Chapter II: Preface

The trail journals of the first two government exploring expeditions commanded by Lieutenant John Charles Frémont, of the United States Engineers, and advised by Kit Carson, mountain-man, are to be found together published, spring of 1845, as reports transmitted by the Secretary of War to the National Senate and House.

These journals, recording peril and privation faced for the wide public good and not for narrow private gain, occupy their honored niche among the golden archives of the Republic, and should be better known in American school and home. The trails themselves are eternal, denoted by names which have endured, many of them, unto this day. Of the men who may proudly and truthfully say, “I was with Frémont,” or “I was with Carson,” few indeed remain; and they will soon be gone, for man passes on, while that which he has wrought survives.

The Oliver Wiggins in this narrative is real. I have talked with him. He was the little boy under the wagon, and he was the Taos lad who won the Kit Carson rifle; he was upon the Frémont and Carson First Expedition, and he was upon the Second Expedition, by way of the Salt Lake to Fort Hall. However, there he turned back, with the other Carson men. In taking him through, as in having him ascend the highest peak, voyage the Salt Lake in the rubber boat, and be prominent in various such adventures, I have added to his biography as told to me. Yet in these credits I have not exalted him more than is his due, for brave men rarely tell of all that they have done well.

The other personages also are real, as members of the Frémont or of the Carson party. Some of the conversation is quoted from the Frémont reports; the remainder is applied according to the characteristics of the speakers, or is adapted from sentiments expressed at divers times and places. The incidents of course are based upon the Frémont journals, with sidelights from the recollections of Major Wiggins, and from the Frémont “Memoirs of My Life,” and like chronicles bearing upon the day.

The two principals, Lieutenant (later Captain, Colonel and General) Frémont, and Scout (later Colonel and General) Christopher Carson, thought highly each of the other; and this is warrant that they were manly men. Manly men respect manly men. Lieutenant Frémont said: “With me, Carson and truth are the same thing;” and he refers to their “enduring friendship.” Kit Carson left all――new ranch, home, wife, dear associates――which, save honor, he valued most, to accompany the lieutenant upon a Third Expedition, and in every crisis of march, camp, battle and politics he stuck stanchly to him. “I owe more to Colonel Frémont than to any other man alive,” he declared. Thus friend should stand by friend.

This Third Expedition, of 1845–1846, again into the Great Basin and across the Sierra Nevada Range to the Valley of the Sacramento, was timed to the conquest of California by American arms; but it is another long story. Following the Third Expedition, having resigned from the Army Colonel Frémont, in 1848–1849, voluntarily conducted a Fourth Expedition, upon which many lives were lost to cold and hunger amidst the winter mountains of south central Colorado; and in 1853–1854, a Fifth Expedition, once more across the Great Basin to California. In these two expeditions Kit Carson did not take part. He had the duties of home, and family, which also are man’s duties; and the duties of agent over the Ute and Apache Indians.

After that, came Civil War service for both friends, in fields separate.

EDWIN L. SABIN.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.
May 15, 1912.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. KIT CARSON TO THE RESCUE 17
II. UNDER THE WAGON 30
III. OLIVER WINS HIS SPURS 43
IV. WORD FROM OLD FORT LARAMIE 56
V. FRÉMONT SAYS “ONWARD!” 68
VI. INTO THE WILDER WEST 87
VII. OVER THE FAMED SOUTH PASS 96
VIII. PLANTING THE HIGHEST FLAG 111
IX. THE VOYAGING OF THE PLATTE 124
X. FRÉMONT CALLS AGAIN 135
XI. IN HOSTILE TERRITORY 147
XII. THE EMIGRANT TRAIL 155
XIII. TO THE GREAT SALTY LAKE 167
XIV. SAILING THE INLAND SEA 178
XV. ON TO THE COLUMBIA 192
XVI. SOUTHWARD FOR THE UNKNOWN 203
XVII. SCANT CHRISTMAS COMFORT 216
XVIII. FORCING THE SNOWY SIERRAS 225
XIX. AT THE LAST GASP 235
XX. DOWN THROUGH CALIFORNIA 248
XXI. THE VENGEANCE OF KIT CARSON 259
XXII. POOR TABEAU PAYS THE PRICE 276
XXIII. THE HOME STRETCH 288

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

“WE TAUGHT THOSE THAR RED DEMONS A LESSON THEY’LL NOT
FORGET.” _Frontispiece_

CHRISTOPHER CARSON 22

JOHN CHARLES FRÉMONT 71

THE FIRST BUFFALO HAD FALLEN TO THE CRACK OF KIT CARSON’S
RIFLE 104

AS THE BOAT CAME WHIRLING DOWN, HELPLESS AND INERT, HEADS
BROKE UP AROUND IT 130

KIT AND THE LIEUTENANT SHOWED THE THREE, BY SIGNS, HOW
FROM THE RIFLES AND CARBINES COULD SPEED A BULLET AND
BORE THEM THROUGH AND THROUGH 232

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

CHRISTOPHER CARSON JOHN CHARLES FRÉMONT

Born Madison County, Ky., January 21, 1813, born at
December 25, 1809. Savannah, Ga.

