The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-08-04
HIS FAVORITE SCOUT.
JOSIAH J. ROSES RECOLLEc-
TIONS OF CUSTER.
Many Adventures on the Plains-How
Lieutenant Crosbie Lost His Beautiful
Scalp Lock In the Service-Tho Only
White Witness or the Massacre.

Living in comparative retirement
in neat cottage on Ashby avenue. in
South Berkeley, is q man who enjoys
the distinction Of being, perhaps, the
only white person who Witnessed the
massacre of General e. A. Custer
and his little band of cavalrymen by
hostile Sioux on the Little Big Horn
river on June Is. 1876, says the San
Francisco Chronicle.
Josiah j. Rose is the man. He
spent nearly six years with General
Custer as scout, first entering the
service in 1869, after Clusters restor-
alton to his command. Custer was
at that time suffering keen mental
torture because of his suspension two
years before for cruelty to his men
and for having left his command
without permission.
The charge Of cruelty against Gus
ter was, in Roses opinion. absolutely
groundless. This judgment is based
upon his subsequent intercourse with
the general in the Bad Lands of Da-
kota; a relationship which resulted
in the discovery by Rose that Custer
was ga whole-souled man, with a
heart like a woman's."
Rose IS not physically the man he
was when he began the hazardous
life of scouting ON the plains, which
at that time were swarming with
bloodthirsty Sioux. He is now about
45 years of age, quite tall and we'll
made, but slender. His health has
never been good since 1874, in which
year, while scouting for Custer, on
his memorable expedition to the
Black Hills, he was wounded during
an Indian attack by poisoned ar
row. From $50 pounds his weight
was reduced in few weeks by the
effects Of the poison to 14O pounds.
That has been his weight to this
day.
Rose related some thrilling Incl
dents connected with the Black Hills
expedition. General Custer was in
command of six companies, which,
together with the scouts and civil
ians, formed body of men number
ing about 1000. The officer in com
mand under Custer was Gener al Crit
tenden, whose convivial habis were
subjects of general comment among
the soldiers. Critetnden commanded
the reserve force during Clusters
sorties in the front.
Among the officers of General Crit
tenden was First Lieutenant Crosbie,
a dashing and fearless young fellow,
who was a general favorite. He wore
his hair very long, and its luxurious
ness was talked about among the In
dians between Forts Lincoln and
Abercrombie, almost with reverence.
When told that the Sioux had made
up their minds to secure his scalp on
the first occasion that presented it.
self, he laughingly replied: lit will
cost them something to get it; good
things come high, you know.
II think it was on the evening of
June %, 1874" resumed Rose, "when
we camped in small valley at q
point seven miles from Mussel Shell
river. General Custer was twenty
miles in advance of us with two COM
panies, leaving the remainder of the
cavalry in command of General
Crittenden, the sun was sinking in
the West, and the scene, though
bleak, was a peaceful one.
'After arranging our wagons for
the night and rything being made
secure, Lieutenant Crosbie asked
leave of General Crittenden to hunt,
which was granted with consent of
Captain Bennett. Crosbie requested
me to join him, but being tired, de-
clined-very fortunately, as it turned
out. Crosbie then went to the head
hunter of the company, a man named
Cooper, noted for his height and
great strength. He was seven feet
tall, and he could pull sapling up
by the roots almost without effort.
''Well, accompanied by Cooper and
four men, Crosbie went westward,
and in few moments the party dis
appeared beyond the ridges. About
fifteen minutes later we heard firing
in that direction. At first there was
a single shot, then came another and
another, with such frequency that
we became alarmed.
".It is an attack by the Indians, ,
said General Crittenden. "A dozen
Of you mount and on to the rescue. ,
ssThe cavalrymen sprang to their
horses, but before they were saddled
we saw single Sioux on the ridge
waving lance, from which dangled
q scalp lock of long. golden hair.
General Crittenden, who was inspect
ing the Sioux through field glass,
exclaimed: 1t is Lieutenant Cros-
bie's scalpr
cit was true. When, to the num-
Der Of twenty-five men, we rode
toward the ridge the Indian had dis
appeared with his trophy. Arriving
at the top, we saw, about three miles
away, body of 200 Indians. Below
US, half s mile away we saw Cooper
riding toward us. When we met he
pointed sadly to q clump Of bushes,
behind which lay the mutilated
bodies Of Crosbie and the four
soldiers. Crosbie had been shot
through the heart and scalped. The
bodies were literally cut to pieces,
with the ferocity 50 characteristic Of
the Sioux. We brought the remains
to camp and guard was stationed
over them for the night.
cit was now quite dark, and we
were about to retire, when an Indian
scout came in and reported that the
Indians were advancing. quickly