Old West Gunmen

[Gibson]

Hey all. Just got off the phone with Chuck Parsons. One of the top Texas Outlaws/Feuds writers alive. Google him.

Going to work up something on the killing of Jack Helms by John Wesley Hardin and Jim Taylor.

John Wesley Hardin:



Creed Taylor:

[Gibson]

The event covered is a single occurrence in the larger "Taylor-Sutton Feud" of Tejas. This was very likely the bloodiest and longest running of all the 19th century American feuds. As with most of these there is no clear cut victor. I have noticed that often these long running feuds seem to wear themselves out.

John Wesley Hardin interests me more than any other Old West character with the possible exception of Harvey Logan (Kid Curry). Hardin was no dummy nor was he an insatiable liar. He wrote a VERY passable autobiography in which he, of course, shades events toward his point of view. Hardin truly did kill a lot of men and if he had not been imprisoned during his prime years would have killed an untold number more. This man spent almost 17 years in prison. Yet, in my opinion he is on par with Deacon Jim (Miller) in the body count department. Wes always claimed that he never killed anyone who did not need killing. I'm guessing some of their mothers might call that a dubious contention. In this case, I accept it.

Jack Helms was a piece of work also. Here is what I see as a reasonable synopsis put forth by legendsofamerica.com: "Texas cowboy, Confederate soldier, gunfighter, and lawman, Helm was said to have once killed a black man for whistling a Yankee song during the Civil War. At wars end, he worked for cattle baron, Abel Head "Shanghai” Pierce, but became a captain in the Texas State Police in 1869, tasked with aiding the Union forces in Reconstruction. In this capacity, he soon got caught up in the Sutton-Taylor Feud in DeWitt County and began attacking members of the Taylor Faction. In the summer of 1869, Helm and his men carried on a reign of terror in Bee, San Patricio, Wilson, DeWitt, and Goliad counties to such a degree that the Galveston News reported that they had killed 21 persons in two months, but handed over just 10 men to civil authorities. Helm continued to ambush and kill until a public outcry caused him to be discharged from the State Police in December, 1870. However, he continued to serve as the Sheriff of DeWitt County, killing more members of the Taylor Faction. Helm later moved to Albuquerque, Texas, but was tracked down by Jim Taylor and John Wesley Hardin and killed in July, 1873." Isn't it odd how he killed a black man for whistling a Yankee tune but then a few years later is in fact a full fledged Yankee sympathizer, especially in the eyes of Texas' loyal southerners?

Wes Hardin became involved with the feud on the Taylor side. This side involved a family and friends with STRONG southern loyalties. This fit Wes right down to the ground. He had many friends and family allied with the Taylor side. Wes Hardin, never the shrinking violet type, found a good feud to be just to his liking. He was, of course a wanted man, but the feud allowed him to hole up with friends/family.

In his autobiography, John Wesley Hardin makes the following claim of the facts of an encounter between himself and Helms: ". . . his arms and general appearance gave me the impression that he was either on the dodge or was an officer He then mounted his horse and I did likewise so we met face to face We both stopped our horses and he said Do you live around here I told him I was traveling from San Antonio on my way to Cuero and am trying to follow this furrow which I am told will take me to Cuero I asked him how far it was and he said about seven miles Then he remarked that he had been over to Jim Cox's to serve some papers on him I m sheriff of this county said he I had understood up to this time that Dick Hudson was the acting sheriff of DeWitt I said: I suppose your name is Dick Hudson He said no but that Dick Hudson was his deputy and his was Jack Helms I told him that my name was John Wesley Hardin He says are you Wesley at the same time offering me Ms hand I refused to take his hand and told him that he now had chance to take me to Austin We are man to man and face to face on equal terms You have said I was a murderer and a coward and have had deputies after me Now arrest me if you can I dare you to try it Oh he said Wesley I am your friend and my deputies are hunting you on their own acount and not mine I had drawn my pistol by this time and he begged me to put it up and not to kill him I said You are armed defend yourself You have been going round killing men long enough and I know you belong to a legalized band of murdering cowards and have hung and murdered better men than yourself He said Wesley I won t fight you and I know you arc too brave a man to shoot me I have the governor's proclamation offering $500 for your arrest in my pocket but I will never try to execute it if you will spare my life I will be your friend I told him that his deputies were putting themselves to a lot of trouble about me and that I would hold him responsible for their actions Well I let him alone and we rode on together to Cuero We separated about two miles from Cuero agreeing to meet next day in town and come to an understanding Well we met as agreed and he wanted me to join his vigilant company of which he was captain I declined because cause the people with whom he was waging war were my friends I told him all I asked of him was that I and my immediate friends should be neutral This was understood and we parted agreeing to meet again on the 16th he bringing one of his party and I bringing Manning Clements and George Tennille."

