The gunifights of Jesse James - The Ayoob Files

American Handgunner, July-August, 2003 by Massad Ayoob

It was also, in the end, the formula that created the famed outlaw himself, whether as a hero or as a murderer. Various incidents in which members of his family were wrongfully tortured, imprisoned, maimed and killed by Union forces and Union sympathizers engendered in Jesse James an implacable hatred and thirst for revenge that led to many deaths and much tragedy. It was a cycle that did not end until, in a classic example of "what goes around, comes around," the exact same dynamic led Bob Ford to shoot him in the back of the head the first time Jesse dropped his guard.

(1) Stiles, T.J., "Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War," New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002, P.126. (2) Ibid., p.394. (3) Ibid., pp. 134-135. (4) Ibid., p. 88. (5) Ibid., p.266. (6) Brant, Marley, "Jesse James: the Man and the Myth," New York: Berkley Books, 1998, p. 37. (7) Stiles, op. cit., p.203 (8) Ibid., p. 126. (9) Ibid., p. 205. (10) Keith, Elmer "Sixguns by Keith," New York: Bonanza Books, 1955, p.28. (11) Jinks, Roy, "History of Smith & Wesson," North Hollywood, CA: Beinfeld Publishing, 1977, p. 70. (12) Law, Richard and Brookesmith, Peter, "The Fighting Handgun," London: Arms and Armour Press, 1996, p.39. (13) Gaylord, Chic, "Handgunner's Guide," New York: Hastings House, 1960, p. 155. (14) Stiles, op.cit. p. 375. (15) St. Louis Missouri Republican newspaper, April 7, 1882. (16) Supica, Jim, and Nahas, Richard, "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson," Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1996, p.66. (17) Stiles, op. cit., p. 374.