Father: Lindsay (Linsey) Carson, Father: John Charles Frémont, of
of North Carolina and France and of Virginia.
Kentucky.

Mother: Rebecca Robinson, of Mother: Anne Beverley Pryor, of
Virginia. Virginia.

Reared without education, on the Educated by tutor and college at
Missouri frontier. Charleston, S. Carolina.

Apprenticed to a harness-maker 1833–1836――Teacher of Mathematics
at Franklin, Mo.――1825. to Midshipmen on Sloop-of-War
Natchez.

On the Santa Fé Trail at 1836――Commissioned Professor of
Fifteen――1826. Mathematics in the Navy,
Assigned to the Frigate
Independence.

Interpreter and Teamster, in 1837–1838――Railroad and Army
New Mexico and Old Surveyor.
Mexico――1827–1829.

Trapper to 1838――Commissioned Second
California――1829–1830. Lieutenant, Topographical
Engineers, U. S. A.

Rocky Mountain 1838–1839――Government Survey of
Trapper――1830–1838. Upper Mississippi River, under
J. N. Nicollet.

Married an Arapahoe Indian 1841――Married Jessie Benton of
girl――1835. Washington.

Hunter and Captain of Trappers, 1841――Survey of Lower Des Moines
at Bent’s Fort and River.
Taos――1838–1842.

Hunter with the Frémont First 1842――First Government Exploring
Expedition――1842. Expedition, to the South Pass
and Frémont’s Peak.

Married Josefa Jaramillo of 1843–1844――Second Government
Taos――1843. Exploring Expedition, to the
Salt Lake, to the Columbia,
south through California, back
by the Spanish Trail and the
Rocky Mountains.

Hunter and General Assistant 1845――Promoted by brevet to
with Frémont Second First Lieutenant and Captain.
Expedition――1843–1844.

Goes to Ranching in New 1845–1846――Third Government
Mexico――1845. Exploring Expedition, across
the Great Basin into Northern
California.

Guide and General Assistant 1846――As Major Commands a
with the Frémont Third Battalion for the Conquest
Expedition――1845–1846. of California.

Scout and Express Bearer under 1846–1847――Military Commander
Colonel Frémont, Commodore and Governor of California.
Stockton and General Kearny,
in the Conquest of
California――1846.

Express Service with Despatches 1846――Promoted to
Across the Continent to Lieutenant-Colonel of Mounted
Washington――1847–1848. Rifles, U. S. A.

Commissioned Second Lieutenant 1847–1848――Court-martialed at
of Mounted Rifles, U. S. A., Washington for Insubordination,
but the Commission not Found Guilty, but Recommended
confirmed――1847. for Leniency.

Serves on Outpost Duty in 1848――Resigns from Army.
California――1847.

His Express Duty of 1848 1848–1849――Fourth Exploring
Completed, Becomes Private Expedition, into the Southern
Citizen at Taos――1848. Colorado Mountains; thence
Forced Back, and to California
by a Southern Route.

Seeks ranch life in New Mexico 1849–1850――Seeks ranch life in
――1849–1850. California.

Scout Duty against the Indians, 1850–1851――Senator from California.
with Army Detachments――1850.

Overland to California with a 1851–1853――California and
Drove of 30,000 sheep――1853. Europe.

Government Indian Agent over 1853–1854――Fifth Exploring
Utes and Apaches, Quarters at Expedition, across the Great
Taos――1854–1860. Basin of Utah and Nevada to
California.

Scout Duty against the Indians, 1856――Nominated by the Republican
with Army Party for the Presidency.
Detachments――1854–1855. Defeated by Buchanan.

Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel, 1861――Major-General, Department
First New Mexican Infantry, of the West, U. S. A.,
U. S. Vols.――1861–1862. headquarters at St. Louis.

Colonel of First New Mexican 1862――Resigns from Army, after
Cavalry, U. S. Vols., service in Command of the
conducting campaigns against Mountain Department of Virginia,
the Apaches, Navajos and Tennessee and Kentucky.
Kiowas, New Mexico and
Arizona――1862–1864.

Military Service on the Santa Fé 1864――Nominated for Presidency.
Trail and Special Commissioner Withdraws.
to treat with Cheyennes and
Arapahoes――1865.

Lieutenant-Colonel (Brigadier 1866–1878――Railroad Construction,
General by Brevet, for etc.
Distinguished Service) in
command at Fort Garland,
Colorado――1866–1867.

Resigned from the Army, on 1878–1882――Governor of Arizona.
Account of Ill Health――1867.

Special Commissioner to Treat 1890――Appointed Major-General,
with the Utes, at on the Retired List.
Washington――1868.

Died at New Fort Lyon, Colorado, July 13, 1890, died in New York
May 23, 1868. City.

WITH CARSON AND FRÉMONT