Hardin later meets with Helms at a fellow named Jim Cox's house. He details how there is a vigilance committee now operating in the area and that Jack Helm and Jim Cox are its leaders. That some organized group existed cannot be doubted and that it did its best to kill or murder Taylors and their allies is a certainty. Hardin alleges that he was called to a private area and a quid pro quo was offered. You side with our group and we will make your status as a fugitive disappear. They told him it would take vast effort to get him clear of his charges thus requiring vast deeds from him. They then told him that the two guys that had accompanied him, George Tennille and Mannen Clements, would either join or be killed. Hardin declined.

On April 23, 1873 Jack Helms and a large contingent of other lawmen and pseudo lawmen converged on the neighborhood of Hardin and the two previously mentioned men. The demanded of their wives to know where the men were and they treated Wes' wife exceedingly worse than the others. This drew a blood oath from Hardin. This is when John Wesley Hardin decided to de facto join the feud.

Another event occurred during this period. It was the death of Pitkin Taylor the leader of the Taylors. He was ambushed and killed and Hardin is clear in his belief that it was Helm and his bunch who were responsible. Helm, in full alliance with the Suttons were now in the midst of the 21 murders Hardin and the Galveston paper attributed to them. This event, of course further endeared Helm to the Dark Angel of Texas. In very short order, Hardin killed or was involved in the killings of John Christman and Jim Cox. Christman was shotgunned, a favorite weapon of Wes'. Sometime during this period, Hardin shot and killed a possible Helm Deputy John B. Morgan. It appears to me that Helm bit off a bite he will never be able to get chewed when he decided to threaten Hardin's friends and go after Hardin's woman. Wes has been called The Dark Angel of Texas by Mr. Leon Metz, as I just referenced. Indeed, true.

The incident is next. . .

Hardin:

[Gibson]

There is absolutely NO certainty of the particulars of the event or even the date of it. Best guess for the date is late July to August 1, 1873.

It occurred at the blacksmith shop of John Bland, in Albuquerque, Texas. Here is Hardin's story of it from his autobiography:

"On the 17th I was to meet Jack Helms at a little town called Albukirk in Wilson county I went there according to agreement a trusty friend accompanying me in the person of Jim Taylor We talked matters over together and failed to agree he seriously threatening Jim Taylor's life and so I went and told Jim to look out that Jack Helms had sworn to shoot him on sight because he had shot Bill Sutton and because he was a Taylor Jim quickly asked me to introduce him to Helms or point him out I declined to do this but referred him to a friend that would I went to a blacksmith shop and had my horse shod I paid for the shoeing and was fixing to leave when I heard Helms voice Hands up you d s of ab I looked around and saw Jack Helms advancing on Jim Taylor with a large knife in his hands Some one hollered Shoot the dd scoundrel It appeared to me that Helms was the scoundrel so I grabbed my shot gun and fired at Capt Jack Helms as he was closing with Jim Taylor I then threw my gun on the Helms crowd and told them not to draw a gun and made one fellow put up his pistol In the meantime Jim Taylor had shot Helms repeatedly in the head so thus died the leader of the vigilant committee the sheriff of DeWitt the terror of the country whose name was a horror to all law abiding citizens meet his death He fell with twelve buckshot in his breast and several six shooter balls in his head All of this happened in the midst of his own friends and advisors who stood by utterly amazed The news soon spread that I had killed Jack Helms and I received many letters of thanks from the widows of the men whom he had cruelly put to death Many of the best citizens of Gonzales and DeWitt counties patted me on the back and told me that was the best act of my life."

