A few years since, the writer of this work first met Christopher
Carson. It needed neither a second introduction, nor the assistance of
a friendly panegyric, to enable him to discover in Christopher Carson
those traits of manhood, which are esteemed by the great and good to
be distinguishing ornaments of character. This acquaintance ripened
into a friendship of the purest stamp. Since then, the writer has been
the intimate friend and, companion of Christopher Carson, at his home,
in the wild scenes of the chase, on the war trail, and upon the field
of battle. For a long period, in common with hundreds--and, we might
with truth add, thousands, the writer has desired to see Christopher
Carson's wonderful career made public for the world of readers; but,
while this idea was germinating in his brain, he did not, for an
instant, flatter himself that the pleasant task would ever be assigned
to him. Finally, however, at the urgent solicitation of many personal
friends, Christopher Carson dictated the facts upon which this book
is written. They were then placed in the writer's hands, with
instructions to add to them such information as had fallen under his
observation, during quite extensive travels over a large part of the
wide expanse of country, which has been Christopher Carson's theatre
for action.

The book is a book of solid truth; therefore, the faults in the style,
arrangement and composition, become affairs of minor consideration.
For this reason, the writer makes no apologies to embarrass the
critics.

Christopher Carson, physically, is small in stature, but of compact
frame-work. He has a large and finely developed head, a twinkling
grey eye, and hair of a sandy color, which he wears combed back _à la