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Hard Way Out of Hell: The Confessions of Cole Younger
In 1913, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Lawrence, Kansas, Massacre, former bushwhacker Cole Younger stands before a preacher at a tent revival. “I was, I remain, and I will always be a wicked man,” Younger states, taking a step toward salvation. For a man like Cole Younger, there is much to confess.
326 pages, Library Binding
Published December 1, 2016
5 people want to read
About the author
Johnny D. Boggs
106 books83 followersJohnny D. Boggs is a Spur- and Wrangler Award-winning author of the American West and frontier. Born in 1962, Boggs grew up on a farm near Timmonsville, South Carolina, around the old stamping grounds of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion (chronicled in his frontier novel The Despoilers). He knew he wanted to be a writer at an early age. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife, Lisa Smith; son, Jack Smith Boggs; and basset hound, June.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 19, 2023
This is not the cover nor the full title of my copy of the book. Unfortunately, this cover seems to be locked in on the book page, which is another reason for me to hate the changes that were made, but certainly not the only one.
The title of my copy is Hard Way Out of Hell: The Confessions of Cole Younger. As the author explains in an epilogue, it is a work of fiction and therefore not the actual confessions of the famous outlaw, though it is grounded in fact.
He further cautions: "Don't quote me in your term paper. I make things up."
The title of my copy is Hard Way Out of Hell: The Confessions of Cole Younger. As the author explains in an epilogue, it is a work of fiction and therefore not the actual confessions of the famous outlaw, though it is grounded in fact.
He further cautions: "Don't quote me in your term paper. I make things up."
December 19, 2025
Well, there was eight of us boys, that went off on that long journey up in that Northfield bank. And we were the finest outfit to ever make a living with a gun, but we sure had some surprise coming down to us on that September day.
We were so used to have an easy time of it in our own territory that we sure had it bargained for them brave heroics performed by them Minnesota folks, and as soon as they heard their bank was being robbed, the townspeople came out shooting muskets and shotguns, even throwing rocks at us.
They shot us all to hell.
Bill Chadwell was lying dead and Clell Miller've been tempered with buckshots and bells were ringing and horses were rearing up and women screaming and Jesse and me were in the street firing shots to keep the people back while Frank and Bob were inside the bank. They were having an even worse time of it when we were. Of all things, the safe was in a time lock and there weren't a damn thing they can do about it.
Frank just went crazy and shot the cashier. So there we were. The James and the Younger boys. Big time Desperadoes. Who went and pissed of the entire nation with our damn fancy exploits being whipped by a handful of townspeople of Northfield, Minnesota.
We scrambled the hell out of town, all six of us, bad shot up and traveling on four horses, while telegrams alerted the entire state and soon all of the roads were blocked and the bridges were guarded by Pinkerton agents and police chiefs and mayors and over a thousand men joined in that manhunt. It was the biggest one in the entire history of the United States. In five days during one of the worst storms in the living memory, our ragged gang were still only fifty miles from Northfield. Pretty soon Frank and Jesse separated from me and my brothers and we broke out in different directions but a few days later we were cornered in a marsh called Hanska Slough.
We surrendered.
I've had eleven bullet wounds. Jim had five including the musket ball lodged bellow his brain and Bob had his chest shot all to pieces. Poor Charles was dead. We still trialed and we were sentenced to life and I'm still wondering why I'm here in this damned Stillwater Penitentiary.
Frank and Jesse are still running.
We were so used to have an easy time of it in our own territory that we sure had it bargained for them brave heroics performed by them Minnesota folks, and as soon as they heard their bank was being robbed, the townspeople came out shooting muskets and shotguns, even throwing rocks at us.
They shot us all to hell.
Bill Chadwell was lying dead and Clell Miller've been tempered with buckshots and bells were ringing and horses were rearing up and women screaming and Jesse and me were in the street firing shots to keep the people back while Frank and Bob were inside the bank. They were having an even worse time of it when we were. Of all things, the safe was in a time lock and there weren't a damn thing they can do about it.
Frank just went crazy and shot the cashier. So there we were. The James and the Younger boys. Big time Desperadoes. Who went and pissed of the entire nation with our damn fancy exploits being whipped by a handful of townspeople of Northfield, Minnesota.
We scrambled the hell out of town, all six of us, bad shot up and traveling on four horses, while telegrams alerted the entire state and soon all of the roads were blocked and the bridges were guarded by Pinkerton agents and police chiefs and mayors and over a thousand men joined in that manhunt. It was the biggest one in the entire history of the United States. In five days during one of the worst storms in the living memory, our ragged gang were still only fifty miles from Northfield. Pretty soon Frank and Jesse separated from me and my brothers and we broke out in different directions but a few days later we were cornered in a marsh called Hanska Slough.
