Famous Men of the Santa Fe Trail

By Colonel Henry Inman, 1897

The saga of the Old Santa Fe Trail is inextricably linked to the lives and daring deeds of several remarkable men. Their exploits and acts of bravery form a significant portion of the narrative of this historic highway. Having known many of these individuals intimately for over three decades spent traversing the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, I offer a glimpse into their extraordinary lives.

The Famous Men of the Santa Fe Trail were figures whose lives became intertwined with the very fabric of this vital trade route. Their stories, filled with courage, resilience, and adventure, paint a vivid picture of life on the American frontier.

Kit Carson

Christopher, or Kit, Carson, as he is universally known, stands as a towering figure among celebrated frontiersmen, trappers, scouts, guides, and Indian fighters. My personal acquaintance with him spanned many years until his death in 1868, but I shall focus on the events of his remarkable career directly connected to the Santa Fe Trail and its immediate surroundings. In 1826, a caravan of Santa Fe traders passed near his father’s home in Howard County, Missouri. The young Kit, just 17 years old at the time, joined the caravan as a hunter, already possessing expertise with a rifle. This marked the beginning of his life of adventure on the Great Plains and in the Rocky Mountains.

Carson’s initial display of the nerve and composure that would define his life occurred during this maiden voyage across the plains. Near the great bend of the Arkansas River, a teamster carelessly pulled his rifle by the barrel, causing it to discharge and send a bullet shattering the bones in his arm. The profuse bleeding nearly cost him his life before it could be stemmed. Despite the injury, the caravan continued its journey. However, within a few days, the wound showed signs of gangrene, and amputation became the only option for survival. All the older men in the caravan refused to attempt the operation due to the lack of instruments. At this critical moment, Kit, recognizing the urgency, volunteered to perform the surgery. He admitted his lack of experience but offered to take the chance since no one else would. Using a razor, a saw, and the kingbolt of a wagon as his tools, Kit cut the flesh, sawed through the bone, and cauterized the wound with the white-hot kingbolt to stop the bleeding. The operation was a resounding success, and the man lived for many years afterward, joining his "surgeon" on numerous expeditions.

In the early days of prairie commerce, Kit Carson served as the hunter at Bent’s Fort in Colorado for eight years. The fort employed about 40 men, and while game was plentiful in the mountains, his task was relatively easy. However, when game became scarce, his skills were stretched to their limit to feed the hungry mouths. During this time, he became such an accurate shot with the rifle that he earned the title "Nestor of the Rocky Mountains." His preferred quarry was the buffalo, but he also killed countless other animals.

All the Plains Tribes, as well as the powerful Ute of the mountains, knew him well. He frequently visited their camps, sat in their lodges, smoked the pipe, and played with their children. The Indians both feared and respected him, often seeking his wise counsel.

A particular instance showcases his influence. The Sioux, a large and warlike tribe, had encroached on the hunting grounds of the southern Indians, leading to skirmishes along the Arkansas River. Carson was sent to mediate and persuade the Sioux to withdraw. Instead of encouraging the Comanche and Arapaho to fight, Carson convinced them to negotiate. He was sent as a mediator and accomplished his mission, resulting in the Sioux agreeing to leave the Comanche hunting grounds after the buffalo season, thus averting further conflict.

After further adventures in California with General John C. Fremont, Carson and his close friend, Lucien B. Maxwell, ventured into wool-raising. Soon after establishing their ranch, the Apache launched a series of raids through northern New Mexico, killing women and children, stealing livestock, and laying waste to ranches. Not far from Santa Fe, they brutally murdered a Mr. White and his son, though the brave men managed to kill three attackers before being overwhelmed. The Apache then abducted the women and children of the desolated home, taking them to their mountain stronghold near Las Vegas, New Mexico. News of the outrage spread quickly, and the settlers called upon Carson to lead a posse to punish the Indians and rescue the captives. However, for reasons unknown, a Frenchman was placed in charge instead. Carson, without complaint, accepted his subordinate role and prepared to do his part.

