They both portray the survival struggle of Glass, who crawled and stumbled 200 miles (320 km) to Fort Kiowa, South Dakota, after being abandoned without supplies or weapons by fellow explorers and fur traders during General Ashley's expedition of 1823.

Another version of the story was told in a 1966 episode of the TV series Death Valley Days, titled "Hugh Glass Meets the Bear".

Although originally published anonymously, it was later revealed to be the work of James Hall, brother of The Port Folio's editor.

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

Yr Obt Svt Hugh GlassGlass and the rest of the Ashley Party eventually returned to Fort Kiowa to regroup for the trip west.

Andrew Henry, Ashley's partner, had joined the group, and he along with Glass and several others set out overland to the Yellowstone River.

Near the forks of the Grand River, near present-day Shadehill Reservoir, Perkins County, South Dakota, while scouting for game for the expedition larder, Glass surprised and disturbed a mother grizzly bear with two cubs.

The bear charged, picked him up, bit, slashed and lacerated his flesh, severely wounded him, and forced him to the ground.

John S. Fitzgerald and a man later identified as "Bridges" stepped forward, and as the rest of the party moved on, began digging his grave.

[17][18] Later, claiming that they were interrupted by attacking Arikara, the pair grabbed the rifle, knife, and other equipment belonging to Glass and took flight.

Glass lay mutilated and alone, more than 200 miles (320 km) from the nearest American settlement at Fort Kiowa, on the Missouri River.

Glass set the bone of his own leg, wrapped himself in the bear hide his companions had placed over him as a shroud, and began crawling back to Fort Kiowa.

[citation needed] Using Thunder Butte as a navigational landmark, Glass crawled overland south toward the Cheyenne River where he fashioned a crude raft and floated downstream to Fort Kiowa.

There they constructed bull skin boats and traveled down the Platte River to the lower end of the Black Hills.

[citation needed] Glass was killed along with two of his fellow trappers (Edward Rose and Hilain Menard) in early 1833 on the Yellowstone River in an attack by the Arikara.

[21] A monument to Glass was placed near the site of his mauling on the southern shore of the present-day Shadehill Reservoir in Perkins County, South Dakota, at the forks of the Grand River.