We surrendered.
I've had eleven bullet wounds. Jim had five including the musket ball lodged bellow his brain and Bob had his chest shot all to pieces. Poor Charles was dead. We still trialed and we were sentenced to life and I'm still wondering why I'm here in this damned Stillwater Penitentiary.
Frank and Jesse are still running.
November 2, 2021
Very well done fictional autobiography of Cole Younger.
Author Boggs claims to have done a lot of research, and it shows. There is a long list of sources, books that themselves seem to beg to be read -- especially by historians and researchers, but also by laymen who are interested in the era of the War Against Southern Independence and the vicious fighting in Missouri and Kansas that at times seemed to have little or nothing to do with the war farther east.
As is typical of reporting on history, the winners write the books, so everybody knows -- from books and movies -- about Quantrill but seemingly few know about the equally ruthless murderers, including at least one elected politician, supposedly allied to the Yankees.
Cole Younger, according to this version, was the son of a man opposed to secession. Yet some of the guerrillas claiming to be allied to the Union forces attack and kill Younger senior. This act drove Cole to join Quantrill.
In that ugly, vicious fighting, such stories abound, but seem to be known only to serious researchers.
In this story, Cole Younger and a few others with similar stories, soon tire of the Quantrill-type warring and join the official Confederate forces. Afterward, returning home they find no home: Yankees or self-styled Federal allies had destroyed them, often killing family members, even children, for revenge.
Then many of those returnees seek vengeance of their own, but robbing banks, stage-coaches, and even trains rather than attacking families and homes.
This version of Cole Younger is educated, even thoughtful, and after that famous and abortive raid on the Northfield, Minnesota, bank, he is regretful.
In real history, he changes drastically, and how that came about is detailed in this book -- perhaps truthfully and accurately, but definitely interestingly.
Author Johnny D. Boggs is incredibly prolific, and I've never seen a bad book from him. This is even better than most. I recommend "Hard Way Out of Hell."
Author Boggs claims to have done a lot of research, and it shows. There is a long list of sources, books that themselves seem to beg to be read -- especially by historians and researchers, but also by laymen who are interested in the era of the War Against Southern Independence and the vicious fighting in Missouri and Kansas that at times seemed to have little or nothing to do with the war farther east.
As is typical of reporting on history, the winners write the books, so everybody knows -- from books and movies -- about Quantrill but seemingly few know about the equally ruthless murderers, including at least one elected politician, supposedly allied to the Yankees.
Cole Younger, according to this version, was the son of a man opposed to secession. Yet some of the guerrillas claiming to be allied to the Union forces attack and kill Younger senior. This act drove Cole to join Quantrill.
In that ugly, vicious fighting, such stories abound, but seem to be known only to serious researchers.
In this story, Cole Younger and a few others with similar stories, soon tire of the Quantrill-type warring and join the official Confederate forces. Afterward, returning home they find no home: Yankees or self-styled Federal allies had destroyed them, often killing family members, even children, for revenge.
Then many of those returnees seek vengeance of their own, but robbing banks, stage-coaches, and even trains rather than attacking families and homes.
This version of Cole Younger is educated, even thoughtful, and after that famous and abortive raid on the Northfield, Minnesota, bank, he is regretful.
In real history, he changes drastically, and how that came about is detailed in this book -- perhaps truthfully and accurately, but definitely interestingly.
Author Johnny D. Boggs is incredibly prolific, and I've never seen a bad book from him. This is even better than most. I recommend "Hard Way Out of Hell."
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January 11, 2023I enjoy many of Johnny D. Boggs novels. I like his look in history. This book looks at the nitty-gritty side of life in the days after the War of Northern Aggression in Missouri.
If give a different approach to Jessie James and the Younger brothers. I was especially intrigued by the description of the attempted bank robbery of the Northfield, Mn bank. This a good historically grounded tale of the old West and Johnny is a good practitioner of the time. It is a gruesome period of the history of the midwest after the War Between the states.
If give a different approach to Jessie James and the Younger brothers. I was especially intrigued by the description of the attempted bank robbery of the Northfield, Mn bank. This a good historically grounded tale of the old West and Johnny is a good practitioner of the time. It is a gruesome period of the history of the midwest after the War Between the states.
August 24, 2021
Cole’s Hell
Johnny D Boggs is the real deal. I love reading his novels because he does such thorough research. This novel reads like a true autobiography of Cole Younger. I don’t know if Johnny D Boggs is considered a real historian, but I think he is close enough.
Johnny D Boggs is the real deal. I love reading his novels because he does such thorough research. This novel reads like a true autobiography of Cole Younger. I don’t know if Johnny D Boggs is considered a real historian, but I think he is close enough.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews