SCALPED ALIVE AT WASHITA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 432, 2 October 1869, Page 3

SCALPED ALIVE AT WASHITA.

4, {From the New York Tribue.) A victim of Indian vengeance in the present struggle along the borders arrived in Detroit last Saturda}*- night, on his way to his home in New York, near Rufield, Monroe County. His name is Delos G. Sanberston, and he lost his scalp afc the battle of Washita. He has been an inmate of Laramie Hospital since that event, and was discharged about ten days ago by reason of the expiration of his term of service. He allowed the curious to examine his head, and gave the following account of his experience: — " I was in the infantry. Custer had command of the troops. There was quite a force of cavalry with us, but they were about a mile in the rear when we first discovered the reds. Some of the troops had been sent around so as to attack from the other side. The reds were camped in a sort of valley, and we were within eighty rods of them for half an hour before daybreak. Just in the grey of the morning the firing commenced on both sides, and we had it all our own way for a few minutes, the cursed snakes being much confused, and not knowing what was up. At length they rallied, and we could hear Black Kettle shouting and ordering. The vermin got into holes and behind rocks —anywhere they could find a place, and began to fight back with a will. We fired whenever we could see a topknot, and shot squaws— there were lots of them — just as quick as Indians. When it was fully daylight, we all gave a big yell and charged right down into camp. The lodges were all a standing yet, and lots of Indians in them. As we ran through the alleys, a big red jumped out at me from behind a tent, and before I could shorten up enough to run him through with my bny"n n r J n rip-iTr cribbed, me around the legs ami twisted me down. The camp was full of men fighting, and evief3*b9dy^seemed yelling as loud as he could. When I felTTwent over backward, dropping my gun, and I had just got part way up again, the bquaw yanking me by the hair, when the Indian clubbed my gun and struck me across the neck. The blow stunned me; the squaws kept screeching and pnlling my hair out by handf vis. I heard some of our hoys shouting close by, and the squaw started and ran, one of the boys killing her not three rods off. The Indian stepped one foot on my chest, and with his hand gathered up the hair near the crown of my head. He wasn't very tender about it, but jerked my head thia way aud that, like Satan. My eyes were partially open, and I could see the bead- work and trimming on his leggings. Suddenly I felt the awf ullesfc biting, cutting flash go round my head, and then it seemed to me just as if my whole head had been jerked clean off. 1 never felt such pain in all my life; it was like pulling your brains right out. I didn't know any more for two or three days, and when I came to I had the sorest head of any human being that ever lived. If the boys killed the viper, they ! didn't get back my scalp; perhaps it got lost in the snow. I was shipped down to Laramie after a bit, and all the nursing I got hain't mado the hair grow out on this spot; yet."