John Potts, a hardy hunter, initially worried William Clark at Camp Dubois during the expedition's first winter, but became a trusted hand in later years. He died tragically shortly after the expedition, killed by Blackfeet Indians, a common fate for mountain men.
Potts, a black-haired, black-eyed Hessian miller, enlisted in the army in 1800 and joined the Lewis and Clark expedition from South West Point, Tennessee. He was one of the expedition's hunters, often traveling in small groups. Notably, he accompanied Clark, York and Joseph Field in search of the Shoshones in July 1805, enduring the harsh Montana terrain.
After the expedition, Potts worked for fur trader Manuel Lisa and helped establish Fort Raymond. In 1808, while trapping with John Colter, they were ambushed by Blackfeet warriors. Potts was killed after refusing to surrender, preferring to fight until the end rather than face likely torture.
https://lewis-clark.org/members/john-potts/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Potts_(American_frontiersman)