The posse set out on the trail of the murderers, riding day and night. Carson feared they would only find the mutilated bodies of the captives. Days later, they discovered the Indians’ retreat in the mountains, fortified in a way that would allow them to resist a force ten times their number. Without hesitation, Carson charged forward, expecting the men to follow. However, they remained frozen in awe of his bravery. He realized his predicament only when he was so far ahead that escape seemed impossible. His legendary coolness saved him. As the Indians turned on him, he threw himself on the offside of his horse, an Indian trick he had mastered, and rode back to the command with six arrows in his horse and a bullet hole in his coat!

The Indians, poorly armed, did not pursue him. Carson, furious at the apathy of the men who had summoned him, urged them to fulfill their duty. His words had the desired effect, and they charged gallantly, scattering the Indians, who fled after a brief defense. Five Indians were killed, but the captives were found murdered, just as Carson had feared.

President Polk commissioned Carson as a second lieutenant. His first assignment was to lead 50 soldiers through Comanche territory, which was then at war with the whites. A fight ensued at Point of Rocks, where Carson found a company of volunteers for the Mexican-American War. At dawn, a band of Indians captured all the volunteers’ animals while they were being herded to the river bottom to graze. The herders ran into Carson’s camp, and he and his men recaptured the oxen, but the Indians drove off the horses.

Several Indians were mortally wounded, but the wounded were carried off on their ponies, as was their custom. Carson, who was never surprised, was always equal to the Comanche tactics.

One of the two soldiers on guard that morning was found asleep. Carson immediately applied the Indian method of punishment, forcing the man to wear a woman’s dress for the day. He then arrived in Santa Fe and handed over his command.

While there, he learned of a conspiracy by a group of desperadoes to murder and rob two wealthy citizens traveling over the Santa Fe Trail. Carson hired 16 men and set out to intercept them. Taking a shortcut through the mountains, he avoided the Indians who were on the warpath. He encountered a camp of United States recruits en route to military posts in New Mexico, whose commander offered to accompany him with 20 men. Carson accepted the offer and soon overtook the caravan of traders. He immediately placed Fox, the leader of the gang, in irons and informed the owners of the caravan of the plot they had narrowly escaped. The traders, initially astonished, admitted that they had noticed suspicious behavior.

The other conspirators, 35 in number, were driven out of camp, except for Fox, whom Carson conveyed to Taos, New Mexico. He was imprisoned but eventually released due to lack of provable evidence.

The traders profusely thanked Carson for his timely intervention but he refused any payment. Upon their return to Santa Fe from St. Louis, Missouri, they presented him with a magnificent pair of pistols, the silver mounting commemorating his bravery and their gratitude.

The following summer was spent on a visit to St. Louis. Early in the fall, he returned over the Trail, arriving at the Cheyenne village on the Upper Arkansas River without incident. There, he learned that the Indians had been insulted by a U.S. Army officer who had whipped one of their chiefs. The entire tribe was enraged and seeking revenge on the whites. Carson, the first white man to approach the village since the insult, deliberately entered the war council, ordering his men to stay close and guard against surprise.

The Indians, believing he did not understand their language, discussed their plans to capture and kill the caravan, especially the leader. Carson then rose and addressed the council in the Cheyenne language, identifying himself, reminding them of his past kindness, and offering assistance. However, he also asserted his right to defend his own life.

The Indians departed, but hundreds remained in sight on the sandhills. Carson knew he was at their mercy, but his coolness kept his men calm. Despite having only two or three men he could truly rely on, Carson took measures to protect the train.

The wagons were corralled for the night, and the men and mules were brought inside the circle. The grass was cut and fed to the animals instead of being picketed out, and a large guard was detailed. After the camp settled down, Carson, accompanied by a Mexican boy, explained the danger and sent him alone to Rayado, New Mexico, nearly 300 miles away, to request an escort of U.S. troops. The boy, a trusted messenger, set off with a few rations of food.

Carson returned to camp to watch all night. At daybreak, the train continued on the Santa Fe Trail. Five warriors approached near noon. Carson ordered them to halt and explained that he had sent a messenger to Rayado to inform the troops of their tribe’s harassment. The Indians replied that they would look for the moccasin tracks. The whole village then moved away towards the hills, seeking safety from the expected attack by the troops.

