Life of Kit Carson the Great Western Hunter and Guide

This 1869 illustrated biography by Charles Burdett presents Kit Carson's life from youth through his service with Colonel Frémont's western expeditions. The narrative traces Carson's journey from apprenticeship in Missouri through trapping and hunting in the Rocky Mountains, California, and Great Basin. Detailed chapters describe his work with beaver trappers, encounters with Indigenous peoples including Mohave, Digger, Blackfeet, and Crow nations, and operations at fur rendezvous and trading forts like Bent's Fort. The second half documents his role guiding Frémont's three exploring parties (1842-1854), including traversals of the Sierra Nevada during winter, participation in the 1846 California campaign against Mexican forces, and service with General Kearney. Later chapters cover Carson's work combating Apache and Comanche raids, settlement with Maxwell, and a trapping expedition. The text emphasizes Carson's skills as hunter, guide, and negotiator across diverse landscapes and among various Indigenous groups.