I have read multiple accounts and tried to piece together what happened. I suspect that the account given by a Mr. McCracken is closest to the truth. But in both his and Wes Hardin's account there is a temporal oddity. It seems that the events related above are jumbled with reference to time. Anyway, we know that the event with Hardin's wife, Jane Bowen, must have occurred prior to this, the last event in Helm's life. So, we must assume that Jack Helm had no idea that Hardin was now his sworn enemy and assume that maybe, as Hardin states, that Helm saw his visit as regarding an answer to his earlier query about joining up with the Sutton faction. Here's what McCracken had to say, according to Leon Metz in his Hardin bio, "John Wesley Hardin: Dark Angel of Texas", stated to the Fayette County New Era of La Grange, Tecas, that he was visiting with Hardin and Helm alongside the blacksmith shop when a man came up behind Helm and attempted to shoot him. This man was Jim Taylor. His sixshooter misfired. Helm quickly spun around when he heard the tell tale click. But Jim Taylor was ready with a second attempt as Helm rushes in "attempting to grapple with him", Taylor shoots him right through the chest. Then Hardin roars into the fray at almost the same instant with his English made shotgun, a W & C. Scott & Son 12 gauge SxS. Helm, Sheriff Helm, as it were, staggered from the blast of the shotgun. He wobbled into the shop, was followed closely by Taylor who proceeded to open several holes in his brain pan with his sixshooter. Hardin and Taylor then mounted and rode away. So says McCracken. . .

It certainly seems odd to me that they would be sitting out chatting but is possible. Other accounts read that Hardin and Helm rode up to the blacksmith shop, called out to Helm, and shot him down like a dog. Also plausible. Other accounts have Helm charging Taylor with a knife. Also plausible.

Tough time, tough people.



Man Clements, Hardin's cousin:

[Gibson]

Shotgun image has disappeared. . .

[9.3X62AL]

A pitiful SA, my aspirations. No such thing, sir.

[jmort]

Been waiting for the new installment and it was, as usual worth the wait. Nothing like a shotgun at close quarters. Too bad the shotgun image "disappeared." That must have been nice to talk to Chuck Parsons.

[PAT303]

Gibson,in post 459 you mentioned that you are supprised more people aren't replying considering how many hits this threads getting,the reason is we are struggling to stay awake as everyone is blown away with how good this thread is,I'm on my third coffee as I type this,I'm in owe at your skills. Pat

[9.3X62AL]

The depth and quality of the text and info stands on its own two feet quite capably, and sometimes awe provokes simple silent appreciation. Be assured, Jay--if I haven't commented, that's what is taking place. I've been on this site in its several ideations since 1996, and your thread ranks with the best of contributions over that entire time.

[Gibson]

The depth and quality of the text and info stands on its own two feet quite capably, and sometimes awe provokes simple silent appreciation. Be assured, Jay--if I haven't commented, that's what is taking place. I've been on this site in its several ideations since 1996, and your thread ranks with the best of contributions over that entire time.

Heck no! You and mortimer always comment. And really I think I was half joking. Plenty of guys comment. Just my insecurity coming out. I need positive reinforcement.

We have got something going here, huh?

Even have a couple of folks who hail from Oz tuning in!

[Gibson]

Hugh Glass and his epic journey will be our next tale.

[img]http://www.******oftheweek.com/******-hughglass.jpg[/img]

Know this out front. In 1962 J. Cecil Alter questioned the authenticity of the story in his biography of Jim Bridger. He was a real deal historian but he was writing a biography of Bridger and if the Glass tale is accurate Bridger was one of two men who abandoned Glass. I see it as completely understandable as he was just a kid and no doubt took his cue from his older companion. I believe they legitimately thought he was dead or way past caring. Nevertheless one can see how Mr. Alter might be wiling to accept its falsity. . .

Now, a very recent "work" from a ND professor calls the story into question in a meandering and highfalutin attempt at history or possibly discussing myth and the American psyche, or both. He is one of the Joseph Campbell clones, in my book, and what little I've read of it gives me the impression that he wants to tell us of the power of myth in American culture and demonstrate his intellectual prowess by denigrating Glass' tale. Wandering so far afield in trying to make allusions he ends up talking of Shakespeare. I never held much with those types. Never did. Certainly the tale can have doubts legitimately cast its way. As Alter does. But these folks that want to demonstrate their own intellectual superiority by telling us how gullible we are and how susceptible we areto the power of mythos, gall me. You know, how that we fill a need with the myth, how it gains power, blah, blah, blah, go **** yourself, pal. Condescension goes nowhere with me. When in doubt I lean toward believing. This I already know for fact: Hugh Glass was there. He was clearly a stone cold tough man. We have a letter he wrote telling a parent about the death of their son. In it he tells of another GREAT mountain man, Jedediah Smith making a beautiful prayer at the funeral. Hugh Glass was a mountain of a man and a mountain man.

