rs, as I learned, was to torture the squaw and her
children to death. Before the arrangements were completed, Kit Carson
rode to the spot and dismounted. He had a brief, earnest talk with
the warriors. He did not mean to permit the cruel death that was
contemplated, but instead of demanding the surrender of the captives, he
ransomed them all, paying ten dollars a piece. After they were given up,
he made sure that they were returned to their tribe in the mountains."

This anecdote may serve as an illustration of scores of similar duties
in which the agent was engaged. It was during the same year that Carson
received an injury which was the cause of his death. He was descending a
mountain, so steep that he led his horse by a lariat, intending, if the
animal fell, to let go of it in time to prevent being injured. The steed
did fall and though Carson threw the lariat from him, he was caught by
it, dragged some distance and severely injured.

When the late Civil War broke out and most of our troops were withdrawn
from the mountains and plains, Carson applied to President Lincoln for
permission to raise a regiment of volunteers in New Mexico, for the
purpose of protecting our settlements there. Permission was given, the
regiment raised and the famous mountaineer did good service with his
soldiers. On one occasion he took 9,000 Navajo prisoners with less than
600 men.

At the close of the war, he was ordered to Fort Garland, where he
assumed command of a large region. He was Brevet Brigadier General and
retained command of a battalion of New Mexico volunteers.

Carson did not suffer immediately from his injury, but he found in time
that a grave internal disturbance had been caused by his fall. In the
spring of 1868, he accompanied a party of Ute Indians to Washington. He
was then failing fast and consulted a number of leading physicians and
surgeons. His disease was aneurism of the aorta which progressed fast.
When his end was nigh, his wife suddenly died, leaving seven children,
the youngest only a few weeks old. His affliction had a very depressing
effect on Carson, who expired May 23, 1868.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Letter from General W. T. Sherman, and from General J. F. Rusling.

In closing the life of Kit Carson, it will be appropriate to add two
letters, which were furnished at our request:

912 GARRISON AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO., JUNE 25, 1884.

"Kit Carson first came into public notice by Fremont's Reports of