miles from Taos, and were there encamped. With the view of pacifying them if it was possible, Kit Carson immediately posted thither; and, with no small degree of peril attending his movements—for he went unattended, and among Indians who were at the time very bitter against the whites—he confronted their "head men" in their den. He needed no introduction, for, during many years, he had been well known to them. Therefore he proceeded, at once, to business. After passing through the usual Indian salutations, he commenced by haranguing them, in a style that most pleases their fancy, thereby fixing their attention on what he was saying. Among other things, he forewarned them that the course they were pursuing, if persisted in, would prove the cause of their being exterminated, as their "Great Father," the President, had at his disposal thousands of soldiers to replace those who fell in battle, while, when their warriors were killed, they could not immediately place others in their moccasins. When a warrior was killed, they were compelled to wait until their children grew up. He added, that the "Great Father" loved his red children, and through him, whose servant he was, he wished to give them annuities and otherwise aid them in living at peace. These Indians, on learning that Kit Carson was their agent, expressed great pleasure, and, at his earnest solicitation, came forward and professed friendship. So little reliance, however, was to be placed in this tribe, that Kit Carson doubted their sincerity; although he exacted every pledge which he thought would in the least tend to bind them to their promises, he feared they would not prove true. Having finished his business, Kit bent his way to Santa Fé; but, he had not more than reached there before he heard that the Jiccarillas had already become tired of the restraints which he had placed upon them, and had broken out in open defiance of the authorities. From this time onward, so thick and fast did their wicked crimes increase, that coercive measures became necessary to put them down. This finally resulted, in as sanguinary a battle being fought between a small band of soldiers and this tribe, as was ever recorded. A rapid sketch of it must suffice to illustrate to the reader what kind of a fight this was, and what plucky fellows these Apaches are. Lieutenant J.W. Davidson, with a command of sixty men belonging to F and I companies of the 1st Regiment of United States dragoons, was ordered out to seek and act against these red men. Both the soldiers and their officers were renowned for their bravery and experience in Indian mode of warfare; hence, more than ordinary deeds were expected to be performed by them. The result will show that they did not disappoint any reasonable expectation. Lieutenant Davidson marched to the "Embuda Mountains" (which range lies between fifteen and twenty miles southwest of Taos), as he had been informed by good authority that the Indians were to be found there.

On reaching the mountains he soon came upon the savages and found them fully prepared to meet him. They had selected their ground with great skill. The site which they had chosen was upon a high elevation, and at the first glance, to get at them, appeared to be an impossibility on account of the roughness of the country. If the Indians had hunted over the whole of the Rocky Mountains they could not have hit upon a place that offered them so many advantages for the use to which they intended to put it; but, as the red men had, by great labor, reached the tops of the crags, therefore, the soldiers resolved not to be outdone, even if they had to be the assaulting party.

The strength of the Apaches amounted to eight lodges, or two hundred and forty warriors; and, as they were on foot and without their families, they were entirely unencumbered. Lieutenant Davidson's first manœuvre was to send in advance a small party, whose duty it was to act as spies, while at the same time they endeavoured to engage the Indians in a talk, of which they are usually so fond; but, the courage of the red men was apparently much elevated on seeing the smallness of the whole force sent against them; therefore, they received the advance with such coldness that the latter soon after gladly retreated to their companions, who were halted on the little creek that runs by the foot of the mountains. Lieutenant Davidson now saw that his only course was to commence the attack and trust to fortune and the bravery of his men. Therefore he ordered the gallant fellows to dismount, and after leaving their horses with a small guard, they commenced the work of scrambling up the rocks so that they might get at, and dislodge the enemy. In this they succeeded, notwithstanding they met with a powerful and determined resistance. In the attempt, five soldiers were killed; and when the dragoons had reached the highest eminence of the mountain, they found, to their disappointment, that the Apaches had not taken to flight according to their anticipations, but instead, they were scattering and surrounding them. There being great danger, as already demonstrations were visible in that quarter, that the Indians would capture the horses of the soldiers, therefore Lieutenant Davidson placed himself at the head of his men and led them back to the spot where the animals were congregated. In so doing, he was obliged to fight his way, as every foot of ground he passed over was stoutly contested; but at last he arrived, just in time to save them. The fight then became desultory, but desperate, on the part of the soldiers; for the Indians, by concealing themselves behind rocks, trees and whatever came in their way, were quite secure against injury from the carbines and revolvers of the whites, while, from their side, came a deadly fire that fast diminished the numbers of their adversaries. In vain did the dragoons charge them and cause the foremost of the enemy to retreat to their friends in the rear. Lieutenant Davidson soon found his party so much crippled in strength that he saw he could no longer protect his horses and at the same time carry on the combat against such great odds. When there was little left that he could do except to offer himself and men as targets to be shot at, Lieutenant Davidson reluctantly ordered his men to retreat.