Here is a quote from a review of our esteemed professor's opus:

"How do you explain the astonishing sticking power of a historical wisp who grabbed headlines for withstanding occupational hazards?" Coleman asks in his irreverent tone. The short answer is the shaping power of myth. "Watching, hearing and reading may sound like passive forms of aggression next to scalping and cannibalism," the author muses, "but consumers thrust themselves into the conquest of the region through the Westerns they bought. Americans exaggerated the exceptionalism of the West in order to appropriate and incorporate it into their nation.…The West kept the nation spry. Hemmed in by ancient boundaries, European nations grew decadent, old and sickly. Forever young, always on the move, the United States of America radiated health, vitality." And "restless edge dwellers" like Glass, suggests Coleman, enabled storytellers "to dramatize the painful rebirth of America out West without exposing the citizens of the United States to actual discomfort."

Here is another short quote from another place giving a later adventure that no one disputes

"Glass, along with 4 others, was dispatched by Ashley to find a new trapping route, by going up the Powder River, then across and down the Platte to the bluffs. The party set off in a bull boat. Near the junction with the Laramie River, they discovered some 38 Indian lodges, with several Indians on the shore. The Indians appeared to be friendly, and the trappers initially believed them to be Pawnees. After going ashore and dining with the Indians, Glass discovered that the Indians actually belonged to the Arikara nation, who, after several past encounters, were anything but friendly with the whites. The party quickly got in the bull boat and paddled for the far shore. The Indians promptly swam in after them and both reached the shore around the same time. Two men, Marsh and Dutton, escaped and reunited later, but the other two, More and Chapman, were quickly overtaken and killed. Glass was lucky enough to find a group of rocks to hide behind, and was not discovered by the Arikaras. Glass also found his knife and flint in his shot pouch after the ordeal. He fell in with a party of Sioux and traveled with them back to Fort Kiowa."

The short text of the Glass letter mentioned above:

"Mr. Smith, a young man of our company made a powerful prayer which moved us all greatly and I am persuaded John died in peace."

Mr. Smith, again, is Jedediah Smith.

Glass was there in the sh*t; he was well respected. You can decide for yourself whether you believe the tale or not. Me I'm just a simple country boy who embraces the myth out of some unfulfilled deep need. . . TONGUE PLANTED FIRMLY IN CHEEK

[Gibson]

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Buy this one:



This is an original with castboolits. These are not produced in five minutes so bear with me. More to follow. . .

[Gibson]

Probably the original source of the story, ridiculed by the professor. . . James Clyman was more of a man than a hundred of the stripe just mentioned. This account is powerful evidence for me. A wonderful piece of history, from his journals:

"Here a small company of I think (13) men ware furnished a few horses onley enough to pack their baggage they going back to the mouth of the yellow Stone on their way up they ware actacted in the night by a small party of Rees killing two of thier men and they killing one Ree amongst this party was a Mr Hugh Glass who could not be rstrand and kept under Subordination he went off of the line of march one afternoon and met with a large grissly Bear which he shot at and wounded the bear as is usual attacted Glass he attemptd to climb a tree but the bear caught him and hauled to the ground tearing and lacerating his body in feareful rate by this time several men ware in close gun shot but could not shoot for fear of hitting Glass at length the beare appeaed to be satisfied and turned to leave when 2 or 3 men fired the bear turned immediately on glass and give him a second mutilation on turning again several more men shot him when for the third time he pouncd on Glass and fell dead over his body this I have from information not being present here I leave Glass for the presen we having bought a few horses and borrowed a few more left about the last of September and proceded westward over a dry roling highland a Elleven in number I must now mention honorable exceptions to the character of the men engaged at St Louis being now thined down to onley nine of those who left in March and first Jededdiah Smith who was our Captain Thomas Fitzpatrick William L. Sublett and Thomas Eddie all of which will figure more or less in the future in evening we camped on White clay Creek a small stream running thick with a white sediment and resembling cream in appearance but of a sweetish pugent taste our guide warned us from using this water too freely as caused excessive costiveness which we soon found out. . ."

