Essay Undergraduate 1,463 words

Kit Carson: Mountain Man, Guide, and the Navajo Wars

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Abstract

This paper traces the life of Christopher "Kit" Carson (1809–1868), examining his transformation from Missouri apprentice to legendary Western figure. It covers his early years as a fur trapper and caravan wrangler, his partnership with John C. Frémont that turned him into a national icon of Manifest Destiny, and his military service during the Civil War era. The paper pays particular attention to Carson's campaign against the Navajo Nation — his strategy of destroying crops and livestock, the forced Long Walk to a distant reservation, and the suffering that followed. It concludes by weighing Carson's celebrated role in Western expansion against his deeply problematic legacy toward Native Americans.

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What makes this paper effective

The paper balances biographical narrative with critical historical analysis, presenting Carson as neither a simple hero nor a villain but as a complex product of his era.
It uses primary source material — including Carson's own autobiography and an actual military order from General Carleton — to ground its claims in period evidence.
The transition from Carson's early admiration for Native Americans (including two Native wives) to his role in destroying the Navajo way of life creates a compelling internal tension that drives the argument forward.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper demonstrates effective use of contextual framing: each stage of Carson's life is situated within a larger historical movement (Manifest Destiny, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, the Indian Wars), showing how individual biography intersects with national history. The inclusion of General Order No. 15 as a block quotation is a strong archival move that shifts responsibility beyond Carson alone.

Structure breakdown

The essay opens with a brief orienting introduction, then proceeds chronologically through Carson's life. The middle sections handle the Frémont partnership and the Navajo campaign as the paper's analytical core. The conclusion steps back to offer a retrospective moral judgment — acknowledging Carson's historical significance while refusing to excuse the harm he caused. This chronological-then-evaluative structure is well-suited to biographical historical essays.

Introduction: A Mythic Figure of the American West

Christopher "Kit" Carson, born in 1809 and died in 1868, has become an almost mythic character in American history. He started out as an apprentice to a saddle-maker but made his way to the West, where he became a fur trapper and guide. He initially enjoyed good relationships with Native Americans and married Native American women twice during his life. He eventually became an officer in the Civil War and played a major role in the U.S. government's conflict with the Navajo Nation, ultimately forcing them off their ancestral lands.

Early Life and Frontier Beginnings

Carson's family moved to Boone's Lick, Missouri, when he was about one year old (Carson, p. 3). He described the area as still prone to attacks from Native Americans at that time, with guards posted around the village and around the fields when men worked them. Kit's father died when he was nine, forcing him to work and leaving him without any formal education. He was apprenticed to a saddle-maker at age fourteen but did not care for the trade (Carson, p. 7), and he traveled west to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1826 (PBS, 2001).

Fur Trapper, Wrangler, and Western Explorer

Carson traveled widely throughout the West, from the Southwest regions of Arizona, New Mexico, and the Grand Canyon to the northernmost points of what is now the state of Washington (Carson, p. 45). He wanted to be a trapper but admitted that he was "too small to set a trap" (Sabin, p. 32). He also lacked the necessary equipment and clothing to work as a trapper (Sabin, p. 33), so he began working as a wrangler — an animal handler — on caravans traveling back and forth between St. Louis and Taos, New Mexico. He faced multiple perils on these trips, including tornadoes, floods, and attacks from Native American tribes. Interestingly, while he did not form a prejudice against Native Americans, he did develop one against the Spanish, stating: "The Mexicans are rascals; we hate them and will kill them all" (Sabin, p. 38).

Eventually Carson did become a fur trapper. Using Taos as his base, he traveled widely again, including as far west as California (PBS, 2001). He also trapped extensively throughout the Rocky Mountains and was employed as a hunter at Bent's Fort by William Bent (PBS, 2001). Through all of these experiences, Carson learned a great deal about Native Americans and got along with them well. In fact, his first two wives were Native American — one Arapaho and one Cheyenne (PBS, 2001).

Both during and after Carson's life, astounding stories were told about his bravery, great strength, and heroic deeds, but Carson himself did not appear prone to bragging. In his autobiography he describes an encounter with two grizzly bears that forced him up a tree. He could have embellished the story, but instead reported how terrified he was as he huddled in the top of an aspen while one bear attempted to uproot the tree. His account contained no self-aggrandizement (Carson, pp. 37–38).

3 Locked Sections · 690 words remaining

John C. Frémont and the Making of a Legend · 185 words

"Frémont partnership, Manifest Destiny, national icon"

The Navajo Campaign and the Long Walk · 360 words

"Military campaign, crop destruction, forced march"

Legacy: Hero, Colonizer, and Product of His Times · 145 words

"Death, contested legacy, historical reassessment"

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Key Concepts in This Paper

Kit Carson Manifest Destiny Navajo Long Walk Fur Trade Frontier Guide John C. Frémont Indian Wars Western Expansion Bear Flag Rebellion Dinetah