Editing Kit Carson (section)

==Final days==
[[File:FinalKitCarsonPhoto.jpg|upright|thumb|alt=The last known photograph of Carson|The last known photograph of Carson was taken around March 20, 1868, during Carson's visit to Boston with Ouray and Ute chiefs two months before his death, by the photographer James Wallace Black, and was signed by Carson. It is the largest extant photograph of him.]]

When the Civil War ended, and the Indian Wars campaigns were in a lull, Carson was appointed [[brevet (military)|brevet]] brigadier general (dated March 13, 1865) and appointed commandant of [[Ft. Garland, Colorado]], in the heart of [[Ute people|Ute]] territory. Carson had many Ute friends in the area and assisted in government relations.<ref>[[#sabine|Sabin, 1914]], pp. 468, 477–478</ref>

After being [[muster (military)|mustered]] out of the army, Carson took up ranching, settling at [[Boggsville]] in [[Bent County, Colorado|Bent County]]. In 1868, at the urging of Washington and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Carson journeyed to Washington, D.C., where he escorted several Ute Chiefs to meet with the US president to plead for assistance to their tribe. While in Washington, Carson was referred to a doctor by the name of Lewis Albert Sayre who lived in New York City. Carson made the short journey by train and met with Dr. Sayre who confirmed what Carson had already feared, he was suffering from an aneurysm. This wasn't new information for Carson, back in Colorado, Dr. Tilton had previously diagnosed him, and when he returned the doctor was shocked by the declining state of Carson. In fact, Carson was in such poor health that "...Dr. Tilton thought the trip had all but killed him" according to Hampton Sides in his book, ''Blood and Thunder''. The trip to Washington, D.C., had taken a toll on Carson and caused the symptoms from his aneurysm to worsen.<ref>[[#sides|Sides, 2006]], pp. 487–488</ref>

Soon after his return, his wife, Josefa, died from complications after she gave birth to their eighth child. Her death was a crushing blow to Carson. According to Carson's son, Charles, "he just seemed to pine away after Mother died". The combination of a long and exhausting journey with the passing of his wife had a devastating effect on Carson. He died a month later, age 58, on May 23, 1868, in the presence of Dr. Tilton and his friend [[Thomas Oliver Boggs|Thomas Boggs]] in the surgeon's quarters at [[Fort Lyon]], Colorado. His last words were "Goodbye, friends. ''Adiós, compadres.''" The cause of his death was [[abdominal aortic aneurysm]]. His resting place is Taos, New Mexico.<ref>[[#sides|Sides, 2006]], pp. 482–483</ref>