Jesse James is remembered as an American outlaw murdered while adjusting a picture on his wall. James robbed banks earning the reputation as a modern day Robin Hood. People believed he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. They also felt he defended southern honor following the Civil War. During the war, James fought in a guerrilla outfit that committed horrible atrocities. His wartime service provided training for his future career as a bank robber as he learned hit-and-run tactics, psychological warfare, and how to kill without remorse.
Missouri stood as a key border state during the Civil War. The state represented the country as secessionists and unionists both competed for control. The Unionists controlled the state declared martial law, raided civilian homes, and executed people without trial. Southern sympathizers decided the only response was guerilla warfare. The guerillas often murdered civilians and even scalped their victims. The James family supported the Confederates and Frank James joined the local army. His younger brother, Jesse, remained at home.
An illness forced Frank James to return to Jesse following the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. After recovering, he joined a guerilla unit. Union forces identified James as a guerilla and raided his family farm. The squad tortured Frank’s stepfather and whipped his brother. Jesse James wanted vengeance and joined the war.
The James brothers joined Quantrill’s Raiders. Quantrill’s group proved difficult to defeat. They knew the territory and the Union forces they encountered tended to be inexperienced. During this period, Jesse James learned survival skills and how to launch lightning raids. James also learned how to kill without remorse. William Quantrill’s guerillas were notoriously vicious and brutal.
Before James involvement with the band, Quantrill’s Raiders murdered 200 people in cold blood. On August 21, 1863, they attacked the undefended Lawrence, Kansas which served as a base for pro-Union forces and was a hotbed of abolitionism. The 450-man raiding party descended into Lawrence and murdered any man or boy that could hold a rifle. The guerillas dragged people from their homes and shot them in front of their families. After the mass murder, they looted the town and left it in flames.
James joined the Raiders after Lawrence. By this point, Quantrill experienced difficulties controlling his unruly men and the band broke apart. Jesse and Frank James joined a splinter group led by Bloody Bill Anderson. Anderson earned his nickname. He kept a scalp collection tied to his horse bridle. James learned how to dehumanize his victims riding with Anderson.
After recovering from a gunshot wound to the chest, James participated in the Centralia Massacre. Anderson’s guerillas captured 24 Union soldiers. They massacred the troops rather than take them into custody. Afterward, the guerillas dismembered and scalped the dead. After escaping a Union force seeking vengeance for the atrocities, they ambushed another Union detachment and murdered over 100 surrendering soldiers. This episode had all the hallmarks of a James Gang raid. It involved ambush, senseless murder, dehumanization, and a dramatic escape. However, justice eventually caught up with Blood Bill.
The Union army killed Anderson in October. After Anderson’s demise, the James brothers split up. Frank rejoined Quantrill while Jessie moved to Texas to fight. Quantrill died in action in 1865. The same year, Jesse James suffered another chest wound. Ironically, he was shot trying to surrender. James war ended, but his criminal career had yet begun.
Jesse James’ criminal actions did not begin after Civil War. He learned to kill and degrade human life fighting the war. Missouri became his training ground. His guerilla units did not really fight. Instead, they committed atrocities and murdered in cold blood. They also looted and robbed without remorse. The skills he learned during the war prepared him for the outlaw lifestyle.
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