The Story of Cole Younger, by Himself

The memoir recounts childhood on a Missouri border farm, the escalating partisan violence that propelled the narrator into guerrilla actions during the sectional conflict, and a series of raids, skirmishes, and outlaw enterprises culminating in the ill-fated Northfield bank raid, capture, and long imprisonment. It details prison life, parole and eventual release, and persistent efforts to correct sensational press and stage portrayals by presenting a firsthand account. Interwoven reflections consider family loyalty, vengeance and honor, the overlap of soldiering and banditry on the border, and the personal lessons learned during later years of rehabilitation.