jjares reviewed Jesse James: A Captivating Guide to a Wild West Outlaw Who Robbed Trains, Banks, and Stagecoaches across the Midwestern United States on + 3278 more book reviews
This explanation of Jesse James (and his brother, Frank's) lives seemed very balanced. Captivating History shows the elements of the James boys' lives that affected their later years. The reader is also introduced to a journalist, John Newman Edwards, who was a biographer (and literally a PR agent for Jesse James) and made him a media star of his day.
From this description, it seems that Jesse (who was younger than Frank), was only about 16 when a violent group of Union men almost killed Jesse's step-father and beat Jesse severely. Jesse then joined Quantrill's men, specifically "Bloody Bill" Anderson. This man was probably the most notorious 'mutilator of opponents' known at the time. Anderson, and his behaviors, had to have had a tremendous effect on the impressionable youngster. Anderson was part of a quasi-militia group of guerilla leaders in the Civil War that targeted citizens who were Union loyalists plus Union troops in Kansas and Missouri. Anderson's butchery was, and is, legendary.
I think the association with such committed killers and mutilators had to have affected Jesse. He still did wrong, but such a steady diet of violence and mayhem must have been a significant factor in his life. Also, Missouri did not settle down after the Civil War; passions were high for years after the culmination of the conflict. Missouri politics and law did not handle amnesty the same as the federal government.
Missouri would not offer amnesty to such violent men. Frank lived and worked in Kentucky for years after the war; he couldn't go home to Missouri. When they looked at the ease of other soldier's return to normal life and the fact that the fatcats of banks and the railroads were profiting off the misery of the defeated, the James men didn't seem to be able to return to a normal life.
This is such an interesting study of Jesse James; his life and the times were tumultuous. It prompted me to read further because this book was so intriguing.
From this description, it seems that Jesse (who was younger than Frank), was only about 16 when a violent group of Union men almost killed Jesse's step-father and beat Jesse severely. Jesse then joined Quantrill's men, specifically "Bloody Bill" Anderson. This man was probably the most notorious 'mutilator of opponents' known at the time. Anderson, and his behaviors, had to have had a tremendous effect on the impressionable youngster. Anderson was part of a quasi-militia group of guerilla leaders in the Civil War that targeted citizens who were Union loyalists plus Union troops in Kansas and Missouri. Anderson's butchery was, and is, legendary.
I think the association with such committed killers and mutilators had to have affected Jesse. He still did wrong, but such a steady diet of violence and mayhem must have been a significant factor in his life. Also, Missouri did not settle down after the Civil War; passions were high for years after the culmination of the conflict. Missouri politics and law did not handle amnesty the same as the federal government.
Missouri would not offer amnesty to such violent men. Frank lived and worked in Kentucky for years after the war; he couldn't go home to Missouri. When they looked at the ease of other soldier's return to normal life and the fact that the fatcats of banks and the railroads were profiting off the misery of the defeated, the James men didn't seem to be able to return to a normal life.
This is such an interesting study of Jesse James; his life and the times were tumultuous. It prompted me to read further because this book was so intriguing.