Review Clyman's Narrative here:

http://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/clyman.html



Clyman from Dorothy Sloan catalog:



Final repose Clyman:

[Gibson]

Hugh Glass was 42 years old when he replied to an ad placed on 13 February, 1822 in the Missouri Gazette and Public Adviser. This advertisement was put forth by General William Ashley. The people that responded were like an all star band of mountain me. "To Enterprising Young Men: The Subscriber wishes to engage One Hundred men to ascend the River Missouri to its source to be employed for one, two, or three years..."

It appears to me that there were actually somewhere between 80 and 100 men who journeyed forth. Among this traveling all star band was Glass, Jim Beckwourth, Tom Fitzpatrick, David Jackson, William Sublette, James Bridger and Jedediah Smith, etc. Under the command of General Ashley the men moved forward. Ultimately our story will involve a group led by Ashley's partner in the ownership of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, Andrew Henry from Pennsylvania. He was well respected; a devout Christian gentleman.





From "The Ashley-Smith explorations and the discovery of a central route to the Pacific, 1822-1829, with the original journals"

"The expedition had had two objects in view, the first immediate, and the other ultimate. The immediate object had been to clear the way for General Ashley and to secure the restoration of his property. In this, the expedition had succeeded. "

----------------------------
Footnotes

The ultimate object had 145 The treaty in full is printed in the Missouri Intelligencer, November 18, 1823. 144 This is Chittenden's estimate based on a study of the sources. Chittenden, American Fur Trade, vol. ii, 591.

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"men directed his course inland up the valley of Grand River and thence across country to the mouth of the Yellowstone, where he proposed to winter.1*8 The names of some of those who accompanied the expedition are recoverable. Altogether they formed one of the most remarkable groups of mountain men ever brought together. Some were experienced trad ers of the older generation, including Andrew Henry and Edward Rose, the latter having been a companion of Ezekiel Williams, during the first stretch of his re markable wanderings in the interior, and subsequently one of the overland Astoria party as far as the conti nental divide. Rose had also dwelt for a time among the Arikaras.1*9 Louis Vasquez of a family long asso ciated with the trade, and probably a member of the ex pedition of the previous year, was also with the party. Another man of 1822 was James Bridger, afterwards Vasquez's partner, and one of the ablest mountain men of the period. William L. Sublette was a member and possibly one or more of his brothers.150 Fresh from the states and about to receive their first taste of mountain life were Hugh Glass, Thomas Fitzpatrick, David E. Jackson, Seth Grant, and Jedediah S. Smith.1" The wanderings of this group during the next ten or fifteen years cover the entire west from the Missouri to the Pacific and from Canada to Chihuahua. It was the most significant group of continental explorers ever brought together."

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Footnotes

148 Cooke, P. St. George. Scenes and Adventures in the Army (Philadel phia, 1857), 137. 149 Leavenworth, "Report," Missouri Intelligencer, December 9, 1823. 150 St Louis Reveille, March 1, 1847. ' "'' It is only from accounts of Hugh Glass's marvelous adventures on this expedition that its main outline can be reconstructed. A native of Pennsylvania, Glass had drifted to St. Louis, where he joined Ashley's second expedition. He was slightly wounded in the first engagement with the Arikaras. After the Leavenworth campaign, he continued toward the moun tains with Henry. On the evening of the fifth day of their journey, Glass was attacked by a grizzly bear and horribly mangled. It was necessary for Henry to hurry on, and, accordingly, two men, Fitzgerald and a youth of some seventeen or eighteen years, were left to care for Glass until he should die or recover sufficiently to move, neither of which he showed any inclin ation of doing. His attendants, however, confident that in the end he must succumb, cravenly decided to abandon him, taking with them his rifle and all his other belongings. Hastening on to join Henry, they reported Glass's death. On discovering his plight, Glass made a new resolve to recover if only to have vengeance on his cowardly companions. Living for some time on berries and spring-water, he finally pulled himself together sufficiently to crawl on his hands and knees. He set out and, gradually recovering enough strength to walk, struck across country toward Fort Kiowa on the Missouri, about one hundred miles distant. Reaching this post after untold hardships, he soon joined a party of trappers, probably of the Missouri Fur Company, bound for the Yellowstone. Undertaking to make a short cut alone by crossing overland to Tilton's Fork, instead of following the bends of the river, he again barely saved his life, while all the rest of the party were slain by the Arikaras. Unaware of danger, Glass, on approaching Fort Tilton, saw a group of Indians, whom he recognized as having been among his late enemies at the villages. Unable to flee from them, he was in grave danger of capture when two Mandans galloped up. One of them shouted to Glass to mount behind him, and away they dashed to the fort Deter mined still on vengeance, Glass left Fort Tilton and set out alone up the Yellowstone toward the mouth of the Big Horn, where he knew Henry's men would be stationed for the winter. After thirty-eight days' wandering, he discovered them, but only to find that his sworn enemy, the elder of the two men who had deserted him, had gone down the river. The younger he forgave out of pity for his youth. Still seeking revenge, he left winter quarters to convey dispatches to Fort Atkinson. After another series of marvelous adventures, he reached his destination in January, 1824, only to find that the faithless Fitzgerald had enlisted in the army. Glass perforce decided to forgive him. Nothing further is known of Fitzgerald. Tradi tion has it that the younger of Glass's companions was James Bridger. Glass's career after this date is uncertain. He was at Fort Union about 1830 but was finally slain by his old enemies, the Arikaras, in the winter of 1832-1833. There is a naive and charming account of Glass's adventures with Henry's party in the Missouri Intelligencer, June 18, 1825. More elaborate accounts are contained in Cooke's Scenes and Adventures, 137-150. A brief narrative is in Sage's Rocky Mountain Life (Boston, 1860), 159 If. Sage erroneously states, however, that Glass was living in Taos, in 1843. See also Maximilian [Prince of Wied], Travels in North America, in Thwaites, Early Western Travels, vol. xxii, 294; vol. xxiii, 197; vol. xxiv, 102 ff. For a critical account see Chittenden, American Fur Trade, vol. !i, 698 ff. The story of Glass's adventures has been recently done into verse by John G. Neihardt, The Song of Hugh Glass (New York, 1915).

