Kit's Shopping List
Beaver or pack horse
Christopher 'Kit' Carson bridges the history of western development. This history plus the adventures he had make Kit one of the intrigueing characters of America.
Kit ran away as a boy for adventure, and he certainly found it. A mountain man, trapper and trader who knew Jim Bridger and Jed Smith, married an indian woman, became a scout leading Fremont to California and statehood. He was feted in the salons of Washington, at home sleeping on the ground, packing horses, chasing indians, an early settler in New Mexico where he entertained and gave jobs to the aging mountain men.
Kit learned the west first as a trapper in the Rockies. Trapping was a lucrative occupation (if you didn't spend your profits on gambling and whisky) where only the strong and able survived. Others died in the wilderness, were killed by Indians or returned quickly to civilization. Kit survived. He learned the skills of living in a hostile land, defending himself and his property, finding his way and leading his men.
It is his two trips of exploration that interests us here at the Bear Flag Republic for these trips brought American Civilization to California. On January 3, 1844 Fremont and Carson arrived by the American River. They had come to survey the overland route to California.
12/10/45 returns to survey south to ariz and nm
2/22/46 Fremont crosses pacheco pass and travels to Santa Cruz for coastal survey in violation of agreement with mexicans to stay east of ecr and avoid the settlements on the coast.
3/2 Fremont marches toward Monterey then turns east. General Castro hears Americans are marching on Monterey so he takes army north.
Fremont climbs Gavilan (Now Fremont) Peak build a simple fortification and raise american flag
Castro avoids confrontation but reinforcements are arriving.
3 days later Fremont strikes flag and returns to New Helvetica
4/17 Lt Gillespie arrives on USS Cyane with orders for Fremont. Fremont was near Oregon Border but returns and camps north of New Helvetica
New Mexico, Taos
Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America have use Kit's image at their New Mexico Philmont High Adventure Camp to capture some of this independence, skill and ability to lead.
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