The young Mexican overtook the detachment of soldiers whose officer had caused the trouble with the Indians, but he failed to gain any sympathy. He continued to Rayado and secured assistance from the garrison. Major Grier dispatched a troop that met Carson 25 miles below Bent’s Fort. Although they encountered no Indians, the rapid response impressed the Indians with the government’s power.

In the spring of 1865, Carson was ordered to stop the depredations of Comanche raiding parties on caravans and emigrant trains along the Santa Fe Trail. He left Fort Union to establish a fortified camp at Cedar Bluffs to provide refuge for freight trains on that dangerous part of the Trail. Carson planned an expedition to punish the Indians and found an opportunity near the adobe fort on the Canadian River. His force consisted of the First Regiment of New Mexican Volunteer Cavalry and 75 friendly Indians, totaling 14 officers and 396 enlisted men. With these, he attacked the Kiowa village, consisting of about 150 lodges. The fight was severe and lasted from morning until sundown. The Indians made repeated stands against Carson’s cavalrymen but were ultimately forced to retreat, suffering a loss of about 60 killed and wounded. The command destroyed 150 lodges, a large amount of dried meat, berries, buffalo robes, cooking utensils, and a buggy and spring wagon belonging to the Kiowa chief, Sierrito.

In his official account, Carson noted that ammunition found in the village had likely been provided by unscrupulous Mexican traders.

Carson once recounted that Indian tactics only deceived him once in his life. In 1835, while hunting buffalo with six others, they were surprised one night by a band of Sioux. The Indians attacked their camp, killing one man and stealing their mules.

Carson’s character was marked by noble qualities. He was brave but not reckless, altruistic, and loyal. Despite his slight stature, he possessed nerves of steel and an indomitable will. He was cautious but displayed exceptional coolness in moments of extreme danger.

While visiting Fort Lyon, Colorado, in May 1868, he died suddenly from a ruptured artery in his neck while mounting his horse.

After a period at Fort Lyon, his remains were taken to Taos, his home in New Mexico, where a monument was erected. His name also appears on a cenotaph in the Plaza at Santa Fe, commemorating the service of the soldiers of the Territory. His rifle, used for more than 35 years, was bequeathed to Montezuma Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Santa Fe, of which he was a member. The stories of Famous Men of the Santa Fe Trail often involve encounters with Native American tribes and acts of bravery.

James Bridger

James Bridger, "Major Bridger," or "Old Jim Bridger," was another famous pioneer frontiersman. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1807, he joined a trapping expedition under James Ashley at a young age and journeyed to the far West. He became a comrade of Kit Carson and the foremost mountaineer the United States has produced.

Lacking formal education, Bridger was illiterate and unfamiliar with social conventions, but he possessed a generous heart, honesty, and trustworthiness.

He is credited with discovering Bridger’s Pass in Wyoming, a vital defile through the Rocky Mountains. He served as a guide and scout for the government during the preliminary surveys for a transcontinental railroad and was the first white man to see the Great Salt Lake of Utah in the winter of 1824-25.

After many adventures and encounters with Indians, in 1856, he purchased a farm near Westport, Missouri [Kansas City]. He returned to the mountains, only to come back worn-out and blind, and was buried there without a marker.

In the early 1860s, while engineers of the proposed Union Pacific Railroad were in Denver, Colorado, they sought Bridger’s expertise to determine the most practical route through the mountains. Bridger, then visiting St. Louis, Missouri, was summoned to Denver. He drew a rough outline map, pointing to a peak on the horizon, and declared that the railroad could cross there with the least amount of digging and cutting. The map is said to be preserved in the railroad corporation’s archives.

The resemblance of John Simpson Smith to President Andrew Johnson was striking. When Johnson arrived in St. Louis during his "swinging around the circle" tour, Jim Bridger, who happened to be there, was shown the president. However, Bridger dismissed the suggestion, insisting it was John Smith.

Many years earlier, during Bridger’s first visit to St. Louis, a friend found him sitting on a dry goods box, looking disgusted. When asked what he was doing, Bridger replied that he had been sitting in that "infernal canon" all morning, waiting for someone to invite him for a drink.

Bridger had a vast repertoire of stories, which he had repeated so often that he believed them to be true.