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"Misfortune still attended the luckless Henry. He had scarcely left the Mandans when he was attacked by the Arikaras once more, suffering on this occasion the loss of two men.152 A little further on, Hugh Glass was nearly torn to pieces by a grizzly bear and two men had to be detached to remain with him, while the re mainder hastened on toward the Yellowstone. There, they were again attacked by Indians, whom they took to be Gros Ventres, losing four more men."8 On ar riving at the post, Henry discovered that twenty-two of his horses had been stolen by the Blackfeet and As- siniboins. Not long after he lost seven more. Con vinced of the futility of remaining in a region so hos tile, he decided to push up the Yellowstone toward the mouth of the Big Horn. On the way he fell in with a party of Crows who much to his relief sold him forty- seven horses. He continued to the forks, where he pre pared to winter, probably in the vicinity of the aban doned posts of Manuel Lisa and of the Missouri Fur Company.

During the course of the winter and spring, groups of trappers were sent out in various directions to oper ate in the newly reopened territory. Some of them trapped in the vicinity of the Yellowstone and Big Horn, an area directly tributary to their post, and, though worked for a number of years, still rich in beaver. Other parties went northwest toward the land of the Blackfeet, where peltries were plentiful and danger imminent. Another group of sixteen, com manded by Thomas Fitzpatrick and Jedediah Smith, had been detached in the fall to operate in the Crow country. On their way thither Smith had been at tacked by a grizzly bear and seriously injured. Like Hugh Glass he had to be left behind. His lot was eas ier, however, for soon after his mishap, he was joined by Thomas Fitzpatrick with the main body of the party who were traveling in company with Colonel Keemle of the Missouri Fur Company, one of the refugees who had escaped the attack by the Blackfeet the previous spring. By this time Smith had recovered sufficiently to travel. The entire company hastened to the Big Horn, which they followed down to winter quarters.15*"

Now we will proceed to our version picking up just prior to the attack. . . Stay tuned.

[waksupi]

Still lovin' it.

Ever looked into Jean Lafitte? Spelling may be wrong, but I'm sure one of the cajuns here will correct it.

[PAT303]

Heck no! You and mortimer always comment. And really I think I was half joking. Plenty of guys comment. Just my insecurity coming out. I need positive reinforcement.

We have got something going here, huh?

Even have a couple of folks who hail from Oz tuning in!

Well you did bring up Ned Kelly,a folk hero down here. Pat

[Gibson]

Our lead in is a paragraph from "The Great Western Almanac" published in 1843, it from a section written by Edmund Flagg, entitled "History of a Western Trapper":




So says Uncle Edmund. These type accounts are often "flowered" but it seems a fair and almost contemporary lead in.

