Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-04-10

count of their great disparity Of num-
bers. but that IL he would go with
them on the warpath they felt as
sured they could overcome their enc
mics. Carson, however, instead OF en-
couraging the Comanches and Arapa-
hoes to fight, induced them to nego-
tiate with the Sioux He was sent
as mediator and SO successfully did
he accomplish his mission that the in.
truding tribe consented to leave the
hunting grounds OF the Comanches as
soon as the buffalo season was over,
which they did. and there was no more
trouble.
Z In the adobe dwelling house at Old
Fort Lyon, where Kit Carson died
now part of the United States Naval
hospital near Las Animas-Luke Ca
hill, the only person now living who
saw the great frontiersman die, told
the story Of his death. 1T was on
May 20, 1865, ~ said Cahill, that Gen.
Carson died here. His head rested
near this window and he had been
looking out through the window at the
world outside. He seemed to want
to get out of doors. " He had been Ill
across the; Arkansas river, where he
had been living for a time. AS he grew
steadily worse the fort physician, DR..
Tilton, and others of his friends had
persuaded him to permit himself to
be brought to the fort for medical
treatment and hospital attendance. He
had come very reluctantly. All was
done for him that could bA done, but
It was no use. He grew steadily worse.
There was a smile on his face as. with
his hand in my hand, he looked out
OF the window 1T the glowing sunshine
and died. When he died the last
page OF the last chapter Of the heroic
days OF the! Old Trail was finished.
He was the great man Of the trail.''
The most memorable military expe-
'dition up the Old Trail--indeed, the
most marvellous military expedition in
the memory of the United states-wa
that led by Col. Alexander w. Doni-
phan, IN 1876 The thousand Mis-
,sourians.: under Col. Doniphan's com
mand formed part Of the Army OF the
West, under Gen. Stephen w. Rear.
ney, which left Fort Leavenworth
June s26, 1916. over the Old Trail for
Santa Fe. This body OF men," wrote
William Cullen Bryant. conquered the
states Of New Mexico, and Chihuahua
and traversed Durango and New Leon.
On this march they travelled moro
than 5000 miles, consuming Il
months During TALL this time not one
word Of information reached them
from the government. nor any order
whatsoever; they neither received
any supplies Of any kind nor one cent
OF pay. They lived exclusively on
the country through which they pass
ed and supplied themselves, with pow
der and ball by capturing them from
the enemy. From Chihuahua to Mata.
imoras,a distance OF 900 miles, they
marched In As days, bringing with
them II pieces Of heavy artillery as
trophies" It was this expedition,
which decided that New Mexico and
Arizona should become states Of the
American union.
Is Richens Lacy Wooton, Uncle Dick ;
Wootton, as all trail travellers knew
him. deserves high place in any &C
count Of the historic personages OF
the trail. Col. Richard Owenby has
restored near Trinidad the old Woot-
ton toll house where the frontiersman,
having built "a road over Ration noun
tain, levied tribute upon all who trav.
eled thereupon.
The Trail attracted the young man.
Kit Carson went west upon the Trail
at the age Of 17,years; Doniphan and
his soldiers wer mere youths. Wootton
was but 18 years OF age when he "hit
the TRAIL" and James Bridger, the
foremost mountatneer, was only ,16
years old when. under the leadership
Of William H. Ashley, the fur mer-
chant, he went out on the Trail. The
early age at which the frontiersmen,
left home for the wilds Of the west