He was descending a mountain, so steep that he led his horse by a lariat, intending, if the animal fell, to let go of it in time to prevent being injured.

The steed did fall and though Carson threw the lariat from him, he was caught by it, dragged some distance and severely injured.
When the late Civil War broke out and most of our troops were withdrawn from the mountains and plains, Carson applied to President Lincoln for permission to raise a regiment of volunteers in New Mexico, for the purpose of protecting our settlements there.

Permission was given, the regiment raised and the famous mountaineer did good service with his soldiers.

On one occasion he took 9,000 Navajo prisoners with less than 600 men.
At the close of the war, he was ordered to Fort Garland, where he assumed command of a large region.

He was Brevet Brigadier General and retained command of a battalion of New Mexico volunteers.
Carson did not suffer immediately from his injury, but he found in time that a grave internal disturbance had been caused by his fall.