General Gatlin, who commanded Fort Gibson in the Cherokee Nation, recalled Bridger and once asked him if he had ever been in the Great Canyon of the Colorado River. Bridger claimed to have been there many times, stating that oranges and lemons grew there and that the moon was always full.

He also claimed that in the winter of 1830, it snowed for 70 days in the valley of the Great Salt Lake, covering the country to a depth of 70 feet and killing all the buffalo, which were perfectly preserved in the snow.

Bridger had served as the guide, interpreter, and companion of the Irish sportsman Sir George Gore, who spent over two years hunting in the Rocky Mountains in 1855. Gore’s expedition included about fifty individuals, thirty wagons, numerous saddle horses, and dogs. During his hunt, he killed forty grizzly bears, 2,500 buffalo, and many other animals.

Bridger described Sir George as a bold, dashing, and successful hunter. Sir George enjoyed reading Shakespeare, which Bridger considered too "highfalutin," and thought that Shakespeare’s Falstaff drank too much lager beer.

Bridger was fascinated by the adventures of Baron Munchausen but thought he was a "darned liar," though he acknowledged that some of his own adventures among the Blackfeet would be equally marvelous if written down in a book. The Famous Men of the Santa Fe Trail often possessed unique skills and knowledge of the terrain.

Belzy Dodd, another memorable figure, was known for his bald head and wig. One day at Bent’s Fort, he gave a series of war whoops and pulled off his wig, throwing it at the feet of the astonished Indians. The Indians, thinking he had scalped himself, fled in terror.

Jim Baker

Jim Baker was another notable mountaineer and hunter contemporary to Kit Carson. Born in Illinois, he joined the American Fur Company at 18 and spent the rest of his life in the Rocky Mountains. He married a woman from the Snake tribe and adopted many of their customs and beliefs. Although he sometimes drank too much, he was generous and noble-hearted, willing to risk his life for a friend.

Like many mountaineers, Baker was liberal and improvident. He would earn a fortune but squander it during the annual rendezvous at Bent’s Fort or the old Pueblo.

He told General Marcy that he had once accumulated $9,000 from the sale of furs and intended to retire to a farm. However, he was persuaded to visit a monte-bank, lost all his money, and returned to the mountains.

Baker had strong opinions about the wild Indians of the Great Plains and the mountains, considering them untrustworthy. He believed the only way to make peace with them was to invite them to a feast and then kill half of them, ensuring the other half would agree to lasting terms.

He was fond of his Indian wife and children and treated them kindly except when he was drunk.

Once, he visited New Mexico and tried to adopt civilized clothing. However, he found the store-bought boots too uncomfortable and quickly returned to his moccasins.

Baker was a renowned bear hunter. He once recounted a story of attacking two young grizzly bears with only his knife.

He established a small store at the crossing of Green River. However, a Frenchman opened a rival establishment, leading to bitter hostility. General Marcy arrived to find Baker drunk and armed, threatening to kill the Frenchman.

James P. Beckwourth

James P. Beckwourth, another prominent figure along the Santa Fe Trail, became the head chief of the Crow tribe. While some, like historian Francis Parkman, described him negatively, others, including Kit Carson and Colonel Boone, regarded him as honest and trustworthy.

Beckwourth was a natural leader, known from the Yellowstone to the Rio Grande and from Santa Fe to Independence. He ran away from St. Louis as a boy with a party of trappers and became a successful member of that group. His mother was African, and his father was French.

Beckwourth was of medium height with great strength, intelligence, and courage. He always wore a perforated bullet around his neck as an amulet.

He was a successful trader among the Indians, knowing what would appeal to them. However, he condemned the practice of trading whiskey for Indian property, calling it an "infernal practice."

Beckwourth claimed to have established the Pueblo, where the city of Pueblo, Colorado, is now located.

Uncle Dick Wootton

After Kit Carson, Richens Lacy Wootton, known as "Dick" in his youth and later as "Uncle Dick," deserves recognition for his bravery and skill as an Indian fighter and trapper. Like Carson, he grew tired of farming and journeyed to Independence, Missouri, where he joined a caravan heading to Bent’s Fort.

Wootton was better educated than his companions. On his first trip across the plains at age 19, he was familiar with a rifle.

