Jesse James and the Civil War in Missouri

by Dyer, Robert L.

• ISBN13: 9780826209597
• ISBN10: 0826209599
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1994-05-01
• Publisher: Univ of Missouri Pr

Summary

The Civil War in Missouri was a time of great confusion, violence, and destruction. 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. This irregular warfare provided a training ground for people like Jesse and Frank James who, after the war, used their newly learned skills to form an outlaw band that ultimately became known all over the world. Jesse James and the Civil War in Missouri discusses the underlying causes of the Civil War as they relate to Missouri and reveals how the war helped create both the legend and the reality of Jesse James and his gang. Written in an accessible style, this valuable little book will be welcomed by anyone with an interest in the Civil War, the legend of Jesse James, or Missouri history.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Jesse James and Robin Hood	p. 1
How the Civil War Came to Missouri	p. 6
Blood on the Border	p. 11
Opening Guns	p. 16
The Battle of Wilson's Creek	p. 23
The Battle of Lexington	p. 27
The Battle of Pea Ridge	p. 30
Guerrilla War	p. 32
Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence and Order No. 11	p. 36
Jesse James Goes to War	p. 40
The Last Great Rebel Raid in Missouri	p. 44
The War Ends and the James Gang Is Born	p. 48
The First Bank Robberies (1866-1872)	p. 52
Trains and Pinkerton Men (1873-1876)	p. 56
The Final Years (1877-1882)	p. 61
The Legend of Jesse James	p. 66
The Civil War as Living History	p. 72
For More Reading	p. 77
Index	p. 81
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.