Well, it seems to me that on or around 23 August, 1823, we have Hugh Glass slogging his way off from his cohorts, possibly accompanied by Moses “Black” Harris. It has been alleged that the pair were out hunting for meat when they startled a sow grizzly bear with two yearling cubs. Not sure, Glass could well have been alone. Certainly he got zero help.

There are various and sundry recitations of what occurred. My take is that Glass was surprised by Old Ephraim and her cubs. Not surprised in the sense that it was on him before he knew it but surprised by a grizzly and her two cubs being in a thicket in which he was himself. From the many accounts, I believe Hugh must have gotten off a shot (some say he did not) before being slashed across the face by the massive claws. It was now man versus beast. Glass snatched out his knife as blood poured into his eyes. This bear absolutely mauled him but he kept stabbing instead of doing the proper thing and dying. Men to match my mountains, indeed. A helluva of a freakin' man! Scalp almost torn completely off, broken arm and broken leg, God only can count the severe lacerations, but only one was still alive when that battle ended: HUGH GLASS.

"His companions, hearing his screams, arrived on the scene to see a bloody and badly maimed Glass barely alive and the bear lying on top of him." Battered and bloodied but damned well unbowed, his companions rolled the mighty Ursus arctos horribilis off him.

From the article, "Hugh Glass: Legendary Trapper in America's Western Frontier" by Nancy M. Peterson:

"The saga of Hugh Glass must be pieced together from accounts written by several of his contemporaries, each with varying details. Respected mountain man George C. Yount recorded in his memoirs that he talked with Glass directly, as well as with a trapper named Allen (Hiram Allen was one of Major Henry's 1823 brigade) and a later Glass cohort of record named Dutton.

Allen recalled that Major Henry ordered branches cut for a litter and that they carried the groaning, blood-wrapped man two days or more. Whatever distance, it was too little, too painful and it took too long. Near the forks of the Grand River (in present-day South Dakota), the trappers reached a grove of trees that sheltered a spring-fed stream, and Henry faced facts. He could lose all his men trying to prolong the life of one already as good as dead.

They'd leave Glass here to recover, if he could, or die in peace. But the major needed two volunteers to stay until the expected happened and give Hugh a decent burial. It couldn't be long. Then they could catch up. The company would pay each a bonus worth several month's wages. He waited. Neither trapper Allen nor the experienced Moses Harris found the bonus worth risking his scalp for. There was dead silence.

Finally a man spoke up and then another–John S. Fitzgerald and 19-year-old Jim Bridger. Although he was the youngest of them all, Bridger had to support both himself and his younger sister with his wages. Whether inspired by practicality, compassion, or youthful optimism born of inexperience, Bridger accepted the charge. Before either could change his mind, Henry and the other seven hurried away.

Fitzgerald and Bridger were alone, except for the blood-caked, wheezing apparition at their feet. They could do nothing for him except administer a few drops of water and wave off the flies. Dusk came, then dark, then dawn. Every hour increased their risk. They could do nothing for themselves except watch anxiously for Indian sign and dig the grave so all was ready. Another day, another night. Their odds of catching up with the others shrank.

Through yet another sunrise Hugh Glass' wispy breaths bound them to their dangerous camp as efficiently as a spider's silk bound captured flies. And as fatally. Fitzgerald began to argue for moving on. The man was in his death sweats, but it was taking him forever. They'd stayed far longer than Henry expected, risked far more. It was time to save themselves. No one would blame them.

Eventually the younger man agreed. Quickly they collected their gear. But as Fitzgerald packed up, he proved he was intent on saving something more than his life. He also wanted both the bonus and his reputation. That required they tell Henry that Old Glass was dead and buried. And in the grave, Glass had no use for a rifle. Or powder and shot. Or his knife. Or his possibles sack with flint and steel. If they didn't take all his fixins, someone was sure to ask why. In the mountains, you didn't waste valuable gear on a corpse.

If Bridger was repelled by applying such logic to a corpse that not only was warm but also still drew breath and moaned now and again, he failed to raise convincing arguments against it. They moved the invalid to within reach of water and, certain his days of needing anything more were done, walked away, carrying every tool Hugh Glass possessed.

What they could not take away from him was more vital–his grit, his fury at their treachery, his will to survive and get revenge. The mind inside the battered head was on fire with fever, and he sank in and out of consciousness. He was close to death, but he'd been there before, and fortune had never left him completely on his own hook. He'd lived through scrapes those cowards had never dreamed of."

