60. An Expedition to the Adobe Walls with Kit Carson

It was at Cimarron also that they started off with Gidi (Kit Carson) after the enemy. There were Ute, Apache, soldiers, and Mexicans. Four different nations went with him after the enemy. They went down the Canadian River to HweLdibade (Mexican name?) where they found the enemy. There were many tipis there. At evening, when they were approaching the camp of the enemy, men were sent out to observe. There their camp was lying some way off. The party moved on until nearly day when they saw the campfires. The horsemen, leaving the others, rode forward. There were two camps of the enemy, one above the other. All the Apache rode together and commenced to fight. They drove them from the upper camp and pursued them to the lower camp where they fought with them. Taking away their horses they fought with them until night. Many of the soldiers were killed. One Apache was killed and one was wounded in the foot. A spent ball entered his foot but did not pass through it. Another Apache received an arrow under his arm through his clothing. Many of the enemy were killed and all their tents and goods were brought home on wagons. The enemy drove them away from their lower camp. They came back to Cimarron where they danced until they were tired. ¹

Footnotes

250:1 This account was given after an inquiry had been made of Casa Maria whether he went on the expedition. He said that he did not go but that his brother went. An extended account of this affair is given by Lieut. G. H. Pettis, "Kit Carson's Fight with the Comanche and Kiowa Indians at the Adobe Walls on the Canadian River, Nov. 25, 1864." See also, Mooney, (b), p. 314-17.