Kit Carson (1809-1868)
Christopher Houston Carson
American frontiersmanSo, in the last five minutes I 've learned more about Kit Carson than I've known all my life, and I guess I don't need to spend any more time on him right now.
By most accounts he was, in context, a temperate, honest gentleman. He had a storied career. The story wasn't 100% pretty….he married Arapaho and Cheyenne women in his younger years, but was involved in the infamous forced "Long Walk" of Navajo men, women and children in the 1860s that resulted in many deaths. He was a tireless explorer in the Northwest with John Fremont, he commanded a unit in the Civil War, he was a dime novel hero, he rose to the rank of brevet brigadier general…..he couldn't read or write, he retired to ranching in Colorado and died there, somewhat obscurely.
Wikipedia says his last words were "adios compadres"……..an unidentified source claims the fond wish that appears above were his last words….assuming there's some truth in both, I guess if you can think of your friends and a bowl of chili as you're nearing your final moments, you can go with a smile on your face…
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