Later, a short synopsis of the horrible and desperate journey back. . .

[Gibson]

I like this account to finish up the sketch with, it from an internet article but I think it relies mostly on the latest account, a 1999 book by Bruce Bradley:

"But Glass did not die. After an unknown time, he regained consciousness to a very grim situation. He was alone and unarmed in hostile Indian territory. He had a broken leg and his wounds were festering. His scalp was almost torn away and the flesh on his back had been ripped away so that his rib bones were exposed. The nearest help was 200 miles away at Ft. Kiowa. His only protection was the bearskin hide.
Glass set his own broken leg and on September 9, 1823, began crawling south overland toward the Cheyenne River about 100 miles away. Fever and infection took their toll and frequently rendered him unconscious. Once he passed out and awoke to discover a huge grizzly standing over him. According to the legend, the animal licked his maggot-infested wounds. This may have saved Glass from further infection and death. Glass survived mostly on wild berries and roots. On one occasion he was able to drive two wolves from a downed bison calf and eat the raw meat.
According to Glass's own account he was driven by revenge. He told others that the only thing that kept him going was the thought of killing the men who had left him for dead.
It took Glass two months to crawl to the Cheyenne River. There he built a raft from a fallen tree and allowed the current to carry him downstream to the Missouri and on to Ft. Kiowa, a point about four miles north of the present-day Chamberlain.
After he regained his health, which took many months, Glass did indeed set out to kill the two men who had left him for dead. He found Bridger at a fur trading post on the Yellowstone River but didn't kill him because Bridger was only 19 years old. Glass later found Fitzgerald but didn't kill him either because Fitzgerald had joined the Army.
Glass eventually returned to the Upper Missouri where he died in 1833 in a battle with hostile Arikaras Indians. As with many mountain men of the era, Glass himself wasn't much of a talker. However the story of his trek was recounted far and wide among other frontiersmen and even the native American tribes. The story needed no embellishment, but at least one version (false) had Glass cutting out the still-beating hearts of the men who left him for dead. Another claimed (again, falsely) that Glass forevermore carried Bridger's and Fitzgerald's scalps on his belt. In truth, Glass may have simply forgiven the men who had left him to die."

Thus ends our short sketch of Hugh Glass' Odyssey. Take your choice as to what weight you give it.

Hugh before his encounter:

[Gibson]

This is now a home for my sketches. I hope you enjoy. We keep 'em short and to the point.

Hugh Glass Clone



Adios, for now

[Gibson]

It has been pointed out to me and I should be very clear, the esteemed professor I mention right off the bat is this guy, Jon Coleman:



I'll let you make your own judgements. . .

Anyway, he clearly ridicules the legend as founded in the imagination of our ancestors. Then moves on to discredit the admittedly sparse evidence as secondary, tertiary, etc. Well, I've told you my thoughts on such but be very clear that Jon Coleman does his best to deconstruct the legend and then goes on to tell us about how we need the myth; it's a part of our "American 'Exceptionalism'" belief. It is a part of the myths that we need and embrace. You know the usual socialistic analysis. Me, I'll stick with my belief that there have in times past existed some real ******es and there still are a few. I could be wrong but I think you can tell I do not cast my lot with those bloodless impotent types that want to tear down our heroes and then explain to us- predicated on our own stupidity- how that we create them from whole cloth because we need the myth to feel good about ourselves.

Anyway, know that both Coleman and much earlier, 1962, Alter did their best to discredit the saga of Hugh Glass.

I thought I was clear but possibly, in my enthusiasm I was not.

[jmort]

"Americans exaggerated the exceptionalism of the West in order to appropriate and incorporate it into their nation.…"

Over 90% of our education system, from elementary school to post graduate university doctoral programs, has been taken over by these limp-wristed, America hating, self-loathing goons, who are clones of hussein obama. Just like "reporters" most all of our university professors are liberal clones.They hate the fact that the "West was won" by white people while completely ignoring the fact the the "first Americans" were savage beasts, just like the Europeans who took over. The Europeans were culturally superior so we get the Colemans to "learn" us how bad the Western Way is. To apologize for American greatness. There was no moral superiority on either side. Now it's white guilt and liberal lies. It was kill or be killed. Too bad for the cry babies like the Coleman. He is exhibit "A" of what is wrong with our Universities.