In 1822, an exciting opportunity appeared in the Missouri Republican newspaper. An advertisement was looking for 100 adventurous young men to trap beavers along the Missouri River for up to three years. This was for a new company that would later be known as the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. One of the men who signed up was Hugh Glass, a 40-year-old frontiersman from Pennsylvania. Before this, he had lived an adventurous life, including being a pirate and spending several years with the Pawnee Indian tribe.
Glass’s adventure with the Rocky Mountain Fur Company started with a bang. Shortly after joining, his group was attacked by the Arikara tribe, a semi-nomadic Native American tribe. This attack resulted in the deaths of ten trappers and injuries to 14 others, including Glass, who was shot in the leg. This event marked the beginning of the first Indian War west of the Missouri River.
After a short recovery at Fort Kiowa, in what is now South Dakota, Glass set out in September 1823 on a trapping expedition to the Yellowstone River. The land was tough, with rolling hills, plains, ravines, and large grasslands.
While hunting for food near the Grand River, Glass accidentally disturbed a mother grizzly bear and her two cubs. The bear attacked him to protect her cubs. Glass and another man managed to kill the bear, but Glass was left with severe injuries, including a broken leg and deep cuts that exposed his ribs and nearly tore off his scalp.
The other members of the expedition thought Glass wouldn’t survive. They carried him on a makeshift stretcher for two days before deciding to leave him behind. The leader asked for volunteers to stay with Glass and give him a proper burial if he died. Two men, John S. Fitzgerald and a man named Bridges, volunteered, likely tempted by an $80 bonus.
Shortly after, Glass and the two men were attacked by an Arikara raiding party. Fitzgerald and Bridges fled, leaving Glass behind. Another version of the story suggests they waited five days for Glass to die before leaving with the supplies. Alone in the wilderness with no supplies or weapons, Glass realized his only chance of survival was to reach Fort Kiowa, over 200 miles away.
Glass bound his broken leg and began crawling south, using a hill called Thunder Butte as a guide. Fitzgerald and Bridges returned to the main trapping party, claiming Glass had died.
During the first week, Glass survived by eating berries, insects, and snakes. His progress was slow, but he eventually found a pack of wolves feeding on a buffalo calf. After the wolves left, Glass scavenged the meat, allowing him to rest and recover. To prevent infection, he let maggots eat the dead flesh from his wounds. With food and rest, he regained strength and continued his journey.
Upon reaching the Missouri River, Glass either got a simple hide boat from friendly Lakota or built a raft himself. He floated downstream and reached Fort Kiowa by mid-October, six weeks after starting his journey. He was lucky to travel before winter, which would have made survival even harder.
Once recovered, Glass went to a local trading post, where he got a rifle and ammunition. He set out to find the two men who had abandoned him. He found Bridges at a camp and forgave him, realizing Fitzgerald was the true villain.
Glass learned Fitzgerald had joined the army and tracked him to Fort Atkinson in present-day Nebraska. When Glass confronted him, an army captain intervened, explaining that killing a soldier was a serious crime. The captain arranged for Glass’s rifle to be returned and gave him $300 for his hardships.
After leaving the fort, Glass worked as a trapper and hunter for the next decade. He is believed to have died in 1833, and after that, he was never seen or heard from again. Thus, the legend of Hugh Glass began, a story of survival, adventure, and a quest for justice.
Using the information from the article, create a timeline that outlines the key events in Hugh Glass’s journey. Include dates and brief descriptions of each event. This will help you understand the sequence of events and the challenges Glass faced.
Draw a map that traces Hugh Glass’s journey from the start of his expedition to his arrival at Fort Kiowa. Label important locations such as the Grand River, Thunder Butte, and Fort Kiowa. This activity will help you visualize the vast distances and terrain Glass had to navigate.
In small groups, discuss the survival skills Hugh Glass used to stay alive. Consider what you would do in a similar situation. Share your ideas with the class and discuss which skills are most important for survival in the wilderness.
Write a short essay analyzing Hugh Glass’s character. Consider his strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. How did these traits help him survive and seek justice? This will help you understand the complexity of his character and the human spirit.
Imagine you are Hugh Glass and write a diary entry from his perspective during one of the key moments in his journey. Use descriptive language to convey his emotions and thoughts. This activity will help you engage with the story on a personal level and develop your creative writing skills.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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The frontiersman who came back from the dead for revenge.
[Music]
The year was 1822, and the Missouri Republican newspaper published an ad seeking 100 enterprising young men to trap beaver along the Missouri River for a period of up to three years. This was for a new company that would soon be known as the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. One of the men to apply was Hugh Glass, a 40-year-old frontiersman from Pennsylvania. According to later newspaper accounts, he had already led a colorful life, having been a pirate and having lived for several years with the Pawnee Indian tribe.
Glass’s career got off to an eventful start with the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. Shortly after he joined, his route was attacked by the semi-nomadic Arikara tribe. The attack resulted in the deaths of ten trappers and injuries to 14 others, with Glass being one of the wounded, having been shot in the leg. This event marked the beginning of the first Indian War west of the Missouri River.
