The Bessemer indicator., 1893-08-05
HIS FAvoRITE SCOUT.
JOSIAH J. ROSES RECOLLEC-
TiONS OF CUSTER.
Many Adventures on tho Plains-How
tieutenant Crosbie I,dst His Bsautifnl
Scalp Lock In tho Service-The Only
white witness of the massacre.

Living in comparative retirement
In n nea. cottage on Ashby avenue. in
South Berkeley, is a man who enjoys
the distinction of being. perhaps, the
otily white person who witnessed the
r.assacre OF General q. A. Custer
and his little band OF cavalrymen by
hostile Sioux on the Little Big Horn
river on June %, 1876, says the San
francisco Chronicle.
Josiah J. Rose is tho man. He
spent nearly six years with General
Custer as a scout, first entering the
service in 1869, after Custer's restOr-
ition to his domihand. 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 commsnd
without permission
The charge of cruelty against Gus
ter was, in Roses opinion. absolutely
groundlcss. This judgment is based
upon his subsequent intercourse with
tho general in the Bad Lands of Da-
kota; relationship which resulted
in the discovery by Rose that Custer
-
heart like 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
odthirsty Sioux. He is now about
IS years OF age, quite tall and well
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 mr.
row. From 1S0 pounds his weight
was reduced in few weeks by the
effects Of the poison to 140 pounds.
That has been his weight to this
lay.
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 CON-
mand under Custer was GeneI 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,
dashing and fearless young follow,
who was general favorite. He wore
bis hair very long. and its luxurious
ness wis talked about among tho In
iians 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: alt will
cost them something to get it; good
things come high. you know.
81 think it was on the evening OF
June 2S, 1874" resumed Rose, "when
we campcd in small valley ut a
point seven miles from Mussel Shell
river. General Custer was twenty
miles in advance Of us with two com
panies. leaving the renal ainder OF the
cavalry in command of General
Crittenden. the sun was sinking in
the West, and the sceno, though
bleak, was peaceful one.
after arranging our wagons for
the night and everything being made
secure. Lieutenant Crosbie asked
leave of General Crittenden to hunt
which was granted with consent o
Captain Bennett Crosbic requested
mo to join him. but being tirod. de
clined--very fortunately, us it turned
out. Crosbie then went to the head
hunter of the company. man namct
Cooper. noted for his height ant
great strength. He was seven fec
tall. and he could pull Il sapling W
by tho roots almost without cfldrt
"Wcll. accompanied by Cooper ant
four men, Crosbic went westward