GUNS Magazine August 1955

Display board with guns Jesse used includes Merwin & Hulbert revolver(top right) and Colt (center) Jesse wore day he was killed.to this, Frank had fought with regularMissouri Confederate troops, but thereis no record of his family beingmolested until after Frank joined Quantrill,that mixture of patriot and brigandwhom the Federals tried to destroy.Then the Union troopers called onthe James house to find Frank. Whipsbacked up their questions and Jesse'smother and sister Susan were put into afilthy jail where Susan almost died fromfever. Jesse escaped, and with Frankand Quantrill became accustomed to thesound of shots in the dark, ambushesalong forest-bordered roads in theMissouri country, and the sight ofviolent death. Jesse received an almostfatal lung wound in a skirmishat Flat Rock Ford in August of 1864,but was nursed back to health by afamily who lived nearby.After Lee's surrender Jesse led a"This particular model is redlyrare. Jesse James never did own it!"band of guerillas under a flag of truceto Lexington, Missouri, to surrenderto Union troops. There a soldier firedat him, wounding him through thesame lung so severely that he was givenup for dead. This time he was caredfor by a cousin, Zerelda Mimms, whomhe later married.It seemed as if they would not letJesse surrender. Under terms of theDrake Constitution of 1865 as adoptedby the state of Missouri, all Confederatesoldiers or sympathizers were strictlyforbidden to practice any professions oract as deacons of any church underheavy penalty. For ten years this situationexisted, during which Jesse couldnot have studied for any advanced kindof work, nor have become an activemember of the community in ordinaryfashion. By then, it was too late. JesseJames was (Continmed on page 49)