Benton's Books

The gifted Canadian artist, Carl Shinkaruk, did the cover for "Missouri in Flames, I Rode with Jesse James" and I absolutely love it!  Carl is a very talented man and you can see more of his work by clicking here.  I think this painting captures the feelings I had behind the book as I wrote it.  You can almost smell the smoke from a battle hear the guns as they fire!

But, I love the dark colors that contrast with the lighter ones to give a feeling of loneliness, in my opinion. 

I've been swamped proofing and editing, so if my spelling and such are off a mite, give me a break!   LOL...I've read over four hundred pages the last few days and not for enjoyment either.

The Jesse James book is special.  As I say in the

My Great-Grandmother, Nancy Buck, often told me stories of the James Gang when I was a young boy.  She was born in 1859, or so she said, and lived for a little more than 100 years.   Grandma Buck was a typical of many frontier women; she used snuff, lived a hard life and could make a meal from almost nothing.  However, she differed from many others; in she claimed she’d known the James Gang personally.  Since she’d spent her entire life in the Missouri Ozark Mountains, there is a good chance she did in fact meet them at some point.  

Grandma stated more than once one of the James boys stopped at her dad’s farm to rest, eat, or borrow a horse.  Her father, she always reminded me with a big grin, was never concerned about repayment.   He might wake up one morning with a new horse and a bill of sale tied to the porch, or a small sack of money on the doorstep, or perhaps even something he needed badly in the barn.  “Besides,” as Grandma used to say, “them James boys were Missouri boys and we didn’t turn our backs on our own.”

She told me how the local folks in Little Dixie (Southern sympathizers in the Missouri Valley heartland) thought of the James Gang as their own personal heroes, men still fighting the DamnedYankees (yes, my Grandma pronounced it as one word) for the rights of the poor and to avenge the defeated South.  When I asked about the killings that occurred during the robberies, I remember her chuckle as she replied, “When ya rob banks people get killed some times, but if ya only rob Yankee banks it ain’t such a big thing.”

I remember her telling me “Jesse was the good lookin’ one and Frank had all the brains.”  However, she thought Cole Younger was a very special man, not only was he handsome, but very intelligent as well.  Grandma Buck also claimed the Gang was ran by Cole, not the James boys.  Also, for some reason she didn’t care much for some of the other members of the gang and just mentioning the Ford brothers would bring a few minutes of hard cursing.  

Some of things she told me are in this book, though I doubt few of them are historically accurate.  Grandma Buck was a firm believer in the Southern cause, though not once can I ever remember the issue of slavery ever coming up.  She could, and at odd times would, talk for hours about states rights and importance of the Federal Government not growing “to big fer it’s own breeches.”  She claimed the Civil War was fought by the South to preserve a way of life, a culture, and most importantly the right to decided for themselves how to be governed.

Many of the names in this book are of men and women who actually lived during the time and while I have used them fictiously, the events they were a part of are document history.  Additionally I have taken the liberty of attempting to use a dialog that would fit the individuals known or suggested character.  This was done to make the story flow easier and for historians, who really know, I offer you my deepest envy of your knowledge.

Of Quantrill’s Raiders, William Clark, “Blood Bill” Anderson, Archie Clement, Hugh Archie, W.A. Baker, Jeff Emery, William McQuire, “Whiskey Head” (William) Ryan, and the James boys, were all real men living in a difficult and bloody time.  I have used them to add historical authenticity to the book. 

Additionally, there really was a 3^rd Missouri Infantry, a 10^th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, as well as a 15^th Arkansas Cavalry Battalion (all Confederate units).  In addition, the 10th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment did in fact escort the state government of Arkansas from Hot Springs to Washington, Arkansas, though I have a very small unit doing the escorting.  Most of the characters in the unit’s are pure fiction, only the names of unit commanders and Thomas, Joseph, David, and a William Duval of Company C of the 3^rd Missouri Infantry were real people as far as I know.

Some readers might find it strange that I’ve use African Americans as scouts with both Quantrill and the 10^th Arkansas.  Black men did fight for the Confederacy, thought it is not well known.  Just like the North, the South offered a black man his freedom if he fought, but he had to have permission from his owner to join a unit.  African Americans fought for their country, regardless of the side, just as white men did.  I think it’s time for African Americans to be included in Western books and portrayed as the people they were, important settlers of the Wild West.

Regional names of places and towns are accurate as well. The town of Rolla, Missouri, was indeed a large supply point for Union troops working in the Ozark Mountains during the war and I graduated from Rolla Senior High School in 1971.  In addition, Cold Springs, where Jim, Bob, and Littlefeather hanged Coon Baxter, is there yet today and I was born about two miles from the spot (Vida).  The cave high on the bluff where Jim, Bob and Littlefeather hide on the Big Piney River and meet with storeowner turned spy Cisco, is located near Devils Elbow, Missouri.  And, of course, there is a Pilot Knob, Missouri.

The large cities in the states of Missouri and Arkansas were all thriving, but at a lesser degree, at the time of the Civil War.  Meramec Caverns, where I have Jesse, Frank, and Jim return to after the disastrous Northfield raid does exist and today guided tours are given to visitors.  I have no evidence to suggest the boys went to Meramec Caverns after the raid, but I chose to use it to demonstrate the cave was a spot the gang often visited to rest or re-supply.

Finally, the name Jim Light was selected for my main character in this book because Light was Grandma Buck’s maiden name and I wanted to honor her memory.  The attitude and thoughts of Jim in this book are to a degree, what I remember hearing from my Grandma.  And, just like Jim Light, Grandma Buck was a tough woman who lived when Missouri was in Flames. 

Y'all take care and stay safe,

W.R. Benton