Did Jim Bridger abandon Hugh Glass?

The truth is hard to track

It’s no mystery that the legendary Jim Bridger played a pivotal role in the opening of the western frontier. But one question that has long lingered among historians and Old West enthusiasts alike is whether or not Bridger was also involved in the abandonment of fellow fur trapper Hugh Glass.

The tale of Hugh Glass is one of the most well-known stories of survival on the American frontier. In August of 1823, Hugh was horribly mauled by a grizzly bear. His fellow trappers, believing Glass to be near death, left him behind with two men, John Fitzgerald and possibly Jim Bridger. These two were to wait until Hugh expired, see to it that he received a burial, and then catch up with the main body of trappers. Instead they gathered up Hugh’s belongings and left the badly injured man to die alone.

The rest is history. Glass miraculously survived and set out on a harrowing journey to make his way back to civilization.

While this story has been told and retold in countless books, movies, and television shows, the extent of Jim Bridger’s involvement remains a topic of debate among historians. Some believe that Bridger was the young man who abandoned Glass, while others argue that there is no definitive proof to support this claim.

So, was Jim Bridger really involved in the story of Hugh Glass? Let's take a closer look at the evidence.

The Ashley-Henry Expedition

To understand the story of Glass and Bridger, we must first examine the context in which the events took place. In February of 1822, a 17-year-old Jim Bridger joined the Ashley-Henry expedition. The company was organized by William Henry Ashley, a businessman who was seeking to establish a fur trading operation on the upper Missouri river.

Ashley’s One Hundred, as they came to be known, included a “who's who” of soon-to-be-famous frontiersmen, including Hugh Glass, Jedediah Smith, William Sublette, Jim Beckwourth, Ed Rose, Broken Hand Fitzpatrick, Davey Jackson, and yes – a very young James Felix “Jim” Bridger. The group set out in search of beaver, traveling up the Missouri River and into what is now South Dakota.

Jim Bridger and Hugh Glass certainly knew each other. When Glass - then in his 40’s - and his companions were attacked by the Arikara in June of 1823, Bridger was among the relief party. Two months later, when a large contingent of fur trappers, U.S. soldiers, and mounted Lakota brought the fight to the Arikara, both men were in attendance, looking to even up the score.

The Mauling of Hugh Glass

Just a month following the hostilities with the Arikara, Glass was hunting game along a river bottom some distance ahead of his main party when he encountered a mama grizzly and her two cubs. The angry bear attacked, severely mauling Hugh before his companions could rush to his rescue.

His fellow trappers did their best to treat his wounds and make him comfortable, but they understandably believed Glass was on death’s door. They couldn’t afford to wait for Hugh to die, so William Henry Ashley made the decision to leave behind two men, John Fitzgerald and possibly Jim Bridger, as he and the others pressed on.

The story goes that after a few days, Fitzgerald and Bridger became nervous and – seeing as how Glass was as good as dead anyway - they took his rifle and other supplies, and simply left. And of course, Glass did not die. Instead of giving up the ghost he set out on a journey of his own. Unarmed, emaciated, battered, and covered in maggots, Hugh Glass eventually made his way 250 miles overland to Fort Kiowa, where he recovered his prized rifle and had a “come-to-Jesus meeting” with Jim Bridger. Legend has it that Glass wanted to set things right with Fitzgerald but was warned against doing so by Fitzgerald’s new employer - the United States Army.

The Question of Jim Bridger's Involvement

Was Jim Bridger really the young man who, along with Fitzgerald, left Glass to die alone? The truth is hard to decipher. The only real evidence we have comes from a book by Edmund Flagg, who claimed that a youth of seventeen named Bridges (not Bridger) was the one who stayed behind with Fitzgerald. Flagg got many other facts wrong in his account of Glass' ordeal, and researchers have since discovered at least seven men named Bridges who were working on the Missouri at that time.

On the other hand, former steamboat pilot Joseph LaBarge claimed decades later that there was a "tradition" that Jim Bridger was the young deserter. However, LaBarge was not a member of Ashley’s expedition and even his own biographer discounted this allegation as being “intangible”, stating “who the young man was is not known.”

The only account of Bridger himself addressing the issue comes from James Stevenson, a scientist with a geological survey who spent a considerable amount of time with Jim in the late 1850’s. When asked about it Stevenson wrote “Bridger told me the story of your Glass, but there was no desertion”.

Was Jim denying his involvement or does this simply mean he didn’t consider leaving Glass behind as a desertion?

As you can see, the question of whether Jim Bridger was involved with the abandonment remains shrouded in mystery and subject to debate. However, if it was Bridger I think it’s safe to say that his reputation didn’t appear to suffer.

In the span of just a few years Jim would become both a fur brigade pilot and part owner of the entire Rocky Mountain Fur Company, leading brigades of hardened mountaineers deep into the heart of hostile country, staking their fortunes – and their lives – on the elusive beaver. Surely such men wouldn’t allow themselves to be led by someone they considered a deserter.

Hugh Glass would recover from his wounds and continue to trap, as well as work for the U.S. Army as a hunter out of Fort Union in present day North Dakota and then Fort Cass, northeast of present day Billings, Montana.

It was while working out of Fort Cass in the early spring of 1833 when Hugh’s luck finally ran out. He and two other men were caught out in the open by a large war party of Arikara and summarily shot and scalped.

Of course Bridger would live for many more years, continuing to trap, explore, and even scout for the U.S. Army well into his 60’s. Eventually suffering from old age, rheumatism, and blindness, Bridger retired to live with his children in Missouri, dying in July of 1881.

While the question of whether Jim Bridger was involved in Hugh Glass’ ordeal remains a mystery, it’s clear that he was one of the most important figures of the American West. Bridger’s legacy as a scout, explorer, and frontiersman is secure, and his impact on the history of the United States cannot be overstated.

Likewise with Hugh Glass, although his story is often times misrepresented. Regardless, his legacy as the very epitome of a frontiersman as well as a true survivor - a man too tough to die - will forever serve as an inspiration

So what do you think? Was it really Jim Bridger or just some mysterious lost-to-history young man simply known only as Bridges? Let me know what you think in the comments.

Thanks for reading! Hey, real quick: If you’re not aware I also host a podcast called The Wild West Extravaganza discussing the real life people and events of the old west era. If you’re interested in learning more about Hugh Glass you can check out the episode I did on him here. Also, feel free to check out the series I did on Jim Bridger.