Capture of Los Angeles--Court Martial of Fremont--Carson Appointed a
Bearer of Dispatches to Washington--His Journey to St. Louis--Visits
Washington--Appointed Lieutenant by President Polk--Ordered Back Across
the Continent--His Journey--Assigned to Duty at Tajon Pass--Again
Ordered to Washington--His Appointment not Confirmed by the United
States Senate--Visit to Washington--Return to New Mexico.
The chief force of the Mexicans was at Los Angeles over a hundred miles
to the north of San Diego. They numbered six or seven hundred and were
strongly intrenched. General Kearney and Commodore Stockton joined their
commands and marched to attack them. Arriving in front of the town, they
scattered the Mexicans intrenched on the outside, and then marched into
the place. But the enemy had fled and gone northward to meet Fremont
who was on his way from Monterey with four hundred men to attack Los
Angeles.
The Mexicans had not long to search when they found Fremont, but,
instead of giving him battle, their commander surrendered, possibly
preferring to give him the honor, instead of selecting the other
commanders. Fremont continued his march to Los Angeles, where they went
into winter quarters, and Carson, who had been devoting his valuable
services to General Kearney, now rejoined his old friend, Fremont.
It may be stated in this place that the jealousy between Commodore
Stockton and General Kearney assumed such a shape at that time that
Fremont was compelled to acknowledge either one or the other as his
superior officer. He selected Commodore Stockton as the one to whom he
owed superior allegiance. The result of the petty quarrel was the trial
of Fremont by court martial, the particulars of which are too well known
to require further reference at our hands.
In the following March, Kit Carson was selected to carry despatches to
Washington. Lieutenant Beale, who was still suffering from the exposure
and hardships he had undergone, accompanied him, together with a guard
of a dozen veteran mountaineers. Lieutenant Beale was so weak that
Carson for many days was obliged to lift him on and off his horse; but
the clear air, the healthful exercise and the cheery companionship of
the hardy scout were the best tonics in the world, and probably did the
invalid more good than any other treatment that could have been devised.
Carson took an extremely southern route, and his superior skill and
knowledge of the country and its inhabitants enabled him to avoid all
danger until he reached a tributary of the lower Colorado. While in camp
at midnight, they were assailed with a shower of arrows from a party
of Indians; but, as Carson expected the attack, he had made such
preparations that not one of his men were injured.
Without any other incident worth the mention, Carson and his escort
reached St. Louis. There the renowned mountaineer became the hero of
the hour. He was taken at once to the home of Hon. Thomas H. Benton, the
distinguished statesman and the father in law of Colonel Fremont, who
introduced him to the leading Citizens.
The first person to greet Carson when he stepped from the cars in
Washington was Mrs. Fremont, who recognized him from the description
given by her husband in his letters. She compelled him to accompany her
to the house of her father, where he remained an honored guest during
his stay in Washington, which was for a considerable time.
Among the compliments paid Carson while in the capital was that of his
appointment by President Polk, as lieutenant in the rifle corps of the
United States army, and he was ordered to return across the continent
with despatches. At Fort Leavenworth, Carson was furnished with an
escort of fifty men who were volunteers in the war against Mexico.
The journey westward was marked by no stirring incident until he reached
the eastern declivity of the Rocky Mountains, where a company of United
States Volunteers were overtaken. They had in charge an enormous train
of wagons on the way to New Mexico. On the morning after the encampment
of Carson near them, the Indians made an attack upon the volunteers,
capturing all their cattle and more than twenty horses. The mountaineer
and his men dashed to the rescue, recaptured all the cattle, but were
unable to retake the horses.
Shortly after, Carson and his company reached Santa Fe. There he parted
from the volunteers and hired sixteen others with which he continued the
journey, thereby obeying the instructions received at Fort Leavenworth.
Pursuing the even tenor of his way, he arrived at a tributary of the
Virgin River, when he abruptly came upon an encampment of several
hundred Comanches, who, as Carson happened to know, had massacred a
number of settlers only a short time before. Understanding as thoroughly
as he did the treacherous nature of these people, he made a bold front,
and, when they attempted to visit his camp, peremptorily ordered them to
keep away.
He added that he knew all about them, and the first one who moved closer
would be shot. Furthermore, if they did not depart, within a specified
time, he notified them that they would be fired upon. These were such
audacious words that the Comanches doubted their sincerity. To test it,
some of them overstayed their time. Not wishing to break his pledge,
Carson ordered his men to fire, One of the warriors fell, while several
others, who were badly wounded, came to the conclusion that when the
great mountaineer made a statement there was likely to be considerable
truth in it.
Food soon became so scarce that mule meat formed the only diet until
they reached Los Angeles. Carson pushed on to Monterey where he
delivered the despatches to the proper officer, and then returning to
Los Angeles he was assigned to duty in Captain Smith's Company of
United States dragoons. He was given command of twenty-five dragoons and
directed to proceed to Tajon Pass, through which marauding Indians were
accustomed to pass when returning from their raids in California. It
was an important point, and the winter of 1847-48 was spent in the
performance of the duties thus placed upon him. In the spring, he was
once more ordered to carry despatches to Washington, an escort being
furnished him as in the previous instance.
In crossing Grand River, one of the rafts became unmanageable, upset,
losing considerable valuable property and endangering the lives of a
number of the company. A large force of Utah and Apache Indians were
encountered, but Carson managed them with the same skill he had shown
them so many times before.
On arriving at Taos, he spent several days with his family and friends,
after which he proceeded to Santa Fe. There he learned that the United
States Senate had refused to confirm his nomination as lieutenant in
the army. Many of his friends were so angered over this slight that they
urged him to refuse to carry the despatches further; but his reply, as
given by Dr. Peters, is so admirable that we quote it:
"I was entrusted with these despatches, having been chosen in
California, from whence I come, as the most competent person to take
them through safely. I would try to fulfill this duty even if I knew it
would cost me my life. It matters not to me, while I am performing this
service for my country, whether I hold the rank of lieutenant in the
United States Army or am known merely as an experienced mountaineer. I
have gained some little honor and credit for the manner in which I
have always conducted myself when detailed on any special and important
business, and I would on no account now wish to forfeit the good opinion
formed of me by a majority of my countrymen because the United States
Senate did not deem it proper to confer on me an appointment which I
never solicited, and one which, had it been confirmed, I would have
resigned at the termination of the war."
Having determined to perform his duty, he made careful inquiries as to
the state of feeling among the Indians through whose country the trail
led. The reports were of the most alarming character: the Comanches were
on the war path with a vengeance. They were swarming all along the old
Santa Fe Trail, on the watch for parties whom they could overwhelm and
destroy.
Such being the case, Carson resorted to the bold artifice of making a
trail of his own. He reduced his escort to ten experienced mountaineers
and then struck out upon his new route. He rode northward from Taos
until within a region rarely visited by hostiles, when he changed his
course by the compass several times. By this means, he reached Fort
Kearney on the Platte and finally arrived at Fort Leavenworth. Not only
had he avoided all trouble with Indians, but by following the new route,
had found abundance of game so that the entire trip was but little more
than a pleasure excursion.
All danger was over at Fort Leavenworth, where he parted from his escort
and went alone to Washington. Previous to this, the war with Mexico
had ended, the treaty of peace having been signed February 2, 1848, and
proclaimed on the 4th of July following.
Carson tarried in Washington only long enough to deliver his despatches
to the proper authorities, when he turned about and made his way to
Taos, New Mexico, where he joined once more his family and friends.