A Newer World: Kit Carson John C Fremont And The Claiming Of The American West [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

David Roberts, the author of A Newer World: Kit Carson, John C. Frémont, and the Claiming of the American West, traveled "virtually every step of their itineraries, by car and on foot" to deepen his understanding of four campaigns he selected to epitomize the two explorers' triumphs and failures. The four campaigns Roberts selected begin with the first Frémont expedition in 1842 with Kit Carson as his guide. Part Two of the book explores the roles played by Frémont and Carson in precipitating the conquest of California. In the third part, Roberts examines Frémont's disastrous fourth expedition in the San Juan Mountains without Carson serving as his guide. The forth and final segment of the book reveals the relationship between Carson and General Carleton during the Navajo conquest and confinement. Contrasts between the illiterate Carson and Frémont the West Point graduate, who in later years would be nominated by the Republican Party to run for president, are forever interesting. Carson saved Frémont's life repeatedly, but it was Frémont, with help from his articulate wife, who engineered Carson's rise to national celebrity status. In the forth segment of Robert's book titled The Long Walk, we learn General Carleton was the arch villain of the Apaches and Navajos-not Carson. Carleton selected the site for the Indian concentration camp-Bosque Redondo on the Pecos River- against the advice of his own inspection team. He underestimated the number of Indians that would be incarcerated, he woefully prepared the site to accommodate the captives, and he was wrong is his belief the nomadic tribes could become self-sufficient on such a small, barren site. Maybe Carleton planned it that way. After the Confederates were defeated in New Mexico during the early part of the Civil War, Carleton marched his regiment of California Volunteers eastward to Santa Fe. The victorious Union commander, Colonel Edward R.S. Canby was reassigned to an eastern command, and Carleton took over the command of the Union army in the Department of New Mexico. With no more Confederates to fight, Carleton turned his eye to the Apaches and Navajos. Roberts describes Carleton as extremely competent and aggressive, always driving himself and his men, a stickler for discipline, and one who could not admit an error or change his mind. He "had become obsessed with a psychopathic hatred of Apaches." With the 2350 men brought in from California itchy for further action, Carleton launched his campaign against the Southwestern Indians to give his soldiers something to do. While still assigned as the leader of the New Mexico Volunteers, Colonel Kit Carson was on his way to Fort Stanton when overtaken by a messenger sent from Carleton. Not fully literate in reading the English language, Carson asked one of his troopers to read the message. It read, All Indian men of that tribe are to be killed whenever and wherever you can find them: the women and children will not be harmed, but you will take them prisoners and feed them at Fort Stanton until you receive other instructions about them. If the Indians send in a flag and desire to treat for peace, say to the bearer...that you have been sent to punish them for their treachery and their crimes: That you have no power to make peace; that you are there to kill them wherever you can find them.... I trust that this severity in the long run will be the most humane course that could be pursued toward these Indians. Carson believed in following orders as faithfully as the next soldier, but he could not bring himself to carry out the letter of Carleton's genocidal imperative. In February of 1863, Carson dictated a letter of resignation, but Carleton refused to accept it. There was only one man, Carleton insisted, capable of carrying out the next phase of his grand scheme. Carson had the same orders to kill on sight when he marched into Canyon de Chelly in the conquest of the Navajos. And again he ignored Carleton's instructions. Roberts suggests any other officer in Carleton's command would have been charged with insubordination. Kit Carson, idolized by millions, fictionalized in the Western novels, befriended by governors, congressmen, senators, and presidents, was too large of an icon for General Carleton. David Roberts is the author of twelve books including two that are of special interest for aficionados of historic Southwest cultures- In Search of the Old Ones: Exploring the Anasazi World of the Southwest; and Once They Moved Like the Wind: Cochise, Gerónimo, and the Apache Wars. o

Reviewed by Don Edward Clay, Editor of the Four Corners Pathfinder