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Kit Carson's Autobiography
by
Kit Carson
"Notice is hereby given to all persons, that Christopher Carson, a boy about 16 years old, small of his age, but thick-set; light hair, ran away from the subscriber, living in Franklin, Howard County, Missouri, to whom he had been bound to learn the saddler's trade. . . . One cent reward will be given to any person who will bring back the said boy.'
This notice appeared in ...more
This notice appeared in ...more
Paperback
,
192 pages
Published
March 1st 1966
by Bison Books
(first published January 1st 1935)
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Community Reviews
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It's always a joy to read a primary source, even if (like this book) it has shortcomings. When Kit Carson dictated (he was illiterate) this small volume in 1856, much of his fame and career was behind him. He tells his story in simple, undramatic prose. Footnotes amplify many references to more fully inform the reader.
The interested reader will need a good map and/or knowledge of western topography and nineteenth century places names. Carson ranged all over the old west. That some of his feats-- ...more
The interested reader will need a good map and/or knowledge of western topography and nineteenth century places names. Carson ranged all over the old west. That some of his feats-- ...more
A brief recounting of his adventures. More like thumbnails with footnotes. Gives me the desire to read a more exhaustive study.
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A curt brief description, as told to a friend, of Kit Carson’s many trips mainly in the southwest as trapper, guide, courier, fighter of battles (mainly against Indians) in conjunction with the military including war with Mexico finally being assigned as an Indian Agent by the government. Although Carson’s descriptions were very brief, there are some very good footnoted explanations or comments by the editor. One of the best is when the U.S. Senate would not confirm Carson’s appointment as a lie
...more
Kit Carson writes a valuable, just the facts, highlight summary of his early career that leads to his becoming an Indian Agent. A fun highlight, for example, is when he decides he has to fight a big French bully who beats up three guys a day. And that kind of fight includes bringing your gun of choice.
Not a romantic, he can't spare two words for his beautiful Arapaho wife, Singing Grass, or for his high born Mexican wife.
The vicious circle goes like this: Indians raid white camps stealing ho ...more
Not a romantic, he can't spare two words for his beautiful Arapaho wife, Singing Grass, or for his high born Mexican wife.
The vicious circle goes like this: Indians raid white camps stealing ho ...more
Interesting to see how he lived as an explorer, trapper Indian fighter and guide. Gave me an understanding of that period of history in settling our country. We have toured his simple adobe home in Taos where is lived with his Mexican wife so it was fun to picture it. He was illiterate and dictated his life story to a friend who corrected the dates in footnotes. He probably didn't have a calender either.
Footnotes were kind of distracting at times & the storytelling kind of dry. However, interesting from a historical perspective, since there's no revisionism going on here. Didn't know that whites did scalping as well as the Indians!
Not too bad. I want to read Blood and Thunder and a few others to round out the whole story.
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