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. Traditionally, jesse james has been portrayed as a wild west bandit, a robin hood of sorts. Last rebel of the civil war, stiles attempts to penetrate the layers of fabrications swaddling james to uncover something of the real man and his motives. A photograph of jesse james, taken in july 1864, captures a 16yearold boy in. Stiles offers a new understanding of the legendary outlaw jesse james. Last rebel of the civil war 9780375705588 by stiles, t. Jesse james was, bar none, the most famous criminal of the old west, in part because of his addictively alliterative name. 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.
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. Last rebel of the civil war free mobi epub ebooks download. 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. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt, winner of the pulitzer prize for biography and the national book award for nonfiction, and 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. 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. Stiles paints a broad canvas, placing james in the wider political settings of the civil war and reconstruction. Stiles dives deep into the missouri political picture before, during and after the civil war. 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. Project muse jesse james and the civil war in missouri. Unread copy, pages and cover are crisp and unmarked.
Raised in the little dixie area of western missouri, james and his family maintained strong southern sympathies. He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, is the one line i now remember. Virtually every account of jesse james has stressed his confederate roots and. This was a widely noted reassessment of the legendary outlaw, focusing on his life and historical role, rather than his folkculture status. Jesse did win recognition as a rebel guerillafighter in the civil war, a robber of banks, trains and stagecoaches and as a cold blooded merciless killer but also, in the minds of many, as the last rebel of the civil war, a symbol of ongoing rebellion that brought hope to those who still believed in the lost cause. Unlike previous authors who emphasized james as the daring train and bank robber, stiles seeks to understand the world of rural western missouri, into which jesse woodson james was born in 1847. The first was about the 19thcentury outlaw jesse james, the second about another outlaw, jesus christ. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. Stiles 2002, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay.
Stiles book jesse james last rebel of the civil war vintiage civil war library. Yet another jesse james image american civil war forums. When stiles, in his subtitle, calls jesse james the last rebel fo the civil war. Dec 04, 20 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 to continue it by any other means.
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. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Thus, i feel especially qualified to opine about any book regarding ted bundy, al capone, or jesse james. Last rebel of the civil war 9780375405839 by stiles, t. Jun 11, 2017 this talk was part of the annual conference hosted by the civil war institute at gettysburg college. Pulitzer prize for biography and the national book award for nonfiction, and jesse james.
The book explores the life of one of americas most famous names and chronicles his life from his. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. 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. A sixcity author tour and the powerful photo of a young james on the. One hundred and twenty years after that dirty little coward. Stiles has produced what must be considered the definitive james biography of this generation. 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 2003, paperback at the best online prices at ebay.
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. A brilliant biography of jesse james, and a stunning reinterpretation of an american icon. The south is ambushed, but thanks to the sharpshooting of frank james gabriel macht. 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 talked about jesse james within the context of the civil war. Quantrill, bloody bill anderson, and all, with whom the still. Larry mcmurtry, the new republic a fascinating challnge to old legends. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app.
The story of the famous american outlaw in the wild west. The southern army is trying to track down the yankee army during the civil war. Stripped of the familiar myths surrounding him, james emerges a far more significant figure. James had been a confederate guerrilla during the war, and stiles discusses at considerable length and with insight the bestknown guerrilla bands of the war, william c. The best new audiobooks for your thanksgiving drive the. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. This book forcefully sets jesse james in the context of his times, firmly identifying him as a violent and effective confederate partisan. Yet, despite his books virtues, stiles only deepens the mystery.
Raised in a fiercely proslavery atmosphere in bitterly divided missouri, he began at sixteen to fight alongside some of the most. Frank and virginia williams collection of lincolniana mississippi state university. Archie clement january 1, 1846 december, 1866, also known as little arch or little archie, was a proconfederate guerrilla leader during the american civil war, known for his brutality towards union soldiers and prounion civilians in the state of missouri. To make the argument, stiles retells the story of the civil war in missouri with considerable verve. Bruns is a historian and retired deputy executive director. Last rebel of the civil war, which received more about t.
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. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by. Out of this conflict comes an opportunist, jesse w. Once, at a custer conference in st paul, minnesota yes, there are such things, and yes, many do dress in cavalry. Stiles the latest and bestever biography of jesse james tears down the myth to reveal not. Jesse woodson james september 5, 1847 april 3, 1882 was an american outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla, and leader of the jamesyounger gang. Stiles jesse james, last rebel of the civil war, both the historical, social, and political factors that influenced james and his life as a bandit are detailed and integrated to form a cogent picture of the man versus what popular legend states. Last rebel of the civil war american civil war forums. I liked the ties into the politics of the time and james s involvement in them. Last rebel of the civil war by tj stiles 546pp, jonathan cape. 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. Placing james in the context of the civil war and its aftermath should substantially increase the audience for this. It includes details about his early life that ive never seen anywhere else.
Jan 17, 2003 the first was about the 19thcentury outlaw jesse james, the second about another outlaw, jesus christ. The conceptual apparatus is as applicable to iowa as it is to missouri and arkansas. More than a biography, the book is also a history of the civil war in missouri. 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.
Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in more than. Biography, frontier and pioneer life, guerrillas, history. Last rebel of the civil war is the best work on james that ive seen to date. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read jesse james. But in this meticulously researched, vividly written account of his life, he emerges as far more complicated. The civil war in missouri was a time of great confusion, violence, and destruction. Libraries stripped of the familiar myths surrounding him, in this book, jesse james emerges a far more significant figure. Jesse james revealed jesse james, frank james, outlaw, shot all to hell, wild west, last rebel, civil war, robert ford as want to read. Carries the reader scrupulously through james s violent, violent life. Watch jesse james american experience official site pbs. Paperback the item is fairly worn but still readable. Last rebel of the civil war, published by alfred a.