St. Louis, a stout
boy with a revolver, Life of Kit Carson by Dr. Peters, United States
Army, about $40 in money, and a letter from Boggs, saying that in
compliance with the request of Kit Carson, on his death bed, he had sent
William Carson to me. Allowing him a few days of vacation with my own
children, I sent him to the college at South Bend, Ind., with a letter
of explanation, and making myself responsible for his expenses. He was
regularly entered in one of the classes, and reported to me regularly. I
found the 'Scholarship' amounted to what is known as 'tuition,' but
for three years I paid all his expenses of board, clothing, books, &c.,
amounting to about $300 a year. At the end of that time, the Priest
reported to me that Carson was a good natured boy, willing enough,
but that he had no taste or appetite for learning. His letters to
me confirmed this conclusion, as he could not possibly spell. After
reflection, I concluded to send him to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to the
care of General Langdon C. Easton, United States Quartermaster, with
instructions to employ him in some capacity in which he could earn his
board and clothing, and to get some officer of the garrison to teach him
just what was necessary for a Lieutenant of Cavalry. Lieutenant Beard,
adjutant of the Fifth Infantry did this. He (William Carson) was
employed, as a 'Messenger,' and, as he approached his twenty-first year,
under the tuition of Lieutenant Beard, he made good progress. Meantime
I was promoted to General in Chief at Washington, and about 1870, when
Carson had become twenty-one years of age, I applied in person to the
President, General Grant, to give the son of Kit Carson, the appointment
of Second Lieutenant Ninth United States Cavalry, telling him somewhat
of the foregoing details. General Grant promptly ordered the appointment
to issue, subject to the examination as to educational qualifications,
required by the law. The usual board of officers was appointed at Fort
Leavenworth and Carson was ordered before it. After careful examination,
the board found him deficient in reading, writing and arithmetic. Of
course he could not be commissioned. I had given him four years of
my guardianship, about $1,000 of my own money, and the benefit of my
influence, all in vain. By nature, he was not adapted to 'modern uses.'
I accordingly wrote him that I had exhausted my ability to provide for
him, and advised him to return to his uncle Boggs on the