Hugh Glass

[W. Gray]

I was about to look through my files to see what I have on mountain man Hugh Glass and put it on the forum.

Then a coincidence of coincidences came about.

The mail carrier brought this p.m. the August 15, 2007, Flint Hills Express.

An article says there was to be a presentation in Longton on August 18 about him.

Did anyone attend or can say how it went?

[Bonnie M.]

Steve Fielder, who sends Longton News to the Flint Hills News, wrote this:

"Talking about the presentation, Bill Glass, as protrayed by Bill Meggenberg, was very entertaining and kept the audience of over 70 people enthralled with tales of early frontier life and death. His vast knowledge of mountain-man lore and his array of equipment, some oringial and some reproductions.  From guns to cooking utensils, the hour presentation flew by quickly.  Children as well as adults were kept interested all through the program." 

[Jody]

ON THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, WE HAD A WONDERFUL STORY TELLER.  THIS HAPPENED AT KENSLER SCHOOL[WEST WICHITA]   
PICTURE THIS [600 KIDS SITTING ON  THE GYM FLOOR, WITH JUST TWO FANS TO  MOVE THE HOT AIR  AROUND                                       
  HE    HELD THEIR ATTENTION LIKE YOU WOULD         NOT BELIEVE REMEMBER TESE KIDS WERE.

6 TO 13 YEARS OF AGE .   I have been told that my grandfather ,James Crismas, was a wonderful story teller.  I am just sorry that I  wasn't old enough to remember this.  My Dad Clarence CRISMAS  COULD TELL SOME GOOD STORIES.  i AM So glad that we taped a bunch of his stories. 



                             W
WHAT A  STORY TELLER !

[W. Gray]

Would be interesting to know how the below compares to the Longton presentation.

The 1971 movie, Man in the Wilderness, starring Richard Harris loosely portrayed the Hugh Glass affair. Another version appeared on Death Valley Days in the mid sixties.

In early 1823, a grizzly bear attacked Glass somewhere in the present day Dakotas. The bear mauled and badly slashed him. Glass was a scout for an 80-man Rocky Mountain Fur Company expedition and had startled the bear at a streambed. When the grizzly temporarily retreated from him, Glass tried to get away but the bear viciously attacked again. The main body came to his rescue killing the bear. However, Glass was severely cut up, lost much blood, and was rendered unconscious.

It was dangerous country and the expedition needed to make time to a safe base in Montana. The members passed a hat obtaining several dollars for two men to stay with him. The two were to wait for him to die, bury him, and then catch up with the company. One volunteer was Jim Bridger. He was eighteen and headed for his first trapping job. The other volunteer was a much older more experienced mountain man. Their first task was digging a grave.

Over the next several days, Glass drifted in and out of unconsciousness but refused to die. They could not build a fire because it might attract Indians. The older man became impatient because Indians were getting close even without a fire. Assuming he was going to die anyway, the older man discussed leaving before Indians discovered them. Bridger was reluctant but the other man talked him into departing. They took off after he drifted into unconsciousness taking his weapons and personal belongings, leaving only a blanket. When they caught up with the fur company at the Yellowstone River, no discussion took place about his status. Due solely to their appearance in camp all assumed Glass dead.

Hugh Glass was from Pennsylvania and some say was a pirate before becoming a mountain man. When he awoke, he was defenseless. He had on only ripped and shredded clothing and had nothing to eat. He was extremely upset having no weapons and no one with him. He vowed fatal revenge.

One leg was broken and the bear claw slashing exposed his ribs. Over a number of days, he became better and managed to make some type of carrier contraption for his broken leg so that he could drag himself along on one knee. After reviving sufficiently, he started shuffling overland to the nearest fort 200 miles away. The only items he had with him were the carriage and blanket. He lived on animal carcasses and snakes and was able to avoid Indians. One source indicates he had another run in with a grizzly and another says a buffalo stampede almost trampled him. 

It took two months to cover 100 miles to the Cheyenne River. There he pushed a dead tree into the water and rafted another 100 miles to the fort. After total recuperation, new clothes, and new weapons, he set out to kill the two leaving him for dead. 

He caught up with the Rocky Mountain Fur Company at their quarters on the Big Horn River in Montana. The fur company people were startled. His sudden appearance required Jim Bridger to do some heavy explaining. Glass, however, did not realize Bridger was so young and decided not to kill him.

Glass next went after the older man who had left the fur company and joined the Army. He trailed him to his duty station and threatened to kill him. However, the commanding officer vowed prosecution if he harmed the man.

Five years later, Hugh Glass returned to the Rocky Mountains. Five years after that Indians ambushed and killed him.

Jim Bridger let the other man talk him into leaving Glass. He vowed thereafter never letting anyone else make his decisions for him. He spent the next sixty years in the mountains as a trapper, guide, frontiersman, Army scout, and entrepreneur. He was one of the last of the mountain men. He married several Indian women, all of whom died. Indians killed his first child, a girl, at age nine. He had several other children who took care of him in his old age. His burial place is Mount Washington cemetery in my adopted hometown of Independence, Missouri.

[Diane Amberg]

 You write the most fascinating historical accounts.  I had heard of Jim Bridger and Rocky Mountain Fur Co . Wasn't there also one called American Fur?

[W. Gray]

Right off the top of my head I could not say.

[W. Gray]

Diiane,

In my opinion, someone just as interesting is Jeremiah Johnson.

The 1972 movie with Robert Redford was good but as usual got a little disjointed and did not tell the whole story.

If you are familiar with the movie, he took revenge against the Crow for killing his wife. He killed a good number and they became afraid of him because they believed he ate the liver of everyone he killed.

[Diane Amberg]

 Yes, I do know that film. So he did go after the Crow, I had a feeling.

[W. Gray]

Another interesting fellow is John Colter.

He was a military man and a member of the Lewis & Clark expedition.

On the return trip he somehow got Lewis and Clark to release him before they got to the Mississippi River. His enlistment might have been up or whatever.

He went back to the mountains with some other mountain men and a few years later discovered Yellowstone Park.

Discovered it before it even existed.

[W. Gray]

Diane,

I just looked and the American Fur Company was owned by John Jacob Astor.

I should have realized that.