Last rebel of the civil war by tj stiles 546pp, jonathan cape. In retaliation for the guerrillas raid on lawrence, kansas, which left 185 men and boys lying dead on the ground, the section of. A vexing number of factions hunted each other through the regions canebrakes and forests, staging ambushes, assassinating suspected enemies, spreading. When stiles, in his subtitle, calls jesse james the last rebel fo the civil war. The assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford is a 2007 american epic revisionist western film written and directed by andrew dominik. Gunslingers s01 ep03 jesse james the souths last rebel. Jesse james and the civil war in missouri by robert l. Carries the reader scrupulously through jamess violent, violent life. A trailer for the awardwinning civil war novel nobel cause by historical fiction author jessica james, using art by renowned civil war artist john paul strain. Yet another jesse james image american civil war forums. Jesse james, one of the most violent outlaws of the wild west, got his first taste for violence as a civil war guerrilla fighting for the confederates. In matters of jesse james, there were perhaps 20 outlaws who borrowed jesses persona to commit their crimes. The war never ended for jesse james, and until he died it never ended for missouri either.
Southern kansas and much of missouri were battlegrounds for abolitionist and antiabolitionist forces. Oct 11, 2011 jesse james, one of the most violent outlaws of the wild west, got his first taste for violence as a civil war guerrilla fighting for the confederates although he came to be known as one of the most dangerous bandits of the west, james started out his life as a religious, peaceful farm boy who seemed destined for a career as a minister, like his father robert, who died in california while. Out of this conflict comes an opportunist, jesse w. Robert, who went by the nickname bob, and his older brother charles, finally got the chance to meet jesse when they befriended him in 1880 while he was. Stiles dives deep into the missouri political picture before, during and after the civil war.
It was directed by nicholas ray, with robert wagner portraying jesse james and jeffrey hunter starring as frank james. The true story of jesse james is a 1957 american western drama film adapted from henry kings 1939 film jesse james, which was only loosely based on james life. Although he has often been portrayed as a robin hood of the old west, in this groundbreaking work stiles. Stiles book jesse james last rebel of the civil war vintiage civil war library. The imperial diet and the beginning of the war of spanish succession. While plowing in a field behind his home in late may of 1863, young jesse was suddenly surrounded by a mounted detail of union soldiers. Although he came to be known as one of the most stay safe and healthy. A sixcity author tour and the powerful photo of a young james on the. One hundred and twenty years after that dirty little coward robert ford shot. Stiles takes on one such apparition in jesse james in his vivid interpretive biography of james, jesse james. We follow james as he places himself squarely in the forefront of the former confederates bid to capture political power with his reckless daring, his visibility, his partisan pronouncements, and his alliance with a rising exconfederate editor, john newman edwards, who helped shape jamess image for their common purpose. He became a visible symbol of the confederacy for those in missouri who had fought for the south, a man who refused to give up the fight, and he still enjoyed widespread support amongst exconfederates, which largely contributed to the difficulties the authorities had in apprehending him.
All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by. Jesse, still harboring a serious grudge against the north, wanted to go all the way up that far north and rob the bank, for several reasons, one of which was to tell the yankees that he was still. It certainly seems that but for the civil war the james and younger boys who both came from prosperous upper middle income families most likely would not have chosen crime. Jesse james was only 14 when the war began and was too young to be accepted by the confederate army or by quantrills irregular forces. Thus, i feel especially qualified to opine about any book regarding ted bundy, al capone, or jesse james. Gritty, thorough, and insightful, stiles book is a fabulous look into the turbulent times of the 1860s,70s,80s from the perspective of the state of mo. He was born on september 5th, 1847 and was a criminal of the old west along with his brother, frank james. He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, is the one line i now remember. Most of the members of the jamesyounger gang had ridden with confederate guerrillas william quantrill and bloody bill anderson along the missourikansas border region during the american civil war 18611865. Stiles expertlycrafted tale of jesse james as the last rebel and how he carried on the civil war in the state of missouri from 1865 to the ultimate confederate political victory in the centennial year of 1876. Stiles the latest and bestever biography of jesse james tears down the myth to reveal not a latterday robin hood, but a. Robert newton ford was an outlaw from missouri born on january 31, 1862. The abolition of slavery the right of the government under the war power english. Traditionally, jesse james has been portrayed as a wild west bandit, a robin hood of sorts.
Last rebel of the civil war american civil war forums. Last rebel of the civil war has received such media attention is that it is only the second booklength study of the outlaw to take a scholarly look at himthat is, to truly try to explain him in the context of his times, rather than simply throwing a few more pebbles on the pile of details. Personal recollections and civil war diary, 1864 english as author. Last rebel of the civil war is a gripping, welldocumented and convincingly argued reinterpretation of jesse james life and legend, and his place in american history. Project muse jesse james and the civil war in missouri.
