Jesse james last rebel of the civil war sparknotes

Stiles book jesse james last rebel of the civil war vintiage civil war library. In the spring of 1976 i took several princeton students to gettysburg for the first of what became many tours of that memorable battlefield. I liked the ties into the politics of the time and jamess involvement in them. He fought fiercely and was allowed to join his brother frank under captain wm. The assassination of jesse james by the coward robert. Stiles dives deep into the missouri political picture before, during and after the civil war. 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. The civil war in missouri was a time of great confusion, violence, and destruction. Stiles in his biography of jesse james, jesse james, last rebel of the civil war, the banditry and robin hood image that has come to be. Stiles offers a new understanding of the legendary outlaw jesse james.

Jun 11, 2017 this talk was part of the annual conference hosted by the civil war institute at gettysburg college. The assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford. Jesse, still harboring a serious grudge against the north, wanted to go all the. When the north won the civil war, james took it personally. Unable to accept the defeat of the secessionist cause, jesse trained.

Although he has often been portrayed as a robin hood. 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. 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. Last rebel of the civil war is the best work on james that ive seen to date. Stiles the latest and bestever biography of jesse james tears down the myth to reveal not a latterday robin hood, but a. Traditionally, jesse james has been portrayed as a wild west bandit, a robin hood of sorts. Stiles was about a man named jesse james who spent most of his life participating in criminal activity.

After the civil war ended, jesse and frank made their living robbing stagecoaches, banks and trains. Jesse woodson james was born on september 5, 1847, in clay county, missouri, near the site of presentday kearney. A sixcity author tour and the powerful photo of a young james on the. Last rebel of the civil war 608 words 3 pages in the biography, jessie james.

Jesse james was, bar none, the most famous criminal of the old west, in part because of his addictively alliterative name. The first tycoon won the national book award in 2009. 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. 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. It includes details about his early life that ive never seen anywhere else. 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.

Last rebel of the civil war, published by alfred a. On this day in history, outlaw jesse james took a bullet to the brain. The southern army is trying to track down the yankee army during the civil war. Jesse woodson james september 5, 1847 april 3, 1882 was an american outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla, and leader of the jamesyounger gang. It is also a book that should have been unnecessary.

Jan 17, 2003 the first was about the 19thcentury outlaw jesse james, the second about another outlaw, jesus christ. But in this meticulously researched, vividly written account of his life, he emerges as far more complicated. The first was about the 19thcentury outlaw jesse james, the second about another outlaw, jesus christ. Guerrilla tactics american experience official site pbs. The south is ambushed, but thanks to the sharpshooting of. 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. That is the basis of this book by jay feldman, who added the subtitle empire, intrigue, murder, and the new madrid earthquakes. On this day in history, outlaw jesse james took a bullet to. Stiles argues that the jamesyounger gang was not a group of social bandits, nor was it merely an outfit aimed at hurting the big bankers and railroads of. Stiles, 2002 19 a terrible quintette john newman edwards, 1873 27 rebel gun arthur steur, 1956 40. 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. Yet another jesse james image american civil war forums.

This area of missouri was largely settled by people from the upper south, especially kentucky and tennessee, and became known as little dixie for this reason. This talk was part of the annual conference hosted by the civil war institute at gettysburg college. The philosophical war between northern and southern views had been going on both verbally and physically several years before the civil war actually started. Directed by andrew dominik and starring some of my favourite actors and jeremy renner its a long period piece delving into the relationship between jesse james and his eventual killer, robert ford. 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. Raised in the little dixie area of western missouri, james and his family maintained strong southern sympathies. 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. He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, is the one line i now remember. 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. Stiles talked about jesse james within the context of the civil war.

The book explores the life of one of americas most famous names and chronicles his life from his. This war is a crusade the origins of this book go back many years. Stripped of the familiar myths surrounding him, james emerges a far more significant figure. Find sample tests, essay help, and translations of shakespeare. Last rebel of the civil war american civil war forums. The south is ambushed, but thanks to the sharpshooting of frank james gabriel macht. Sparknotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, and more. Last rebel of the civil war by tj stiles 546pp, jonathan cape. A teenager when he rode off to join confederate guerrillas in 1864, jesse james never really stopped fighting the civil war. Jesse james is seen by many as a modern day robin hood a southern gentlemen avenging the efforts. There the 16yearold james took part in one of the worst atrocities of the civil war. Last rebel of the civil war, won the ambassador book award and the peter seaborg award for civil war scholarship, and was a.

The lure of collecting reward money was far stronger than any loyalty he had to jesse james, it appears. 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. Last rebel of the civil war, a biography by pulitzer prizewinning. Jesse james and the civil war in missouri by robert l. Project muse jesse james and the civil war in missouri. Analysis of the assassination of jesse james by the coward. Thats new madrid, missouri where the earthquakes referenced occurred in three major episodes from december 1811 to february 1812. Raised in a fiercely proslavery atmosphere in bitterly divided missouri, he began at sixteen to fight alongside some of the most. Stiles book is as much a study of the socialpoliticaleconomic history of missouri from 1845 through 1882 as it is a biography of james. Rather than accepting the new order, the james brothers turned on it. 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. Last rebel of the civil war is perhaps the finest book ever written about this american legend.

With the possible exception of billy the kid, jesse woodson james is americas most famous outlaw. The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt is a 2009 biography of cornelius vanderbilt, a 19thcentury american industrialist and philanthropist who built his fortune in the shipping and railroad industries, becoming. 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. On this day in history, outlaw jesse james took a bullet. On april 3, 1882, jesse was shot to death be a member of his own gang. His first book 2002 was a fascinating look at jesse james. Jesse found his way to join up with the confederate partisan rangers serving under capt. When americas civil war began, in april of 1861, jesse james was fourteen years old. 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. 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. Aug 04, 2014 from the ashes of the confederacy rises a bold rebel outlaw determined to get rich. A brilliant biography of jesse james, and a stunning reinterpretation of an american icon.

The epic life of cornelius vanderbilt is a 2009 biography of cornelius vanderbilt, a 19thcentury american industrialist and philanthropist who built his fortune in the shipping and railroad industries, becoming one of the wealthiest americans in the history of the u. Apr 03, 2017 we waited a long time to catch jesse without his revolvers, robert would say later, according to jesse james. The true adventures of jesse james, outlaw confederate. 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. Jesse james is one of those historical figures ive never known very much about. Once, at a custer conference in st paul, minnesota yes, there are such things, and yes, many do dress in cavalry. The assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford is a stupendous movie. The ground shook, the big river changed direction, and it affected people.

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. 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. Was jesse james fighting to bring back the confederacy. This study guide consists of approximately 36 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford. 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 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. Thus, i feel especially qualified to opine about any book regarding ted bundy, al capone, or jesse james. Placing james in the context of the civil war and its aftermath should substantially increase the audience for this. Sumter, in charleston harbor, jesse was living at home, on the james family farm. Stiles has given us a most insightful, penetrating, and serious study not just of that outlaw, but more importantly.