Jesse James remains one of the most iconic and romanticized figures in American history, known for his bank robberies and guerrilla warfare during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Born in Missouri in 1847, James was raised in a family that supported the Confederacy and was influenced by his mother's strong southern views. He joined his brother Frank in the Confederate guerrilla band led by William Quantrell and later formed his own gang, robbing banks and trains across the country. James's exploits were often romanticized in the press, and he became a folk hero for many southerners. However, his life was marked by violence and tragedy, including the death of his half-brother and the eventual betrayal by one of his own gang members, Bob Ford, who shot him in the back of the head in 1882.
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