Guerrilla tactics american experience official site pbs. The last rebel posted on december 4, 20 february 28, 2017 by kim seabrook jesse james was a hero of the american west but also a coldbloodied killer, a proslavery rebel who fought in the vicious internecine struggle on the kansasmissouri border during the civil war he refused to surrender at the end of it, and was determined. Jesse s mother stood some six feet tall, with a forceful personality and a steely gaze. The book explores the life of one of americas most famous names and chronicles his life from his. The assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford. But, in a thorough examination of his life and times, stiles argues that james more closely. This talk was part of the annual conference hosted by the civil war institute at gettysburg college. Stiles notes rather laconically that there is no evidence that the james gang did anything with their loot except spend it on. Jesse found his way to join up with the confederate partisan rangers serving under capt. In april, the missouri state museum will continue to have museum after hours on the first wednesday of each month and stay open until 8 p. He emerges with a firstrate examination of james and all the commotion he caused not only in his own time but also later on. Jesse woodson james september 5, 1847 april 3, 1882 was an american outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla, and leader of the james younger gang.
He fought fiercely and was allowed to join his brother frank under captain wm. Jesse james was, bar none, the most famous criminal of the old west, in part because of his addictively alliterative name. Zerelda james american experience official site pbs. But in this meticulously researched, vividly written account of his life, he emerges as far more complicated. Jesse james, one of the most violent outlaws of the wild west, got his first taste for violence as a civil war guerrilla fighting for the confederates although he came to be known as one of the most dangerous bandits of the west, james started out his life as a religious, peaceful farm boy who seemed destined for a career as a minister, like his father robert, who died in california while. He and his brother frank james joined proconfederate guerrillas known as bushwhackers operating in missouri and kansas. When the civil war ended, his violent path led him into the brutal conflicts of reconstruction. In 1864 young jesse james joined the confederate army, where he was involved in many conflicts from military actions to committing personal atrocities. The men of the posse road all over the midwest and south to fight a. Jun 11, 2017 this talk was part of the annual conference hosted by the civil war institute at gettysburg college. This page is your portal to essays and selected primary sources related to jesse james.
Last rebel of the civil war, published by alfred a. Although he came to be known as one of the most jesse james frank james american civil war american history captain american carolina do sul old west outlaws bill anderson confederate states of. Larry mcmurtry, the new republic a fascinating challnge to old legends. Jesses mother stood some six feet tall, with a forceful personality and a steely gaze. Placing james in the context of the civil war and its aftermath should substantially increase the audience for this. Adapted from ron hansens 1983 novel of the same name, the film dramatizes the relationship between jesse james and robert ford casey affleck, focusing on the events that lead up to the titular killing. Today, with a white nationalist installed as president, jesse james is. The south is ambushed, but thanks to the sharpshooting of frank james gabriel macht. Originally titled the james brothers in the united kingdom, the film focused on the. Each of those james gangs had 3 to 5 members at a minimum. Just before the battle of centralia, the confederate.
Stiles offers a new understanding of the legendary outlaw jesse james. James who uses the civil war as a springboard to fame and cementing his legacy as one of the greatest and cerberal outlaws of all time. A brilliant biography of jesse james, and a stunning reinterpretation of an american icon. Although he has often been portrayed as a robin hood of the old west, in this groundbreaking work stiles places james within the context of the bloody conflicts of the civil war to reveal a much more complicated and significant figure. With the civil war raging in every corner of the nation, a sixteen year old jesse james joined a confederate posse that fought on horseback under the command of bloody bill anderson. The james stiles depicts is one that hollywood would avoid like the plaguea racist, violent criminal bigot who was still fighting the cause of southern slavery 20 years after the civil war had ended.
Stiles was about a man named jesse james who spent most of his life participating in criminal activity. Jesse woodson james was americas most romanticized bandit, celebrated as a kind of avenging robin hood. T j stiles a reassessment of the legendary american outlaw chronicles the life of jesse james, from his youth in missouri, to his teenage years fighting alongside confederate guerrillas, to his criminal career. Adventures of huckleberry finn, chapters 36 to the last english. Stripped of the familiar myths surrounding him, james emerges a far more significant figure. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. The southern army is trying to track down the yankee army during the civil war. Stiles talked about jesse james within the context of the civil war. Like many young missouri men of his time, he grew up admiring the civil war record and exploits of the famous bandit, jesse james, a fellow missouri native. Woody guthrie once wrote two nearidentical ballads. Centralia is one of the stories that resulted by accident, in a sense.
The civil war in missouri was a time of great confusion, violence, and destruction. Raised in the little dixie area of western missouri, james and his family maintained strong southern sympathies. When americas civil war began, in april of 1861, jesse james was fourteen years old. Once, at a custer conference in st paul, minnesota yes, there are such things, and yes, many do dress in cavalry. Last rebel of the civil war is a thorough study of how jesse james became the man he was and why his legend grew beyond mere outlaw status. Dec 09, 2008 the civil war in the ozarks says this of james. One hundred and twenty years after that dirty little coward robert ford shot jesse james in the back of the head while the latter stood on a chair to dust a picture in his missouri home, scholars continue to debate the outlaws importance in american social history. And all of the members and their deeds were attributed to the legend of a single james gang. The first was about the 19thcentury outlaw jesse james, the second about another. Apr 09, 2005 jesse s war was, as stiles notes, smallscale, intensely personal, and intensely vicious. Stiles the latest and bestever biography of jesse james tears down the myth to reveal not a latterday robin hood, but a greedy, presssavvy bandit. Jesses career spanned 17 years and hosted more than 80 members in his gang alone.