Edward Rose

Background

Edward Rose was born around 1811. He was the son of a white trader among the Cherokee. His mother was a half-breed Cherokee, Negro woman.

Career

Irving says he was once a Mississippi River pirate (Astoria, post, chap. xxiv). Rose may have gone up the Missouri with the party led by Manuel Lisa in 1807 or with the Missouri Fur Company's expedition in 1809. He had been living among the Crows for two or three years when Wilson Price Hunt engaged him at the Arikara village in June 1811 as hunter, guide, and interpreter, but, becoming suspicious, paid him off at a Crow village near Big Horn Mountain on September 2.

In May 1812 Rose joined Lisa's expedition to the upper Missouri. For whatever reason, he apparently returned to the Crows and remained with them until his popularity aroused factional jealousy. He then lived among the Arikara for several years. In 1823 he became interpreter to William H. Ashley of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, whom he vainly cautioned against the Arikara just before the defeat of June 2. The Arikara called a warning to Rose before opening fire. When Colonel Henry Leavenworth arrived to punish the hostiles Rose was made an ensign and on August 11 was the only man willing to visit the village after the bombardment. Leavenworth called him "a brave and enterprising man" (Robinson, post, p. 225).

In 1825 he was interpreter to General Henry Atkinson on his treaty-making expedition up the Missouri and at a conference with the Crows quelled a dangerous brawl with his rifle-butt. Late in 1832 Zenas Leonard with his party encountered Rose in a Crow village at the mouth of Stinking River, where he ranked as a chief, and helped recover some stolen horses. In November 1834 the "old Negro" performed his most famous exploit in leading the storm of a Blackfoot fortification, himself killing five. Rose's death apparently occurred before 1837. According to one account he and some companions blew themselves up with a keg of gunpowder near Fort Cass, while beset by Arikara.

Chittenden, however, states that Rose's grave is "on the banks of the Missouri nearly opposite to the mouth of Milk river".

Achievements

• Rose Edward was famous war chief among the Crows. The Crows named him “Nez Coupe” meaning “Cut Nose”. He was also renowned as buffalo-stalker and interpreter. Irving admits that he not only strengthened the Crows against the Blackfeet but also established a tradition of friendship for the whites.

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• In 1823 Joshua Pilcher called Rose "a celebrated outlaw who left this country in chains some ten years ago" .

Connections

Rose had four wives.