Stiles born 1964 in foley, minnesota is an american biographer who lives in berkeley. A sixcity author tour and the powerful photo of a young james on the. In the spring of 1976 i took several princeton students to gettysburg for the first of what became many tours of that memorable battlefield. Apr 28, 2016 download the last full measure a novel of the civil war the civil war 18611865 book 3 pdf free. Jesse found his way to join up with the confederate partisan rangers serving under capt. 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. One hundred and twenty years after that dirty little coward. 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. Some of the stories of jesses war adventures are a little hard to believe, but a good read nonetheless. 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 woodson james september 5, 1847 april 3, 1882 was an american outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla, and leader of the jamesyounger gang. With jesse james as the most public face of the gang though with. 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.
This was a widely noted reassessment of the legendary outlaw, focusing on his life and historical role, rather than his folkculture status. Stripped of the familiar myths surrounding him, james emerges a far more significant figure. Eleven southern slave states declared their secession from the u. Ride the devils herd audiobook by john boessenecker. This war is a crusade the origins of this book go back many years. A rebel war clerks diary at the confederate states capital english keifer, joseph warren, 18361932. 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. There the 16yearold james took part in one of the worst atrocities of the civil war. Aug 26, 2015 some of the stories of jesse s war adventures are a little hard to believe, but a good read nonetheless. The assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford.
He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, is the one line i now remember. Other members of the gang vary depending on the job and who is available, but usually include an array of cousins and friends. American civil war ebooks for all free ebooks download. 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. Yet another jesse james image american civil war forums. The southern army is trying to track down the yankee army during the civil war. Placing james in the context of the civil war and its aftermath should substantially increase the audience for this. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by. Download the last full measure a novel of the civil war the civil war 18611865 book 3 pdf free. 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.
Prize for biography and the national book award for nonfiction, and jesse james. Once, at a custer conference in st paul, minnesota yes, there are such things, and yes, many do dress in cavalry. 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. For cause and comrades the new york times web archive. Southern kansas and much of missouri were battlegrounds for abolitionist and antiabolitionist forces. Last rebel of the civil war, published by alfred a. Lincoln, grant, and the vicksburg campaign home front and battle front.
Traditionally, jesse james has been portrayed as a wild west bandit, a robin hood of sorts. 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. During this visit, i had with me a book id long meant to read but had never gotten around to. Last rebel of the civil war american civil war forums. The book explores the life of one of americas most famous names and chronicles his life from his. Project muse jesse james and the civil war in missouri. Jun 11, 2017 this talk was part of the annual conference hosted by the civil war institute at gettysburg college. Raised in a fiercely proslavery atmosphere in bitterly divided missouri, he began at sixteen to fight alongside some of the most. As frank and jesse make plans to rob a train on september 7, 1881, they. Out of this conflict comes an opportunist, jesse w.
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. 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. Thus, i feel especially qualified to opine about any book regarding ted bundy, al capone, or jesse james. Guerrilla tactics american experience official site pbs. 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. Last rebel of the civil war has received such media attention is that it is only the second book length 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. Raised in the little dixie area of western missouri, james and his family maintained strong southern sympathies. The book explores the life of one of americas most famous names and chronicles his. 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.
Jesse james, the northfield raid, and the wild wests. Apr 09, 2005 jesse s war was, as stiles notes, smallscale, intensely personal, and intensely vicious. Jesse james, my father full audiobook by jesse james, jr by. When stiles, in his subtitle, calls jesse james the last rebel fo the civil war. Sumter, in charleston harbor, jesse was living at home, on the james family farm. Watch jesse james american experience official site pbs. Download life and adventures of frank and jesse james read online. The civil war in missouri was a time of great confusion, violence, and. Click here if your download doesnt start automatically. But, in a thorough examination of his life and times, stiles argues that james more closely resembled a young man with a merciless itch for. Stiles is particularly good at recreating murderous, anarchic missouri society during the civil war and reconstruction, when james, who was born in 1847, came of age. 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. Stiles dives deep into the missouri political picture before, during and after the civil war.
This book forcefully sets jesse james in the context of his times, firmly identifying him as a violent and effective confederate partisan. Stiles takes on one such apparition in jesse james in his vivid interpretive biography of james, jesse james. Stiles the latest and bestever biography of jesse james tears down the myth to reveal not a latterday robin hood, but a. But in this meticulously researched, vividly written account of his life, he emerges as far more complicated. Stiles book jesse james last rebel of the civil war vintiage civil war library. 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. Last rebel of the civil war by tj stiles 546pp, jonathan cape.
Stiles talked about jesse james within the context of the civil war. The south is ambushed, but thanks to the sharpshooting of. The first tycoon won the national book award in 2009. In september 1864, jesse james rode with bill andersons bushwhackers into the small missouri town of centralia. Jesse woodson james september 5, 1847 april 3, 1882 was an american outlaw, bank and. Although several major battles were fought in the state between confederate and union forces, much of the fighting in missouri was an ugly form of terrorism carried out by loose bands of missouri guerrillas, by kansas jayhawkers, or by marauding patrols of union soldiers. 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.
The authors descriptions of the events leading up to the war in the west and the complex political struggle after the war are clear and vivid. Slavery and four years of war a political history of slavery in the united states together with a narrative of the campaigns and battles of the civil war in which the author took part. Jesse james is a notorious outlaw who, with his brother frank, makes up the core of the james gang. 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. Jesses war was, as stiles notes, smallscale, intensely personal, and intensely vicious. He was born on september 5th, 1847 and was a criminal of the old west along with his brother, frank james. A brief history of the lybarger family by lybarger, jesse james, 1865publication date 1915 topics. A brilliant biography of jesse james, and a stunning reinterpretation of an american icon. When americas civil war began, in april of 1861, jesse james was fourteen years old. 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. Stiles was about a man named jesse james who spent most of his life participating in criminal activity. The civil war in missouri was a time of great confusion, violence, and destruction. Read book life and adventures of frank and jesse james 1880. The approach of the american civil war loomed large in the jamessamuel.
Stiles offers a new understanding of the legendary outlaw jesse james. 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. Jesse james and the civil war in missouri by robert l. Sep 17, 2002 a brilliant biography of jesse james, and a stunning reinterpretation of an american icon. A vexing number of factions hunted each other through the regions canebrakes and forests, staging ambushes, assassinating suspected enemies, spreading. The south is ambushed, but thanks to the sharpshooting of frank james gabriel macht. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in more than a. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Last rebel of the civil war, won the ambassador book award and the peter seaborg award for civil war scholarship, and was a new york times notable book. This talk was part of the annual conference hosted by the civil war institute at gettysburg college.
601 1509 1188 1103 1170 705 941 895 1015 527 249 1309 1202 84 1499 184 1437 1262 1520 762 889 1253 1107 1388 1097 783 391 1304 368 1141 149 656 816 579 168 522 565 927 149 900 1044 48 150