In the month of March, 1847, Mr. Carson was directed to carry important dispatches to Washington.  Lieutenant Beale, who never recovered from the hardships he encountered in his flight to San Diego, was permitted to accompany him.  As we have mentioned, it was a journey of four thousand miles.  It was accomplished in three months.  In reference to this adventure Mr. Carson writes: 

“Lieutenant Beale went with me as bearer of dispatches, intended for the Navy Department.  During the first twenty days of our journey he was so weak that I had to lift him on and off his riding animal.  I did not think for some time that he could live, but I bestowed as much care and attention on him as any one could have done, under the circumstances.  Before the fatiguing and dangerous part of our route was passed over, he had so far recovered as to be able to take care of himself.

“For my attention, which was only my duty to my friend, I was doubly repaid, by the kindness shown to me by his family while I staid in Washington, which was more than I had any reason for expecting, and which will never be forgotten by me.”

On this expedition, Kit Carson was provided with a guard of ten or twelve picked men, veteran mountaineers.  They took an extremely southern route.  Having journeyed about four hundred miles without meeting any hostile encounter, they reached the Gila, a tributary of the lower Colorado.  Here Mr. Carson had evidence that a band of hostile Indians, keeping always out of sight, were dogging his path, watching for an opportunity to attack him by surprise.  Their route led over a vast prairie, where there were no natural defences.  They cooked their supper early in the evening, and wrapped in their blankets, threw themselves on the grass for sleep.  Mr. Carson, aware that the cunning Indians might be, watching all his movements, as soon as it was dark, ordered his men to rise, march forward in the darkness more than a mile, again to picket their animals, and then to arrange their pack-saddles so as to protect them from the arrows of the Indians.  In case of an attack they were to lie perfectly still, and not speak a word.  It would be of no use to fire, for no savage would be within sight.  If the Indians ventured into the camp, they were then, with rifle, and revolver and knife, to assail them with the utmost desperation.

At midnight the yell of the savage was heard, and a shower of arrows fell around.  They had not ascertained with accuracy the position of the travellers.  They dared not approach near enough to see, for in that case they could be seen, and the bullet would certainly strike them.  After many random shots, and many unearthly yells, the discomfited savages fled.  They dared not await the dawn of the day, when upon the open prairie, their arrows would be powerless weapons against rifles.  In all these journeyings, Mr. Carson was so cautious that one not acquainted with his well balanced character, might deem him wanting