Glass was not severely wounded, and after a brief recovery at Fort Kiowa, located in present-day South Dakota, he set out in early September 1823 on a trapping expedition to the Yellowstone River. The terrain was rugged, consisting of rolling hills, plains, ravines, and large patches of grassland.
The following account of what happened next is drawn from newspaper reports, as Glass never formally recorded his experiences during this ill-fated expedition. While there may have been some embellishment to the story, it is mostly considered true. While hunting for food near the Grand River, Glass disturbed a female grizzly bear and her two cubs. The bear attacked him, likely out of protective maternal instinct. Glass and another man managed to kill the bear, but Glass was left badly injured, with a broken leg and deep cuts that exposed his ribs, nearly tore off his scalp, and ripped the flesh on his back.
The other members of the expedition believed Glass would not survive. Despite this, they dragged him on a litter for two days. Eventually, they concluded that he would not make it and decided to leave him behind. The leader of the expedition asked for volunteers to stay with Glass to give him a decent burial. Two fellow trappers, John S. Fitzgerald and a man identified as Bridges, volunteered, likely enticed by an $80 bonus offered by the company. As the others left, the two men began to dig Glass’s grave, knowing they were deep inside hostile Native American territory.
Shortly after, Glass and the two men were attacked by an Arikara raiding party. In the ensuing skirmish, Fitzgerald and Bridges grabbed the equipment and fled, leaving Glass behind. Another version of the story suggests that after five days of waiting for Glass to die, the two men lost patience and left with the supplies. Regardless, Glass found himself alone in the South Dakota wilderness with no supplies or weapons, only the clothes he was wearing and a bearskin hide.
Realizing his only chance of survival was to reach the nearest settlement, Fort Kiowa, over 200 miles away, Glass bound his broken leg as best he could and began to stumble and crawl south, using Thunder Butte, a 2,700-foot high hill, as a navigation aid. Meanwhile, Fitzgerald and Bridges returned to the main trapping party, reporting that Glass had died from his wounds.
During the first week, Glass did everything he could to survive, eating berries, insects, and snakes. His progress was slow, and it seemed unlikely he would reach the fort alive. However, he stumbled upon a pack of wolves feeding on a buffalo calf they had just killed. After waiting for the wolves to finish, Glass scavenged a significant amount of buffalo meat, allowing him to set up camp and rest for a few days. To prevent gangrene in his wounds, he allowed maggots to eat the dead infected flesh. With rest and food, Glass recovered enough to continue his journey south at a much faster pace.
Upon reaching the Missouri River, there are two main differing accounts of what happened next: either he managed to get a simple hide boat from some friendly Lakota or built a crude raft himself. Either way, he floated downstream and reached Fort Kiowa by mid-October, six weeks after setting off. Glass was fortunate to be traveling when the temperatures were still mild; another month would bring winter, significantly reducing his chances of survival.
Once he recovered, Glass went to the local trading post, where, as a member of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, he could get credit. There, he purchased a rifle and ammunition and set out to find the two men he felt had betrayed him. He eventually found Bridges at a camp at the mouth of the Bighorn River. Seeing how repentant the 19-year-old was, Glass forgave him, concluding that Fitzgerald was the real villain.
Glass learned that Fitzgerald had joined the army and tracked him to Fort Atkinson in present-day Nebraska, where Fitzgerald was stationed. Upon confronting him, Glass was forced to spare his life when an army captain intervened, explaining that killing a United States soldier was a capital offense. The captain arranged for Glass’s rifle, which Fitzgerald still had, to be returned to him and provided $300 in compensation for the hardships he had endured.
After leaving the fort, Glass worked in the region as both a trapper and a hunter for the next decade. He is believed to have died in 1833, and after that date, he was never seen or heard from again. Thus began the legend of Hugh Glass.
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This version removes any potentially sensitive or inappropriate content while maintaining the essence of the story.
Frontiersman – A person who lives on the frontier, especially in the early days of American history, exploring and settling new lands. – Daniel Boone was a famous frontiersman who helped explore and settle the American frontier.
Adventure – An exciting or unusual experience, often involving exploration or travel. – The novel “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain is full of thrilling adventures and escapades.
Tribe – A group of people, often related by family ties, who share a common culture and history. – The Cherokee tribe played a significant role in the history of the southeastern United States.
Bear – To carry or support; in historical contexts, it can also mean to endure or face challenges. – The pioneers had to bear many hardships as they traveled westward in search of new opportunities.
Survival – The act of staying alive, especially in difficult conditions. – The story of Robinson Crusoe is a tale of survival on a deserted island.
Journey – A long trip from one place to another, often involving challenges and discoveries. – Lewis and Clark embarked on a historic journey to explore the western territories of the United States.
Justice – The quality of being fair and reasonable, often related to the law and moral principles. – The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” explores themes of justice and racial inequality in the American South.
River – A large, flowing body of water that usually empties into a sea or ocean. – The Mississippi River played a crucial role in the transportation and trade during the 19th century.
Legend – A traditional story sometimes regarded as historical but not authenticated, often involving heroic figures. – The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a famous tale from medieval literature.
Wilderness – A wild and uninhabited area, often used to describe untamed natural environments. – The explorers ventured into the wilderness, mapping unknown territories and encountering diverse wildlife.