During his first night on guard, he shot and killed "Old Jack," a mule that had strayed outside the lines.

At Pawnee Fork, the caravan was attacked by 200 Comanche Indians. Although the attack was unexpected, the teamsters defended the caravan and prevented a stampede of the animals.

Wootton spent time at Bent’s Fort, where he learned the art of trading with the Indians. He was involved in several skirmishes with Pawnee Indians.

The Raton Pass, a natural highway to southeastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico, was difficult to traverse. Wootton undertook to build a toll road through the pass. He obtained charters from the legislatures of Colorado and New Mexico.

In the spring of 1866, he built his home on top of the mountains and lived there until his death in 1893. After completing the road, he faced the challenge of collecting tolls.

He encountered difficulties with Mexican patrons, who were unaccustomed to paying for road travel.

Soon after the road opened, a company of Californians and Mexicans, commanded by Captain Haley, passed through Uncle Dick’s toll gate. Three soldiers brutally murdered a non-commissioned officer, and Uncle Dick narrowly avoided being a witness.

During 1866-67, Indians attacked the Santa Fe Trail, requiring government freight caravans and stages to be escorted by troops.

Besides the threat of Indians, stagecoaches faced road agents who robbed passengers and the express company’s strongbox.

When coaches began to travel over Uncle Dick’s toll road, his house became a station, and he had many stories to tell.

One daring stage robbery was committed by two men who stopped the eastbound coach in broad daylight.

Among the Arapaho, Wootton was known as "Cut Hand" because he had lost two fingers in childhood. The Famous Men of the Santa Fe Trail often had nicknames or were known by titles that reflected their personalities or experiences.

Bill Williams

Old Bill Williams was another prominent figure on the early Santa Fe Trail, known as a hunter and trapper. He was well-acquainted with the passes of the Rockies, surpassed only by Jim Bridger. He accompanied General John C. Fremont on his exploring expedition, but the accounts of his service vary. Fremont acknowledged Williams’s knowledge of the country, but the expedition nearly ended in disaster.

Williams had previously been a Methodist preacher. He traveled extensively among the Indian tribes, adopting their customs. He was useful to missionaries, possessing a knack for learning languages and translating the Bible into Indian dialects.

The native Mexicans considered him an enigma. Once, he became involved in a dispute with customers and, in disgust, tossed his goods into the street and left for the mountains.

Williams believed in the Indian belief in souls’ transmigration and worried about the animal he would become in the afterlife.

Tom Tobin

Tom Tobin, one of the last of the famous trappers, hunters, and Indian fighters, flourished when the Rocky Mountains were largely unknown.

Tobin was an Irishman, quick-tempered and skilled with weapons. He played a key role in avenging the deaths of Americans killed in the Taos Massacre.

His greatest achievement was killing the notorious bandit Espinosa, who terrorized the mountain region.

In 1864, after nearly ten years of outlawry, Espinosa was tracked and killed by Tobin.

James Hobbs

James Hobbs had a more varied life than many of his contemporaries. He was a prisoner among the Indians, a soldier in the Mexican War, an officer in the revolt against Maximilian, an Indian fighter, a miner, a trapper, a trader, and a hunter.

Hobbs was born in the Shawnee Nation and became familiar with firearms at a young age.

In 1835, at 16, he joined a fur-trading expedition.

Hobbs was captured by Comanche Indians after straying from the group. He lived with them for four years, becoming a chief and fighting in battles. He was eventually redeemed by Charles Bent.

After the Mexican War, Hobbs engaged in mining, fought Apache Indians, and participated in the revolt against Maximilian in Mexico.

William F. Cody

William F. Cody, "Buffalo Bill," was one of the famous plainsmen of later days. He worked as a guide and scout in an expedition against the Kiowa and Comanche, traveling along the Santa Fe Trail.

One morning, while escorting General Hazen to Fort Zarah, Cody was jumped by forty Indians.

The Indians seized his weapons and struck him on the head.

Cody told the Indians that he had been searching for cattle for them.

The Famous Men of the Santa Fe Trail were skilled survivalists, adept at negotiating with Native American tribes and navigating the unforgiving terrain of the American frontier.